Students of the University of the Philippines (UP) showed their support to scrap pork barrel by joining the Million People March from Liwasang Bonifacio to Quirino Grand Stand on August 26.

“Makibaka, ‘wag mag-baboy!”  This was the shout by the thousands of people who joined the march.

“Participating in the Million March is being pro-active and not being apathetic. When Filipinos come together, we are taking a stand. The pork barrel scam is something that we don’t accept and we should stop it,” said Tristan Zinampan, a development communication alumnus of UP Los Banos (UPLB).

Meanwhile, Love Baurile, a devcom student from UPLB, shared that small movements could result to a big contribution.

The idea of the Million People March started with a Facebook event led by Arnold Pedrigal, Peachy Bretana, and Zena Bernardo-Bernardo in response to the pork barrel scam.

The pork barrel scam petition was triggered by President Benigno Aquino’s plans about the reformation of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). Said reformation was supposed to clear the corruption in the system.

Orly Putong, a UP Diliman (UPD) student, described it only as a “new program to cover up the old corruption system.”

“It should be abolished,” shares Jian Gomez, another UPD student.  He further commented that pork barrel should be re-channeled to public services such as education system, health service and transportation.

The Million People March served as the voice of the people’s assertions towards corruption. (Arianne Grace Bautista)