Senatorial candidates from the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas have admitted that Bulacan State University (BSU) students protesting their presence on campus grounds on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, have a point, as they acknowledge that schools must be shielded from politics. File Photo from Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas 2025/FACEBOOK
MALOLOS, Bulacan — Senatorial candidates from the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas have admitted that Bulacan State University (BSU) students protesting their presence on campus grounds on Wednesday have a point, as they acknowledge that schools must be shielded from politics.
Alyansa bets ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, and former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said they understand the sentiments of the students, who staged protests as they went inside the BSU campus here, for a press conference.
Lacson, however, hopes the students do not get mad at them as they were merely invited to be at the BSU, and that the decision was out of their hands.
“Tama rin naman ang mga estudyante, naiintindihan namin ‘yong situation nila, pero sana ‘wag naman kaming sisihin, kasi kami, naimbitahan lang naman kami pumunta dito,” Lacson said.
(The students are also right, we understand their situation, but I hope they will not blame us because we were just invited to be here.)
“Nagulat nga ako, nagsisisigaw na lang ‘yong mga estudyante, naaalala ko tuloy no’ng estudyante ako. Pero may punto nga naman sila, kaya sinasabi ni Senator Lacson, ang eskwelahan, dapat ilayo sa mga pulitiko, dapat walang politics dito,” Tulfo added.
(I was shocked, because the students were shouting, which reminded me of my student days. But they have a point, that’s why Senator Lacson said that schools should be removed from politics and should not exist here.)
According to Lacson, he learned about the university as the venue of the press briefing only on Tuesday night.
Tulfo, on the other hand, said that he thought they were headed to the Bulacan Sports Complex, which is also in Malolos, but he was notified that they were headed to BSU.
“Unang-una wala kaming kinalaman dito, hindi nga namin alam na dito kami pupunta until last night, ako particularly,” Lacson said.
(First of all we do not have anything to do with this, I did not know this until last night.)
“Pero ewan ko kung sino ang naglagay sa amin dito, we really don’t know, nagulat na lang ako, akala ko meron kaming (rally) sa Sports Center Complex, biglang sabi kanan mo d’yan sa Bulacan State. Sabi ko akala ko magla-lunch lang. Eh dito raw ‘yong presscon, dito ‘yong media,” Tulfo added.
(But I don’t know who placed us here, I thought we were going to the rally at the Sports Center Complex, but the vehicles suddenly turned right towards the Bulacan State. I thought we were just having lunch. But the presscon will be held here, the media is here.)
Tulfo, a former journalist himself, said he knew that the news stories would be about the rally against Alyansa candidates. Because of this, the lawmaker said he has already asked Alyansa campaign manager and Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco why the press briefing was held at BSU.
“Kaya nga no’ng nagrally kanina, sabi ko yari. Sabi ko ang storya bukas, ‘Alyansa ni-rally ng mga estudyante’. Nando’n na ‘yong media, lahat ng camera nakatutok. Dahil kahit ako ang media, mas malaking storya ‘yon eh, nagrarally ‘yong mga tao sa baba, mga estudyante laban sa mga pulitiko,” he said.
(When there was a rally earlier, I said we’re screwed. The story tomorrow is ‘Alyansa faces protests from students.’ The media is there, all cameras are pointed towards them because if I were covering this, that’s the big story, students are rallying against politicians.)
“Pero it’s not our fault, we just went here, we were invited. Kaya nga tinanong ko si Cong. Toby, inaalam daw niya kung sino ang nag-arrange. Because dapat talaga naman ‘wag sa eskwelahan, off limits dapat sa school,” he added.
(But it’s not our fault, we just went here, we were invited. That’s why I asked Cong. Toby, he is finding out who arranged because schools should really be off limits to politics.)
Student-activists questioned why Alyansa candidates were inside school grounds when campus spaces should be for students only.
“Malaking hamon para sa atin ang magpanalo ng mga karapat-dapat sa posisyon, hindi ‘yong Alyansa ng mga kurap, hindi ‘yong Alyansa ng mga mamamatay-tao,” one student activist said.
(It’s a big challenge for us to have deserving candidates to win, not those from the alliance of the corrupt, and alliance of the killers.)
Sotto, at the end of the press briefing, clarified again that the rally will be at the Bulacan Sports Complex.
“Nagpapasalamat din po kami sa university na pinayagan kami ditong mag-presscon, hindi naman kami ang nagschedule nito eh, ang Alyansa ang nag-schedule. Pero para linawin, dito lang ‘yong presscon saka dito ‘yong parang merienda. Pero hindi po dito ‘yong rally,” he noted.
(I would like to thank the university for allowing us to do our press conference here, but we did not schedule this. Just to be clear, only the press conference and the snacks were held here.)
Alyansa’s campaign rally in Bulacan is the second-to-the-last sortie before its miting de avance on Friday. It is also the Alyansa’s second rally at Bulacan, after making a trip to San Jose del Monte last February 28.
READ: Alyansa tapers off campaign season with a return to ‘powerhouse’ Bulacan
In a statement on Tuesday, Tiangco said that the slate returns to Bulacan not only to woo voters, but to assure its residents that the province is vital to the administration’s vision of a national development.
“Bulacan is a powerhouse, a gateway to progress. This province has always stood for strong leadership, and Alyansa is committed to ensuring that Bulakenyos reap the full benefits of national development,” Tiangco said.
“These projects will not just benefit Bulacan but will fuel the economic growth of the entire Central Luzon region,” he added./coa