Utterly disappointed about how my day went, I walked back to school, unsure of where to go next and where to get money for tomorrow and for next week, in the hope to see Roy. He had texted me this afternoon that he went to school. He said in the message that he’ll wait for me in front of the bank beside school. Of course, he wasn’t there anymore so I took the time to check out what’s happening inside the school.

I found some Black people as I joined them (about 200 or so) circling around the quadrangle as the students and the Unified Mapuans’ officers seemed to be engaged in a heated open discussion. I found out they were talking about the next step the student ought to do regarding the Malayan issue. There had been confusion because of improper information dissemination. The discussion got more intense when renowned Mapua alumni and columnist, Nap Guttierez, impeded the debate and suggested that that it’s better if we students, he meant ALL 15,000+ students, gather at the whole of Mapua grounds to show the Yuchengco Group of Companies that we are serious in what we are fighting for.

He recommended that it must be done ASAP and not wait for the timeframe that the negotiating panel will give us. And I guess he had a point when he said that by the time the timeframe has ended, the students had already paid the Final fees which will make the Administration P200 million+ stronger. He even wanted us to change the dress code because he thinks it doesn't carry the school colors, so for tomorrow it’s going to be white (which isn't the school color either. tsk. tsk.), which makes me a day ahead. Hehehe.

In any case, The UM Officers justified why we had to go through the due process. They said there had been a contract signing between them and the admin prohibiting us to boycott the classes (which they and Nap said will only take us more on the losing end because we will be taking them off electricity and water bills to pay) and any strikes whatsoever before the final decision is out. The Central Student Council had given the YGC two options: one, make Mapua the applicant for the University status or; two, disassociate Malayan Colleges/University from Mapua in any way, the former then must be a separate school and a different entity.

According to the officers and/or if the plans will not be changed, our battle will be taken to the streets if the decision will not be in our favour by the 24th of February. Today until the 23rd will be the fixed ultimatum (ignoring their timeframe that extends til the 28th) for them to come up with their decision, which means a week from now. Let us all keep our fingers crossed.