Students under the ONE TAFT alliance linked arms in defiance to form a human chain. Some in crisp white blouses and polos, others deliberately flaunting their mud-stained uniforms as a striking symbol of a double whammy crisis, particularly the state corruption and the neglect of basic social services, especially education.
While chants echoed for accountability and justice, the dirt on their uniforms told stories beyond the classroom that carried memories of flooded homes, interrupted lessons, and the long, muddy aftermath that families continue to endure whenever disasters strike.
For many, these uniforms are not just school attire. These are reminders of survival.
