STUDENTS from the Ateneo de Manila and the University of the Philippines encouraged their fellow students to wear black at the finals of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines on Monday.

The move is to protest the attempts to revive the Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in the Philippines after the bill was approved by the House of Representatives on third and final reading.

UP and Ateneo will clash for the crown on Game 3 of the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball finals on December 19.

“Together, let us stand against the attempt to restore mandatory ROTC in our schools. Its implementation in the past allowed the culture of violence and impunity to flourish,” Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila said in a statement on Facebook.

“Under the false pretense of instilling nationalism, Filipino students experienced rampant abuse. Those that dared to expose the system’s corruption died for it. Let us learn from our history. We cannot let Mandatory ROTC happen again,” it added.

Mandatory ROTC was abolished in the country in 2002.

It was replaced by the National Service Training Program.