THE STUDENT councils from the University of Santo Tomas joined calls for a nationwide academic ease amid the devastation brought about by the recent typhoons.

In a statement, the group said government must prioritize the students’ struggles and well-being above their academic load especially those living in far-flung areas.

“Moreover, as Thomasians, together with our friends and families who were physically, emotionally, and mentally affected by the recent happenings, we demand for nationwide academic ease and safe back-to-school policies,” the statement read.

“Until the floods have subsided, telecommunication and electricity infrastructures are fixed, and until students along with their families are safe and equipped to handle remote means of learning, our call to suspend all synchronous and asynchronous activities remain,” it added.

The student councils have also pledged to focus their efforts in prioritizing greater issues currently affecting the country.

“We stand with our brothers and sisters from the most affected parts of the country in Marikina, Isabela, Pampanga, and Cagayan. We pray for those who lost their homes, we offer help to those who continue to suffer, and we demand justice for the lives we’ve lost,” it said.

Students from various universities and colleges in Metro Manila likewise appealed for an academic break following the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses.

Meanwhile, faculty members and students of the University of the Philippines urged its administrators to immediately end the semester amid Covid19 pandemic and the destruction caused by the recent typhoons.