PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte threatened to cut the funding of the University of the Philippines after being told about the academic strike of students.

“‘Yung mga eskuwelahan, UP, fine. Maghinto kayo ng aral, I will stop the funding,” he said in his weekly address on Tuesday night.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque informed the President about the academic strike.

“Sir, ‘yung mga estudyante po na loko-loko na ayaw pumasok, nagpoprotesta, hindi raw sila magsa-submit ng academic requirements hanggang hindi natutulungan ang mga biktima ng typhoon,” he said.

Duterte told students not to concern themselves about typhoon response.

“You are taking the cudgels of the poor ahead of your time. That is not your worry — that is the worry of government. Kami, nagtatrabaho kami,” he said.

He also took UP students to task for lambasting the government.

“Walang ginawa itong ano kung ‘di mag-recruit ng komunista diyan. Tapos nag-aaral kayo, ang gusto ninyong binibira ang gobyerno. Masyado naman napakasuwerte kayo. Huwag talaga kayong manakot, kasi I will oblige you,” Duterte warned.

However, calls for an academic strike were led by Ateneo students, who criticized the government for the way it responded to the pandemic and the calamity brought by the typhoons.

Over 500 Ateneans pledged to withhold the submission of school requirements starting November 18, 2020 until the government heeded the people’s demand for proper calamity aid and pandemic response.