Student councils from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) joined calls for nationwide academic ease amid the devastation caused by Typhoon "Ulysses."
In a statement posted Wednesday night, UST said students, especially those living in far-flung areas, must "prioritize their struggles and well-being above their academic load."
"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 group has 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.
Earlier, students from the De La Salle University (DLSU) and the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) likewise appealed for academic break following the onslaught of Typhoon "Ulysses."
The University of the Philippines (UP) faculty, meanwhile, urged the UP administration to immediately end the semester after the nationwide amid COVID-19 pandemic and the destruction caused by the recent typhoons.