Students from Cebu City made the rounds on social media after they wore their school uniforms in public as they called for the "safe and gradual" resumption of face-to-face classes.

(Photo from Celine Lagundi)

In a Facebook post, Mariel Dumaraos, councilor at the Supreme Student Council of the University of San Carlos (USC), wore her school uniform at a coffee shop as she campaigned for #LigtasNaBalikEskwela.

"If malls, tourist spots, and bars have reopened, we should push for the safe and gradual reopening of our schools too!" Dumaraos wrote.

She added that not all students have the resources or the proper learning environment at home for distance learning.

"No student should be left behind. I challenge you to wear your school at home or in public to campaign for #LigtasNaBalikEskwela."

In another viral post on Twitter, Celine Lagundi of Gabriela Youth-USC also shared photos of her wearing her uniform at a local coffee shop.

"Why must students remain suffering the challenges of the online learning setup when the government allows bars and clubs to open? Surely there's a way to address this, and that's #LigtasNaBalikEskwela!" Lagundi wrote.

According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Philippines has the longest closure of schools in the Asia-Pacific.

Since 2020, students' groups such as the National Union of Students of the Philippines and Rise for Education (R4E) have been campaigning for the safe and gradual reopening of schools.