CNU poses ‘security threat’ from ‘assumed’ student protest outside campus

Updated as of Aug. 14, 2026, 6:22 p.m.

The Cebu Normal University (CNU) administration declared a “security threat” on Thursday, August 13, leading to the abrupt cancellation of the “Grand Balik Eskwela” Acquaintance Party, a major scholastic event intended to welcome incoming freshman students.

The declaration and the cancellation were assumed when students from Kabataan Partylist (KPL) mobilized a protest outside the campus prior to the said event.

“The Cebu Normal University (CNU) administration said the cancellation is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and security of all participants and attendees,” the university stated in a Facebook post.

As of this writing, the administration did not disclose any reason as to the cause of the cancellation.

Their protest was to reject the university’s Office of Student Affairs and Services (OSAS) Advisory No. 18, Series of 2026, linked to the 2018 Student Manual.

It specifically prohibits students from changing their hair color other than brown or black, cross-dressing, having facial ornaments and facial hair, heavy makeup, visible tattoos, and having long or colored nails.

Before the mobilization, KPL-CNU had already been informed by the OSAS Director that rallies would be held outside the campus, as no provisions from the Student Manual, University Code, and the 1987 Constitution authorized rallies within campus.

The group also informed the OSAS of the intended rally from the canteen to the areas outside the gate, including the timeline and purpose of the mobilization.

However, as they marched heading out of the campus, KPL-CNU Chairperson Patricia Hope Alivio was dragged away by the security guards and was “unjustly interrogated and harassed”.

Alivio noted on a Facebook post that the rally was intended to amplify the students’ demands for accountability amidst the university’s ongoing issues, but it was then interpreted as a threat.

“To be labeled a ‘security threat’ is the most disgusting thing you could do to your students,” she said. “You are putting your own students in danger only because they made the effort to fight for their own rights as students.”

Last August 3, the CNU Main-Supreme Student Council, along with student leaders from other groups such as Normalistar, KPL-CNU, and LGBTQIA+ community members, held a Constructive Dialogue with the OSAS Director about the implementation of the OSAS Advisory No. 18, S. 2026.

Based on the report, the OSAS Director clarified that he does not have the authority to unilaterally grant exemptions or modify the existing rules, as OSAS Advisory No. 18, S. 2026 serves as a direct implementation of the 2018 Student Manual.

He also added that administrators must enforce the restrictions in the 2018 Student Manual unless higher authorities change the policy or the manual is officially amended.

As of this writing, the Formal Appeal of Reconsideration, filed by the CNU Main-SSC Committee on Gender and Development, is currently under administrative review before the OSAS Director, along with 10 proposed considerations.

The administration is yet to release a full statement addressing the event cancellation and the subsequent student allegations.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This post was reuploaded to correct information in the initial writeup on the issue, specifically regarding Cebu Normal University’s reason for declaring a “security threat.”

As of press time, the institution has yet to release the reason and was incorrectly stated in the original article. Explained PH takes full accountability for the error.