EVEN before the election fever hit the country, the University had already taken the initiative to instill awareness and promote participation in the election among the Thomasian community.
Picking up from the results of the 1998 national elections, the events that followed them, the University took voters’ education a notch higher. It established the Voters’ Education Initiative (VEI) committee to foster among Thomasians the basic rudiments of nationalism through democratic elections.
Edsa 2, in which Joseph Ejercito Estrada was booted out of office due to charges of corruption and the tumultuous May 1 riots in which the new government of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as nearly toppled served as the catalysts for the University to establish of VEI.
“The VEI is the University’s contribution as an institution of learning to the country during these significant times,” VEI co-chairperson and Institute of Religion dean Fr. Rodel Aligan, O.P. said.
The VEI co-chairperson is Student Affairs Office head Dr. Evelyn Songco. Members of VEI committee include Faculty of Medicine and Surgery regent Fr. Jerry Manlangit, High School regent Fr. John Funelas, Office for Community Development director Prof. Jose Cruz III, and Social Research Center director Dr. Ernesto Gonzales.
Other memners were Public Alumni Affairs Office Director Asst. Prof. Anna Maria Gloria Ward, Faculty of Arts and Letters dean Dr. Belen Tangco, Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy chairperson Prof. Oscar Diamante, Assoc. Prof. Zenaida Famorca, and former Central Student Council auditor Froilan Pitpit.
The VEI aimed to provide education to first-time voters, to renew people’s faith in the electoral process, to set standards for choosing leaders, and to disseminate election-related materials.
Standards for candidates were also established. The standards were based on the ideal Thomasian identity. Accordingly, leaders should be committed in serving the public, the country, and God. They should also be compassionate, respecting the human rights, uplifting the lives of the poor, and upholding the family and life. Lastly and most importantly, leaders should have competence and integrity.
Plan of action
As early as January, VEI put up streamers expressing ideals of a democratic election. It distributed voter-education leaflets inside the campus. It also aired a series of election-related talks and forums over the Thomasian Cable Television. It invited social and political analysts to share their insights on the elections.
With the cooperation of the Political Science Forum and the Faculty of Arts and Letters Faculty Association, the VEI held the presidential and senatorial candidates forum last Feb. 3 and Jan. 29 at the Medicine Auditorium.
Presidential contenders Raul Roco of the Alyansa ng Pag-asa (AP) and evangelist Eddie Villanueva of the Bangon Pilipinas (BP) movement attended.
Senate candidates who faced the forum included Manuel Roxas III, Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, former Manila mayor Alfredo Lim, former senator Ernesto Maceda, broadcast personality Jay Sonza and lawyer Batas Mauricio.
VEI also organized Mamamayang Nagkakaisa at Naninindigan (Manna), a rally for intelligent for intelligent and peaceful elections. Hosted by television host Oscar Orbos, Manna called for an active civic engagement in the polls among educators, students, and communities.
Despite the clear objectives of the assembly, Manna seems to have lost its goal down the stretch when its invited speakers and performers began to ridicule and berate current government officials in a way that militant and so-called civic-oriented groups present their ideas.
Mock elections
The mock elections last March 10 was the culminating activity of VEI.
Administrators, faculty members, non-academic employees, and students cast their votes in polling places set up in the building lobbies around the campus.
President Macapagal won the mock elections, earning 1,415 out of the 3,140 votes. Her closest rival was Roco who garnered 885 votes. Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Villanueva followed with 502 and 123 votes respectively. Actor Fernando Poe Jr. languished at the bottom with a poor 118 votes. Meanwhile, disqualified Pilipinas Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa (Pibid) candidate Eddie Gil got 31 votes.
Sen. Noli de Castro slimly nosed ahead of fellow Sen. Loren Legarda in the vice-presidential race. He gained 1,120 votes as against Legarda’s 1,046. AP bet Herminio Aquino followed with 532 votes while Pibid candidate Rodolfo Pajo ahd only 13 votes.
Former tourism secretary Richard Gordon led all senatorial aspirants with 2,518 votes, followed by Roxas and Lim with 2,396 and 2,040 votes, respectively. The other bets in the Top 12 were Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Robert Barbers, Rodolfo Biazon, Aquilino Pimentel, Orlando Mercado, Pia Juliana Cayetano, Perfecto Yasay, John Osmeña, and Juan Ponce Enrile.
VEI committee officials expressed the hope that its activities had raised Thomasian awareness in the elections. Being members of the largest Catholic university in the country. Thomasians play a very significant role in advancing the cause of democracy. It behooves them to be responsible and enlightened voters. Elka Krystle R. Requinta and Richard Rodriguez
