ABS-CBN and its 32 election partners, including UST, represented by Vice Rector Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P., sign a covenant on Tuesday, Jan. 14, to ensure “peaceful, clean, and orderly” midterm polls in May 2025. (Photo from ABS-CBN News)

THE UNIVERSITY has joined ABS-CBN network’s partnership for the 2025 midterm elections, signing a covenant on Tuesday with 31 other institutions to ensure “peaceful, clean, and orderly” polls. 

Represented by Vice Rector Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P., UST formalized the partnership with 31 government agencies, civic groups, election watchdogs, and news organizations during a signing ceremony on Jan. 14.

In his opening remarks, ABS-CBN President and Chief Executive Officer Carlo Katigbak said the partnership aims to ensure truthful information and clean and honest elections on May 12. 

“Each election is a special moment for our democracy because it is a time when every Filipino is given an equal say in deciding our future. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have,” Katigbak said. 

“Working together, we will build on each other’s strengths and capabilities to help our kababayan through this crucial event. And as partners, we will keep our countrymen informed and ensure that their will is enforced through clean and honest elections,” he added.

ABS-CBN Chairman Mark Lopez, chief operating officer for broadcast Cory Vidanes, and Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia were also present during the ceremonial signing. 

The network chairman said the partnership signifies the network’s efforts to safeguard democracy and ensure a fair election process.

“We are united by our collective mission to keep voters informed and enlightened, to guard the vote, and to ensure the delivery of truthful and factual information,” he said. 

“Today, we seal our partnership with a covenant and a commitment to face the tasks at hand together for Halalan 2025,” he added.

“There is much work to be done, and today is only the beginning as we protect the sanctity of the ballot and uphold our democracy.”

ABS-CBN Integrated News chief Francis Toral read the covenant before the partner institutions, underscoring their collective responsibility to ensure credible elections, combat misinformation, help in voter education, and promote truth and fight fake news.

Apart from the Comelec, government agencies such as the Department of Education, and Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine National Police, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines signed the covenant. 

Participating schools include the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Cavite State University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Saint Louis University, San Beda University, Silliman University, and Systems Technology Institute.

Public opinion research firm WR Numero Research and Pulse Asia are also partners.

Other organizations that signed the covenant are as follows:

Media organizations, namely Manila Bulletin, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, Philippine Press Institute, and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.

Civic groups such as the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, National Citizens Movement for Free Election, and Youth Vote Philippines, and election watchdogs Kontra Daya and Legal Network for Truthful Elections.

Search engine company Google and video-sharing platform YouTube.

ABS-CBN’s election-related initiatives include the Halalan 2025 microsite, one-on-one interviews with senatorial candidates through Harapan 2025, and “Campus Patrol,” a youth voter education initiative in schools.

UST public affairs director Michaella Lagniton said the partnership involves providing the network with resource persons and experts, as well as collaboration and coverage of election-related events.

This is UST’s second partnership with a broadcast network for the 2025 midterm elections.  

In November, it joined GMA Network’s “Dapat Totoo” campaign pledging to deliver credible news about the 2025 midterm elections. UST is also a partner of GMA’s “Panata Kontra Fake News” (Pledge to Combat Fake News) campaign. 

“The University has always been a partner of ABS-CBN and GMA since pre-pandemic,” Lagniton told the Varsitarian. “There is already a longstanding partnership when it comes to election-related activities.”

The midterm elections on May 12 will decide contests over 18,000 elected posts — 12 senators and 17,942 governors, provincial board members, mayors, and councilors.

Over 68.6 million Filipino voters have registered for the 2025 national, local, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao parliamentary elections, according to Comelec. 

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