Former senators Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan topping the Varsitarian’s survey among UST students for the 2025 midterm elections reflects the youth’s idealistic leanings and growing discernment in evaluating candidates’ backgrounds, according to political analysts.
Results of the Varsitarian’s senatorial poll, conducted from April 28 to May 7 across UST’s academic units, were dominated by a mix of progressive candidates, labor leaders and activists — all championing sweeping social and labor reforms.
Aquino and Pangilinan, who got 83.42% and 79.58%, respectively, are banking on their Senate records to win over an electorate that has previously rejected the traditional opposition bloc.
Asst. Prof. Frederick Rey of the UST Department of Political Science said the strong showing of the two former senators reflects how young voters are more thoughtful about candidates’ histories.
“We are learners, we are learned voters capable of understanding disinformation or separating disinformation from the truth,” he said. “Nagbe-base tayo doon sa past experience natin — a rational calculation of this future action. We do not want to take risks; we base our actions on what we have learned from the past.”
In third place was former state auditor Heidi Mendoza (60.70%), an independent candidate running on an anti-corruption platform.
Completing the “Magic 12” in the survey were labor leaders Luke Espiritu (56.9%), Leody de Guzman (44.7%) and Sonny Matula (44.7%); and members of the Makabayan bloc: Teddy Casiño (37.6%), Arlene Brosas (36.9%), Danilo Ramos (36.68%), Ronnel Arambulo (34.89%), France Castro (27.7%), and Liza Maza (22.71%).
“Nandoon pa rin ‘yong youthful idealism,” Rey said of Thomasians’ preference for progressive candidates. “We yearn for social reform, a better world, and social transformation.”
However, Asst. Prof. Dennis Coronacion, chair of the UST Department of Political Science, offered a caveat: university polls are not representative of the broader youth vote.
“Hindi kasi broad ‘yong appeal nila,” Coronacion said. “They only appeal to the sectors that they belong in.”
Among them, only Aquino consistently lands in the top 12 of pre-election surveys by Pulse Asia and OCTA Research. Pangilinan, while outside the winning circle, still falls within striking distance of a Senate return based on OCTA’s numbers.
Sen. Bong Go has emerged as a frontrunner in national surveys, and eight candidates allied with the administration’s “Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas” slate have consistently polled well. These include ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, former Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., former senator Panfilo Lacson, Sen. Lito Lapid, Makati Mayor Abby Binay, Sen. Pia Cayetano and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar.
Thomasians’ top picks remain outside the national winning circle.
Does the youth vote still exist?
According to GMA Integrated News Research, out of the 75,940,535 registered voters for the 2025 elections, 25.94 million are Milllennials (born 1981-1996), making up 34.15% of voters, while 21.87 million Gen Z voters (born 1997-2007) comprise 28.79%. Combined, they make up around 63% of the voting-age population and 68% of registered voters.
But Rey argued that the concept of a unified “youth vote” is fading, partly due to the academic calendar, which now extends into late May for many schools. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has declared May 12 a special non-working holiday.
“Wala na tayong tinatawag na youth vote,” he said. “Unang-una, because of the shift ng school calendar natin.”
“The youth are becoming less and less engaged, kasi at this point in time, busy sila sa klase, unlike several years ago na ‘yong mga youth ay kasama sa pangangampanya. So hindi na nakakauwi, hindi na nakakapagbigay ng complete support ‘yong mga youth natin sa preferred na candidates nila kasi busy sila sa school activities nila.”
More than just scheduling issues, Rey believes today’s youth no longer share a common political identity.
“It reflects what I call institutional bankruptcy,” he said. “When I say institutional bankruptcy, there’s no more collective conscience or collective ideals that (bind) the youth together. Unlike before, when we say youth are idealistic, sila talaga ang source ng energy of reform and transformation.”
“It appears that since the youth are detached, wala nang youth ngayon na tinatawag. Ang nangyayari, instead of us becoming ‘yong energy ng change, instead of us becoming or taking advantage of the idealism of the youth, naging masyado tayong self-centered na wala ng collective identity.”
Growing gap from conservative, traditional values
Some of the student-backed candidates hold views that conflict with the Catholic Church’s teachings, such as on same-sex unions.
Rey said this trend shows young people are becoming less influenced by traditional religious and social norms — even in Catholic institutions like UST.
“Social institutions are becoming less and less influential over the individual,” Rey said. “Even if we are in a Catholic institution, it shows that our values may not be fully influenced by our university. “Kani-kaniyang desisyon pa rin.”
The support for progressive candidates whose platforms do not fully align with the university’s traditional teachings may also reflect a growing embrace of secular values among youth, Coronacion said.
“Sometimes kasi, idealism can be influenced by secularism, … and if you’re influenced by secular ideologies or values, you tend to contradict the values of your university — even a Catholic university,” he said.
Jazztin Manalo, a political science instructor at UST, said the diversity of opinion is a sign of a vibrant and free academic community.
“I think it’s part of what we call academic freedom,” he told the Varsitarian. “It’s not to say that they are against sa teachings ng University. But as time passes, ‘yong common good would include even the teachings or the issues or controversies that [may be] against sa usual na tinuturo ng University.”
More than 68.4 million voters will head to the polls on Monday, May 12, to elect 12 senators, one party-list representative and local officials. This will be the first election to use automated counting machines sourced from South Korea-based Miru Systems.
Voting for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women will begin at 5 a.m., while the general public can vote from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Miguel Angelo B. Marco with reports from Ralent M. Penilla
