TO INSTILL awareness on the importance of the upcoming 2025 national midterm elections, various Ateneo student organizations and School Sanggunians hosted voter education seminars and workshops for communities within and outside the Ateneo.

Organizations such as the Liga ng Inklusibo, Progresibo, at Demokratikong (LIPAD) Atenista, Kabataan Partylist – Katipunan (KPL-K), the Atenean Junior Marketing Association (AJMA), and Ateneo Lex also held their own events, all working to promote political awareness among the Ateneo community.

Highlighting the gaps in voter education within the Philippines, Ateneo Task Force for Midterm Elections (ATF-ME) Chairperson Justin Altubar stated that the task force aimed to center its initiatives on the concept of citizenship, recognizing that voting is often framed as an expression of personal preference rather than a communal effort.

Following this, Ateneo Assembly Director for Politicization Kym Martine Relova noted that there is a need to conduct dialogues outside the campus to create a consensus on where the youth envisions its country to be.

Concretizing visions

Driven by the goal of creating spaces for student dialogue, the Ateneo Assembly conducted a two-part electoral discussion entitled Eleksyon 2025: Kampanya para sa Balota on March 27.

The event included a demonstration by the Philippine Commission on Elections of the new Automated Counting Machine (ACM), which features a hybrid voting system that combines automated ballot counting with manual verification, unlike previous ACMs.

According to Relova, the event emphasized the importance of equipping students with the tools necessary to participate meaningfully in the elections, underscoring the significance of informed voting and political accountability within the University.

Meanwhile, last April 2, LIPAD Atenista spearheaded Advocacy Assembly 2025, which tackled the Philippine educational crisis as a key issue for the midterm elections. Among the event speakers was former Ateneo de Davao University President Fr. Joel Tabora, SJ, who stressed that the youth can “now make a difference” in educational reform through independently initiated projects.

Moreover, the John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM) Marketing and Law Department, AJMA, JGSOM Sanggunian, and Ateneo Lex collaborated on Political Campaigning 101, which focused on discussing the campaigning and marketing aspect of the elections.

Apart from election seminars, ATF-ME and the Dr. Rosita G. Leong School of Social Sciences (RGLSOSS) Sanggunian released the Senatorial Candidate Profiles—a summary of the candidates’ personal backgrounds, political party affiliations, and involvement in criminal cases.

ATF-ME also launched a community mock poll on April 2 for all Ateneo students, faculty, and staff who are eligible voters in the upcoming elections. According to Altubar, the initiative is the ATF-ME’s effort to promote civic engagement and values-based voting.

Extending the movement

In an effort to spark dialogue beyond the student body, Altubar mentioned that the task force will also conduct KwentuHalalan as a platform to hold conversations with sectors in the Ateneo, such as guards and employees, to tackle the reasons behind their vote. The initiative will also include house-to-house dialogues in Brgy. Barangka and Jesus dela Peña in Marikina City.

Furthermore, other Ateneo student organizations have extended their initiatives and collaborated with political organizations outside the University to broaden the reach of voter education.

Among these initiatives was GABAY: Change Starts with YOUth, an advocacy-building seminar held last March 27. Co-organized by the RGLSOSS Sanggunian, ATF-ME, Kilos Atenean, and Kilos Ko Youth National, the event aimed to foster political awareness through discussions on pressing national issues, such as human rights, labor rights, and freedom of speech.

Aside from raising awareness, GABAY Project Head Axel Domingo shared that the initiative sought to guide participants in building their own advocacies and engaging with causes that matter to them, asserting that these are the primary drivers behind why people decide to vote.

Meanwhile, KPL-K Secretary-General Kenneth Amores shared that KPL-K has offered its voters’ education and leadership training services to Ateneo student organizations. He added that the organization is also preparing a series of talks and forums within Ateneo.

“The main goal [of] the seminars or forums is to empower the youth, to politicize them, and encourage them to join political organizations or any organizations outside school [in order] to take a stand and fight for their advocacy, especially in times when the state has repressive actions,” he expressed in a mix of Filipino and English.

Beyond the Ateneo campus, Amores stated that KPL-K has already begun engaging with community-based youth groups through on-ground initiatives. In a recent activity held on March 29 in Sitio Payong, Old Balara, KPL-K members facilitated a training dialogue on both organizational work and voter education with the Sitio Payong Youth Organization.

“It boils down to talking to individuals and students, and taking our time to engage with them in the community, learning about [their] advocacies, and urging them to vote,” Amores shared. He also expressed his hopes that the youth will continue to believe in the power of change in amplifying their voices and those of the masses. 

To sustain these initiatives, Amores emphasized the need for continuous educational work, noting that voter education and awareness of societal issues are crucial in motivating young people to participate in elections and resist practices such as vote buying. 

Shaping the vote

In advocating for active voter participation, Altubar highlighted the significance of empowerment through a comprehensive understanding of the voters’ perspectives and the broader impact of their choices on the community.

“The main point of the elections is to talk about why we vote a certain way, taking into consideration other’s well-being and welfare, […] [because the] essence [of the] elections is pakikipagkapwa (companionship),” Altubar stated.

In addition, Domingo elaborated that the Ateneo community currently lacks unity for communicating advocacies that spark political change. Relova echoed this sentiment, stating that politicizing the campus is an “uphill battle,” as cohesion within the Ateneo is “lacking” and “fragmented.”

Following this, Domingo encouraged members of the Ateneo community to keep discussing their advocacies and the issues surrounding them with the broader public. “The more that you keep talking about the idea, the more it will propagate,” he said.

Amores also asserted that “there is no perfect time than now” for the youth to participate, as political contradictions and factions continue to worsen. He said that the youth must organize itself to take a stand and vote wisely, as their choices will inevitably shape the course of the nation’s future.