By Elana Joy Bartlett
SILLIMANIANS CONVERGED WITH partylist candidates and representatives from Philippine Normal University (PNU) Manila and University of the Philippines (UP) Baguio through a live streamed electoral forum last Feb. 8.
“Les Marginalized”, through InterAksyon.com, geared towards educating students about the partylist system as well as to introduce different partylists with their respective platforms.
Many of the platforms that the participating partylists had in common were dedicated to the student body: raising the nation’s budget for education, strengthening students’ rights and welfare, providing employment, decreasing tuition fees and promoting quality education.
The following partylists sent representatives for the event: the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), AGHAM, Akbayan! Partylist, Bayan Muna, Kabataan Partylist, and the Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP).
Participants were also allowed to ask the representatives various questions about education and employment. Students who were not present at the forum tweeted questions for the representatives through #YOUTHVOTE2013.
“Although there were glitches, it [Les Marginalized] was able to meet its objective in educating the youth… It [Les Marginalized] made the students aware [of] what a partylist system can do to represent different sectors,” said Therene Mari Quijano, one of the organizers for Youth Vote Philippines.
“Les Marginalized” was organized by the PNU student government, the SULO-PNU political party, the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, the First Time Voters’ Network, the Forum for Family Planning and Development, InterAksyon.com, TV News5, and SMART Telecommunications.
