by Kelly Camille Alair, SD Volunteer

Students and guests filled the Little Theater for the “Gahum sa Kabatan-onan” Forum organized by SIAP.

The Social Development (SD) Cluster of Xavier Ateneo through the Social Involvement and Advocacy Program (SIAP) hosted Gahum sa Kabatan-onan: A Stakeholder’s Forum for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) 2023 on 27 September at the XU Little Theater. Various students, guests, and aspiring public servants graced the event in preparation for the upcoming local elections.

Aligned with the program’s mission to engage the students in decision-making endeavors for and with the community, the event sought to raise awareness of the nature and impact of BSKE among the participating youth. With the theme “Gahum sa Kabatan-onan,” the forum advocated for the empowerment of young voters by promoting civic engagement, empathy, and integrity during the electoral period.

University President Fr Mars P Tan SJ opened the forum with an acknowledgment of the event's organizers, resource persons, partners, and stakeholders. Further in his welcome remarks, he emphasized the importance of actively participating in the upcoming BSKE.

Fr Mars P Tan, SJ, University President, delivered his welcoming remarks during the forum.

“Sometimes, we, in the University, are more exposed to the national and global developments but we forget what is going on in our own backyards. We should be more attentive and… responsive to the concerns and issues that are going on in our own neighborhood,” said Fr Mars on the scope of the pressing local matters.

“As students, you have the power to make some change in your own locality,” he affirmed, highlighting the forum’s theme. Fr Mars also enumerated some of the responsibilities of a young voter: to vote wisely and to take part in ensuring that the elections are upright. For the aspiring candidates, he reminded them to address the needs of those they serve, stressing the significance of public service.

The resource talks that followed centered on the context, concerns, and challenges of the local elections. Atty Maria Dulce Cuevas-Banzon, Assistant Regional Election Director for Commission on Elections (COMELEC) - Region X, provided updates on the upcoming BSKE.

First underscoring the nonpartisan nature of the said elections, Atty Banzon discussed the campaigning rules and regulations. She pointed out the prescribed and prohibited electoral activities and how the commission takes action. Urging the citizens to report illegal activities such as premature campaigning, Atty Banzon also laid out sample scenarios for the audience to ponder upon.

Right after, Ms Louwallien Donnah Q Velez, Senior Administrative Officer for Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE), presented the issues surrounding BSKE. Tackling the abuse of state resources, she prompted the audience to report an incident of such a violation involving an election candidate or incumbent official on their website. “[The] barangay government is powerful because it’s your government every day,” stated Velez on the impact of BSKE on personal and collective lives

[L-R] Atty Maria Dulce Cuevas-Banzon (COMELEC X). Ms Louwallien Donnah Velez (LENTE), Mr Prince Kessis Ceniza (AB PSY-4), Ms Antonette Serad (XU CSG ELECOM), and Mr Josef Al Carmel Obenza (Oro Youth) during the panel discussion.

Several youth representatives offered their insights into the discussion. Ms Antonette P Serad, Chief Commissioner for XU Central Student Government (CSG) Electoral Comission (ELECOM), encouraged the students to be active citizens of their respective communities. “Think, act, and then vote… Check if their passion [to serve the people] is genuine… if that leader is open for continuous growth… and development,” shared Serad on how conscientious voting works.

Mr Prince Kessis Ceniza, an aspiring Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) candidate from Zamboanga del Sur, reflected on the difficulties his community faces that a capacitated leader can address. “We need to be able to think critically, solve problems, and justify the work that we do so we can create a better future not only for ourselves but [also] for our country,” conveyed Ceniza on what an SK leader should do.

With SK aiming to uphold the welfare and interest of the youth sector, Mr Josef Al Carmel Obenza, Coordinator for Policy and Planning for Oro Youth, imparted that its members should be “equipped with basic leadership skills, including a deep sense of commitment for civic engagement. They should be deeply aware of their values, strengths, weaknesses, and dispositions, and they should be able to utilize these as tools to develop programs and policies for the well-being of their constituents.”

A panel discussion with the resource persons and the youth representatives followed suit, spotlighting the ideal qualities of a leader.

CSG President Adam Emmanuel Guanzon then closed the forum with a message on the relevance of local youth councils. “Our SK elections may be local in scope, but their importance reverberates beyond. They empower our youth… strengthen the foundation of our democracy… and most importantly, [they] serve as a reminder for us to be proactive in taking up venues in different democratic spaces,” said Guanzon on SK's role in society.

Taking these statements into account, the “Gahum sa Kabatan-onan” forum championed an accountable and transparent election. This initiative hoped to foster a deep sense of active civic engagement and service, mirroring the University’s goal of forming men and women for others.