THE YEAR 2010 could be this generation’s 1986.
This is according to Anton Avanceña, head of the Ateneo Task Force (ATF). “What we really need to focus on is the vital involvement of the youth. Aside from the large number of votes [the] young Filipinos can contribute… There is also a need for us to find our own moment of greatness, much like EDSA 1.”
Avanceña was referring to the 1986 People Power Revolution when Filipinos ousted the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. To help the youth repeat history is ATF 2010, a group that pushes for needed reforms in the electoral process
ATF is the Ateneo arm of a national group, Task Force 2010, with the same objective.
“Before the school year started, Ateneo was approached by Catholic Education Association of the Philippines and then formed ATF,” sophomore participant Juan Carlo Gepuela said. ATF was launched last April.
My B1g Vote
All projects of ATF 2010 this school year are centered on a social awareness campaign called My B1g Vote.
The campaign has three phases divided throughout the year: voters’ registration, voters’ education, and voter’s mobilization.
All these activities focus on youth involvement. “Honestly, there isn’t a reason why we should not get involved with the coming elections,” said Avanceña.
Scheduled during the first semester, the voters’ registration consisted of distributing Commission on Elections (Comelec) forms and frequently asked question (FAQ) sheets to Ateneans. ATF also provided transportation services to Comelec offices for eligible voters.
Avanceña stressed on the students’ eligibility to vote as key for the elections’ success. “Our efforts would be futile if our audience was made mostly of unregistered students,” he said.
ATF also conducts “Hakot Days” where students living in Quezon City (QC) are gathered and then assisted in the whole voters’ registration process.
“Contrary to what most people think, it isn’t apathy that hinders them (students) from registering but the lack of information,” Avanceña added.
“We meet for a short orientation and checking of requirements then we travel from Ateneo to the QC City Hall and we let everyone register under their respective districts,” he explained. He added that it usually takes us about two and a half hours to get 50 people registered.
The second part, voters’ education, which will run from September until the second semester, comprises of workshops and forums regarding the state of the nation and profiles of the possible candidates.
Voters’ mobilization will be available on election days. ATF 2010 will provide transportation for voters to the election venues. Some volunteers will also stand as poll watchers.
Meeting possible candidates
Personal, face-to-face encounters with prominent political figures such as Senators Francis Escudero, Loren Legarda, Richard Gordon, and Mar Roxas is Avanceña’s favorite part of voter’s education. This is part of ATF 2010’s Sabay sa Bayan (SSB) series of leadership forums.
“I find this personally exciting because in the Philippines, we have this mindset that our government [or] political leaders are distant from us when the exact opposite should hold,” he said.
SSB forums are scheduled throughout the school year. The first was Senator Escudero’s, held September 18
“I’m looking forward to more talks and forums, especially… [from] the candidates,” said sophomore participant Raizza Baldo.
“We should be fair and the only way for us, especially the students, to know them is through a chance for the future leaders to speak their hearts and minds out to the people.”
Easy election registration
Last semester, ATF 2010 mainly focused on election registration.
Volunteer Kaira Osmeña said that she really liked the satellite registration during the summer because Ateneans were able to register in campus instead of going to the Comelec office.
“It was so nice to see people claiming registration forms from us in Kostka and seeing them finishing up the registration process during registration day. It was the event that made me choose to stay with the Ateneo Task Force,” Osmeña said.
Baldo was also one of the students who joined Hakot Day on September 21. She said that it was successful because they did not have to go through the hassle of lining up. “Ateneo already gave us everything we needed … for the registration. I didn’t expect it to be that easy and fast.”
More to come
In the coming semester, ATF 2010 will be holding more events, activities, and services. Aside from the on-going efforts for registration, the full blast campaign will begin in November until the elections next year.
Currently, ATF is scheduling more SSB forums and doing candidate profiling. They will also integrate a voters’ education module in Integrated Non-Academic Formation classes, Politics and Governance classes, and the Alternative Class Program.
