THE FORTHCOMING Presidential elections sparked much debate among Filipinos nationwide regarding which candidates are best fit for office. With candidates possessing different campaigns, track records, and advocacies, evaluating these potential leaders is a necessary step for registered voters to appropriately exercise their suffrage. Performing such actions then must not be an isolated case, and encouraging the development of well-informed political stances from one registered voter to another is ideal.

Despite the controversy surrounding an athlete’s involvement in politics, athletes’ additional platforms provide effective opportunities in motivating people to register, vote, and rightly choose their preferred candidates. Contributions from student-athletes in the political arena then are welcome initiatives towards a promising election.

Inherent duty

As Filipino citizens, athletes are not exempt from the responsibility each Filipino bears in ensuring the country’s future and its people are secured. A student-athlete therefore cannot ignore their duty of contributing to the upcoming elections—for they are citizens first and sportsmen second.

As stated by Enrique Espina of the Ateneo Rowing Team (ART), “We [student-athletes] have to acknowledge that we can’t just focus on our sport. We have the responsibility to, at the very least, encourage people to vote [and] make sure that who they’re voting for comes from a well-informed position.”

This obligation is especially important to uphold for athletes who possess platforms with extensive reach, given their ability to effectively communicate with wide audiences. Former Loyola Gaming member Timmy Albert emphasized that those with popular platforms have the capability to spark change. “As a student-athlete, you’re seen more, and whether you like it or not, you have the obligation and responsibility [to speak up],” he shared.

Similarly, Ateneo Men’s Track and Field Co-captain Matteo Crisostomo shared how a student-athlete’s efforts in the political scene can influence communities that only they as players may have access to. He is able to tap into the local athletics community among his wider online network, where a simple share on social media can influence his peers—regardless of their relationship—to educate themselves on their preferred candidate.

Further elaborating on these influential platforms, Crisostomo divulged the importance for student-athletes to ensure that whatever they forward through such mediums is knowledgeable. According to the decathlete, “When student-athletes make their voices heard, it bears more weight [since] that person may serve as an inspiration to someone. That’s why I feel like what they say holds a little more weight, so that comes with the responsibility of being more informed about what you say.” 

Regardless of the size of a student-athlete’s platform or initiative towards the elections, the results achieved through these contributions are invaluable. Espina believes that the value of one’s political efforts lies in their ability to influence even a single person to register, be informed, or vote wisely—for this effect may eventually snowball from peer to peer.

Since those to be elected on May 9 are paramount in leading the country towards prosperity, duly exercising one’s right to vote is highly encouraged by Filipinos nationwide. “To not vote in this election is not even passive, it’s disrespectful to the current landscape. Every vote matters,” Albert affirmed.

Enabling change

As advocates of the same candidates such as Vice President Leni Robredo, Senator Kiko Pangilinan, Atty. Chel Diokno, and Senator Risa Hontiveros, the aforementioned student-athletes remain at the forefront of furthering their political advocacies through various means. They maintain their commitment to these candidates because they are convinced that their impressive track records, honesty, transparency, accountability, and inclusive platforms would lead the country to greater heights.

“Given their characters [and] their plans, it’s cohesive. If they all work together in the government, we can only expect good things,” Espina concluded.

These student-athletes are also aware of how integral it is to be a registered voter, as this is what allows any citizen to practice their constitutional right to vote. This is why the Ateneo Track and Field Team conducted a social media campaign on Facebook that encouraged people to register to vote in September 2021. Such an initiative served as the team’s response to the country’s need for better governance. Despite considering the effort as the least he can do, Crisostomo believes that it was the team-wide effort that made the initiative even more powerful.

“Strength in numbers. When you’re a collective unit, there’s more power to that because it’s more inviting of other people to join,” Crisostomo explained.

Albert, who is both a gamer and a musical artist active on social media, also boldly utilizes his platforms in each of these communities to rally for the candidates he supports. Despite the possibility of losing followers, the esports athlete believes that everyone including himself has a responsibility to be vocal about the leaders they want.  Such resolve translated to Albert’s participation in Robredo’s Kulay Rosas Ang Bukas campaign by changing his Facebook page’s color theme to pink and actively engaging with his social media followers.

Meanwhile, Espina pushes himself to make enlightened decisions for the upcoming elections while also trying to better understand another person’s thought process—a skill that he credits to his experience as a former math tutor. These experiences have a direct hand in the tolerant and transparent nature of political discussions in the ART.

Apart from utilizing social media and attending rallies to support his preferred candidates, Espina and the ART actively engage in open political discourse that promotes informed choices. “We don’t cast judgment. As a team, we would want to make sure that everyone here is also educated,” Espina shared.

Rippling forth

As the elections draw closer, it is undeniable that these student-athletes see in their preferred candidates certain values and characteristics that are important to them, such as: compassion, honesty, transparency, and accountability.

As such, every Filipino voter is encouraged to do the same, and to seek out the candidates that best resonate with their own values, morals, and belief systems—whether that be the candidates these Atenean student-athletes align with or not. In the same way, it is no less integral that voters become familiar with the platforms and programs of all candidates, whether national or local. This comes hand-in-hand with the notion that each voter is in turn pushed to become educated on the issues, controversies, and track records of this election’s candidates—most especially those of their own preferred candidates. 

Ultimately, there is no understating the fact that understanding goes a long way when it comes to discourse on these upcoming elections. While different people may disagree on the best candidates, an initiative to understand where each person is coming from could lead to lessons learned for all parties involved.

While the influence of athletes are often confined to the athletic scene, Espina, Crisostomo, and Albert have all proven otherwise—demonstrating the various ways in which athletes can use their influence effectively. In their quest to utilize their platforms and influence others to make educated decisions for the upcoming elections, the said athletes have undeniably left footprints that lead to a promising future.