Renewed Perspective. Crusada member and SOSS 3rd year Executive Officer Toni Potenciano discusses how she believes in the ideologies of her new party. Photo by Christella D. Soriano

“SUBUKAN NIYO naman kami.”

This was the appeal of Christian Union for Socialist and Democratic Advancement (Crusada) Premier Miguel Rivera to the Ateneo community, amidst the rise of new political parties following the dissolution of Partido IsaBuhay IsaGawa – Agila (IBIG-Agila).

With IBIG-Agila’s disbandment, Crusada is left as the only accredited political party in the university. The Ateneo Commission on Elections formally promulgated Crusada’s accreditation last September 24.

The upcoming Sanggunian general elections next year will be Crusada’s first foray into the political scene as a duly recognized party. Both the League of Atenean Youth for Liberal Advocacy (Loyola) and the Movement for Ignatian Initiative and Transformative Empowerment (Ignite), new political parties led by former IBIG-Agila members, are still unaccredited. Ignite, however, is planning to participate in the 2012 polls. The electoral coalition Alliance of Student Leaders, which does not seek party accreditation, will also be participating in the 2012 polls.

Rivera expressed hope that the students will not elect candidates because of friendships or popularity, but will instead choose those who can represent the student body well.

“We’re empowered to do things because we embody a certain sort of idea. We’re [not] elected just so we can do surveys,” Rivera said.

Known for their hardline stances on issues and strong statements on the performance and policies of the Sanggunian, the Council of Organizations of the Ateneo (COA) and other student political parties, Rivera explained that this is the only thing Crusada can give.

“[Our detractors say] we’re full of words. But what can we do? We don’t have money, we don’t have the power… so obviously, we can give nothing but words,” he said in Filipino.

But Crusada Secretary-General Bian Villanueva believes that the party needs to win seats in the Sanggunian in order to pursue actions they believe are necessary.

“We need to win. We need to get into positions [that we’re] comfortable to relate student concerns to the administration,” Villanueva said. He added that Sanggunian seats are crucial to implement institutional changes, such as the revitalization of Ateneo politics and the empowerment of course and block representatives.

Promoting the party’s ideology

Sanggunian President Drew Copuyoc praised Crusada’s efforts to advocate social democracy and politicization in the Ateneo. However, Copuyoc considers it a “bad thing” that the recent disbandment of IBIG-Agila leaves Crusada as the only accredited party.

“We don’t want to only have one political party… It’s a dark sign again for the student politics. But hopefully, by the time of the elections, there will be other parties that will stand up and integrate student ideologies and beliefs. Hopefully, [the students] can come up with another political party or even two,” Copuyoc said.

Meanwhile, COA President Kenneth Abante thinks that Crusada may have problems promoting its ideology. “Not everyone in the Ateneo knows about the ideologies the party has. For a lot of people, it’s not the most popular thing. It’s really a political ideology and it’s important for Crusada to package it in an understandable manner.”

For former IBIG-Agila member and junior School of Social Sciences (SOSS) Executive Officer Toni Potenciano, student impression is also something that the party needs to work on.

“Sometimes, I guess some people feel that Crusada comes across as very elitist, [very much like saying ‘Oh, we’re intelligent, you’re not.’] And that’s a very wrong misconception,” she said.

From IBIG-Agila to Crusada

After IBIG-Agila’s disbandment, a number of its members have since joined Crusada, including Potenciano and SOSS Secretary-Treasurer Bryan Chua.

Chua said that he liked how Crusada visibly practiced its social democratic ideology, as opposed to IBIG-Agila, which bannered the same.

“In [Crusada’s] actions, the way they say things, social democracy always comes out. In IBIG-Agila, you still have to search for it. It isn’t blunt. You won’t see it at first; you’ll have to have someone tell you [that it is a social democracy],” Chua said.

He also noted Crusada’s projects, such as its partnership with the Ateneo de Manila University’s Employees and Workers Union last June. Crusada currently provides institutional help by providing labor education to the workers and helping them appeal for 100% tuition scholarships for qualified children of Ateneo employees. Currently, the school provides only a 65% tuition scholarship for the employees’ children.

Meanwhile, Potenciano said that she transferred to Crusada because the party’s ideology were in line with what she personally believed in. “I joined Crusada because I believe in them, and I was okay [with leaving] IBIG-Agila even if they were restructuring because I believe that a certain fidelity to a cause does not compromise your relationship [with others],” she said.

Being both a Crusada member and a Sanggunian officer, she said, has also made her more critical in framing and responding to issues.

“I see two different perspectives on how things work, and at the same time, I learn how to reconcile the differences… When you learn how to reconcile them both and when you become very critical, it makes you more open with how government is, how government should be run.”