WE’RE ON THE FRONT line of a revolution. We students believe that.
Armed with optimism and the vigor of youth, Ateneo students believe they can do their bit to break away from the country’s long history of violent and fraud-ridden elections.
Through the Ateneo Task Force 2010, college kids will stop at nothing to work for change.
Seven hundred volunteers have signed up, as of April 16, for the Ateneo Task Force 2010—students and organizations at Ateneo—to work for clean, honest, and engaged elections.
It will have its biggest mobilization on May 10.
“ATF makes sure that Ateneans are not just voters in the election. Of course voting is important, the single most important action for the elections, but there are a lot of other things to prepare for,” says Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Pamantasang Ateneo de Manila president, Rob Roque, a senior in BS Chemistry and Materials Science Engineering.
As part of a nationwide task force called Task Force 2010 spearheaded by the Catholic Church and other civic organizations, ATF2010 aims to promote among Ateneans the need to make intelligent choices in the national elections.
“What we do is to encourage them to do this for the country as Filipinos,” says Kim Magtoto, a senior in BS Legal Management.
Ateneo and beyond
Ateneo Task Force 2010 began in 2009 as a joint initiative of the Council of Organizations of the Ateneo, Ateneo Resident Students Association, and Ateneo’s Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaralng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Pamantasang Ateneo de Manila.
It is also in partnership with Ateneo’s Office of Social Concern and Involvement, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, and Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan.
Initially ATF2010 created “MYBIGVOTE!” which tried to ensure that Ateneo students eligible to vote could register. Through Hakot Registrations, Ateneo students living in Metro Manila were offered free transportation and farmed out to the Comelec offices in their respective neighborhoods.
Although concentrated in the Ateneo community, ATF2010’s efforts go beyond the campus. For instance, it has a non-partisan initiative called Voter’s Ed, to educate Ateneo students on voting, so that they can, in turn, inform those outside the Ateneo community.
Determined
The young movers of ATF2010 are determined and dedicated. Even if they spend their weekdays either in school or in offices for internships, they continue to expend their energies to promote their advocacies.
They want to prove that not all young people today are apathetic or superficial and self-centered.
“We want a government that’s accountable—accountable for their misgivings, accountable for the things the Filipino people want—because we’ve long been asking for accountability for issues that have not been resolved. We want a government that owns up and responds to these things,” says Ken Abante, a junior in BS Management Engineering, who, even if he’s a year short of eligible voting age, passionately co-heads ATF2010.
What happens next?
With cynicism all around, the strength of these young advocates lies in their capacity to see beyond the bad news and negativity. “We know, as students, as the youth, there’s still hope in doing everything as a community,” says Ian Agatep, a sophomore in BS Management.
So what happens after the vote has been cast? What happens after the President is sworn in?
“The vision of ATF 2010 doesn’t stop with the elections. It’s one thing that the national elections is an event we have to react to. The soul of ATF should continue after the elections. It’s also about the advocacy of the youth to get involved. It’s one of the ways by which we can push our generation to care, especially for the Ateneans, to care for the outside world,” says Reg Guevara, co-head of ATF 2010, a junior in BS Management Engineering.
Value your vote
The young students making Ateneo Task Force 2010 possible delivers a very strong message to the young and the old: age is an insufficient measure of ability, wisdom, and efficiency.
Don’t get blinded by smiles, handshakes, catchy jingles, and well-crafted taglines. A lot more is required of aspiring leaders who must prove themselves worthy of the power.
On May 10, keep in mind that, while it takes so little effort to shade the circles on your ballot, the act is as priceless as your dreams and the future of this country. Vote wisely!
On May 10, ATF2010 will be having its biggest mobilization in partnership with PPCRV. If you’re interested in joining, contact ateneotaskforce2010@gmail.com. Want to know more about how you can get involved? Still confused about who you should vote for? Visit Ateneo Task Force 2010’s Facebook page by typing in “Ateneo Task Force 2010” in the Facebook search engine.
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