Youth Groups Condemn Election Gimmickry of Partylist
The Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND-UP) and KABATAAN Partylist strongly condemn the misuse of the concept of the well-known and highly recognized Alpha Phi Omega (APO) Fraternity’s Oblation Run by the Partylist ASAP (Alyansa ng Sambayanan para sa Pagbabago).
On May 7, several members of ASAP Partylist marched at the vicinity of the SM Mall of Asia wearing only transparent plastic sheaths and underwear to call for a “honest and transparent” elections, mimicking the Oblation Run which is annually held by the APO Fraternity, whose Eta Chapter is a member of STAND-UP.
“The cheap gimmick of the aforementioned partylist is evidently for the mere purpose of attention-getting, executed without regard for the values which the Oblation encapsulates”, commented Vanessa Faye Bolibol, Chairperson of STAND-UP. “The Oblation symbolizes sacrifice of oneself for the service of the nation and humanity. This symbol must be used in the valid issues of the youth and nation, such as the right to education and freedom from political repression”, Bolibol continued.
According to Johana Urbiztondo, coordinator of KABATAAN Partylist in UP Diliman, “We as members of KABATAAN Partylist and as mga Iskolar ng Bayan believe that the Oblation should be employed to promote the interests of the youth and the nation, not some political assemblage which is composed of noisy few.” Urbiztondo added, “KABATAAN Partylist seeks to have principled politics that counters the kind of leadership that traditional politicians have instilled in the current government.”
STAND-UP and KABATAAN Partylist believes that mere attention-grabbing is not adequate to assert for clean and transparent elections. “We must be vigilant in safeguarding our votes this coming election. It is our responsibility to educate our fellow voters and encourage them to make the right choice,” said Bolibol.