WVCST Social Science Club together with the Student Republic held a Voters’ Education Forum entitled “Vote Wisely” in relation to the upcoming Baranggay Election in October 2013.
Students flocked at the covered gym to listen and interact as representatives from MISSION-Iloilo and PPCRV explained important points on why we vote and the rights and responsibilities of each and everyone in choosing our government officials.
According to Ms. Aurora Hugo, the representative of MISSION (Movement of Imaginals for Sustainable Societies Thru Initiative Organizing and Networking), voting is important in our everyday life. “It is a sacred duty to perform such action for we are all children of our motherland and voting is our moral duty to take care of each other for our common good.” She added that voting does not simply mean choosing the brand of something that we buy or use but also we have to be responsible of what we choose. Ms. Hugo also reminded the audience that in business the power lies in the market while in the governance the power rests in the electorate. “If we want change in this decaying system of our government, we have to be vigilant members of this society.”
On the other hand, Atty. Pearl Gauzon of PPCRV(Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting – the citizens right arm of the Commission on Elections), emphasized that as adults we can practice our privileges that go with responsibilities especially the responsibility to choose the right people to hold public office. As the “hope of the land”, the youth is expected to practice a clean, honest, accurate, meaningful and peaceful election. PPCRV she said is accredited to educate voters on how to vote the right way. “Through the Voters’ Education Forum, the young generation can help achieve what kind of government officials should be put into office and what kind of government should we have.”
The Voters’ Education was very interactive as students participated in the open forum where questions were answered by Atty. Gauzon.
Dr. Susan Marie R. de la Cruz of the Office of the Student Affairs conveyed her appreciation to PPCRV thru Atty. Gauzon and Ms. Aurora Hugo of MISSION as well as the Social Science Club and the Student Republic for holding such event. She believes that this will help the students learn more in understanding their responsibilities in the coming election as well as their responsibilities as citizens of this nation.
