Presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo and her vice presidential running mate Sen. Kiko Pangilinan has amassed support from thousands of Thomasians in their bid for the May 2022 elections.
With the campaign season coming into a homestretch, 10 Thomasians societies, organizations, and councils expressed their support for the Leni-Kiko tandem as of Apr. 24.
Here is a list of various Thomasian organizations, societies, groups, and student councils that rally behind the tandem:
Thomasian Debaters Council – October 7, 2021
Just hours after Robredo announced her bid for the presidency, it was the official debate varsity of the University, the Thomasian Debaters Council (TDC) that supported her.
They said they believe in the “future of the Filipino people and wholeheartedly [support] those who give a glimpse of what the Filipino people deserve.”
TDC was also among the signatories of the Philippine Debate Union statement that slammed the non-participation of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte in debates.
UST Concilium Philosophiae – Mar. 18, 2022
The University’s Philosophy society backed Leni-Kiko after holding their constituency survey.
According to the group, both are “prime [examples] of selfless politics, a politics of, for, and by the people.”
They added: “[T]he members of the Concilium believe in the genuine endeavor and integrity of the Leni-Kiko campaign to forward lasting and effective change in the Philippines.”
UST Civil Law Student Council – Mar. 25, 2022
In a March 25 statement, more than 400 UST law students formally endorsed the bid of Robredo as her “track record, her experience, and her advocacies do not lie.”
“The facts are clear and the facts do not lie. She has gone above and beyond in order to ensure the best service to the Filipino people. And she can do it again,” their statement read.
They are joined by seven faculty members from their department in a separate statement by UST faculty members.
UST Faculty – Mar. 30, 2022
A growing number of Thomasian faculty members supported presidential aspirant Robredo with the latest count of 738 signatories on Mar. 30, previously at 641. The statement and signatories were posted on Apr. 11.
According to their joint statement, they “seek a leader” whom their students can “look up to and emulate.”
“Leni Robredo never stops to learn: from the past through experience; from the future through the youth,” the statement read.
UST Central Student Council – Apr. 2, 2022
The UST Central Student Council (CSC) joined forces with 5 fellow student governments for the endorsement of the political duo on Apr. 2.
CSC president Krizia Bricio described Robredo and Pangilinan as “compassionate, competent and committed,” as she declared their full support for the aspirants’ electoral race.
The UST CSC, Adamson University Student Government, Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila, Far Eastern University Central Student Organization, University of the East-Manila University Student Council and University of the Philippines-Diliman University Student Council supported the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem in the Student Government Mock Polls 2022 Press Conference.
EHSians For Leni-Kiko – Apr. 20, 2022
As of Apr. 20, more than 200 Education High School alumni and students support the tandem, noting that they believe that both carry their institution’s core values.
“Based on their upbringing, life experience, and overall track record, we know the LENI and KIKO [embody] these virtues in their everyday lives, and especially in Public Service,” their statement read.
UST Legal Management Society – Apr. 21, 2022
In their internal survey, 87.7-percent chose Robredo as their president while Pangilinan was their vice president with 74-percent.
According to their letter, they are banking on their concrete platforms and “established clean government track records of absolute honesty and integrity.”
UST Communication Arts Students Association – Apr. 21, 2022
Citing Robredo and Pangilinan’s track record, the UST Communication Arts Students Association (CASA) backed the tandem.
“For more than four decades, [CASA] has remained vocal and active in promulgating the rights and welfare of the student body. We believe that both Leni and Kiko best reflect the values of the CASA Community, and in turn, we share the same beliefs,” their letter of endorsement read.
It must also be noted that among the societies in the Faculty of Arts and Letters, UST CASA is the largest with a total population of 617 students.
Thomasian student leaders – Apr. 23, 2022
More than 3,000 Thomasian student-leaders from all affiliated campuses supported Robredo-Pangilinan’s bid in the 2022 elections for their “visionary” and “practical” leadership.
Thomasians from the UST-Manila campus, UST-Legazpi, UST Angelicum College, and Angelicum Iloilo comprise the signatories.
The statement cited the duo’s platform focus on “poverty alleviation, food and job security, environmental policies, pandemic response, economic delivery, and anti-corruption measures.”
UST Alumni – Apr. 25, 2022
The largest percentage of Thomasian Leni-Kiko supporters, of over 7,200 Thomasian alumni from 1960 to 2021, showed their support for Robredo and Pangilinan as they both have “demonstrated integrity throughout their entire political careers.”
The numbers doubled from an initial survey of 3,500 Thomasian alumni endorsing the tandem.
“They respect the electorate enough to show up, answer our questions, and explain their plans beyond generic talking points and empty rhetoric,” the statement read.
Stakes
The Leni-Kiko duo are UST students’ top choices in the upcoming elections according to The Varsitarian’s survey conducted from Feb. 20 to Mar. 20 out of 4,401 respondents. Robredo garnered 3,973 votes (90.3-percent) while Pangilinan got 3,630 votes (82.5 percent).
In Pulse Asia’s latest survey held from Mar. 17 to 21, Robredo and Pangilinan each gained 9 and 4 percentage points respectively compared to their February 2022 numbers. Robredo placed second at 24-percent voter preference while Pangilinan placed third at 15-percent out of 2,400 respondents.
Robredo’s closest presidential rival Bongbong Marcos continued to dominate the said poll despite suffering a 4-point drop. Marcos’ running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte also led the vice presidential census.
Local Philippine elections shall be conducted on May 9.
Angela Gabrielle Magbitang Atejera
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