By Ishia Eleanor F. Marquez

Far Eastern University (FEU) Office of Student Involvement (OSI) emphasized building leadership skills and fostering student engagement in preparation for the upcoming FEU Elections at the ‘Leadership, Governance, and Electoral Preparedness’ talk held at the FEU Main Auditorium last April 8.

The invited keynote speakers were Chairperson of the FEU Commission of Elections (COMELEC) Roderick Evans Bartolome, Director of FEU Learning Journey Mark Salvador Ysla, President of FEU Faculty Association (FEUFA) Karen Lee Panela, and Vice President of Student Development and Continuing Education Joeven Castro.

During his speech, Bartolome highlighted the four main factors aspiring leaders should adhere to, which are their eligibility to run for a position, requirements submitted to FEU COMELEC, deadlines of the requirements, and campaign rules during the campaigning period. 

“A lot of disqualifications actually come from these four… Just focus on these four: the qualifications, the requirements, the deadlines, and the campaign rules,” he shared. 

Stressing the importance of proper procedures in student elections to ensure a reliable student body representation, the chairperson emphasized the essence of comprehending the Omnibus Election Code 2026 and communicating with FEU COMELEC to prevent confusion and disqualification for those who wish to run for office.

Furthermore, Ysla echoed the same sentiments toward building a genuine representation of the student body, underlining the significance of the elections in producing leaders rather than winners.  

“The real issue is not who wins, the real issue is what winning means… If the election produces winners, then student politics becomes shallow, but if the election produces representatives… leaders who understand their obligations to the student community, then [the] student government becomes meaningful… Election is not just simply a competition,” he noted.

The director also explained that leadership and activism are inherently connected, stating that activism should not be brushed aside as they represent students whose grievances are grounded on structural issues are not heard or represented.

However, Ysla also elaborated that while ‘confrontation’ is the ‘form of expression’ of activists, student leaders should also consider whether it had gone through ‘consultation’ and ensure that it represents the student community as a whole, reminding them that they should be dissenting with discipline. 

“Activism may express perfection, but student leadership requires representation, judgement, and accountability. You have to understand that leadership is not an entitlement. Leadership is stewardship,” the director stated.

Emphasizing the role of emotions in politics, Panela focused on the ‘little things’ such as showing up that makes candidates memorable for students, noting that this affects the perception of voters.

“We do not just evaluate leaders based on policies, based on your governance, based on your platforms, we [also] evaluate you based on what we feel about you,” she stressed.

Additionally, while visibility is important, the FEUFA president noted that leaders should still show up even in the most difficult times and not only during the campaign period.

Moreover, Castro discussed how candidates should align their platforms to FEU’s mission and vision.

Low voter turnout

While Ysla highlighted the important role of voters in the upcoming election, Bartolome also underlined the low voter turnout from the elections of the past years due to multiple issues such as repetitive platforms and candidates, noting that the turnout could reflect the legitimacy of the elections.

“We hear things like ‘wala naman nagbabago,’‘ sila-sila [pa] rin [naman tumatakbo],’ ‘pare-pareho rin’ (nothing changes, it is still the same people running for candidacy, they are all just the same)… When that mindset spreads, participation drops and, in turn, election loses [its] meaning,” he shared.

Intending to raise the voter turnout this year, the FEU COMELEC chairperson emphasized the importance of engagement and meaningful participation in the upcoming elections, highlighting that it begins with student leaders connecting and engaging with Tamaraws.

Meanwhile, Panela stated that the low turnout stems not from the apathy of students, but from the lack of trust they have with the candidates, stressing that students are unconvinced and disconnected due to the lack of relatability between leaders and students. 

“If students don’t see themselves in you… if they do not resonate with you well… they will not show up for you [and] they will not vote for you,” the FEUFA president said. 

Moreover, the talk was concluded by FEU COMELEC Co-Chairperson Josh Miguel Tagle, who also revealed the upcoming FEU COMELEC website, designed to provide students with easier access to candidates’ stances, platforms, and other election-related statistics. 

The seminar was in collaboration with the FEU Manila - Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants, TAMang Boto, and FEU COMELEC.

(Photo by Prince Espela/FEU Advocate)