Seeing the sentences “Yan pala ang itinuro sa iyo ng Ateneo!” and “Sana ginulpi na kita nung nasa HS pa tayo eh.” next to each other seem quite ironic, coming from former Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who himself earned his basic education from the Ateneo de Manila.
With the K to 12 program now in full swing, students are now of legal age by the time they step into college. This means that more college students than ever are registered voters. It is hence no surprise that many Ateneans have kindled their Ateneo formation as a framework for selecting the candidates who get their votes. A holistic formation, as they say, is what sets the Ateneo education apart from its fellow universities. The mandatory Freshman Formation Program (FFP) courses offered in AdZU seek to build students’ civic consciousness and social involvement by incorporating the theories and principles of Jesuit education.
Of course, what better time to put these theories and principles into practice that the election season. These will be the real-life integrations that bring out one’s true values, beyond what final tasks or examinations may require. As Ateneans, we are called to discern and reflect on our choices carefully. Your vote has the power to transform the lives of over a hundred million Filipinos, at least for the next six years. The Atenean vote cannot simply be guided by questions like, “What could possibly go wrong?” or “What if a miracle is in store?”
The Ateneo de Zamboanga University has committed itself to the formation of students who will work for social transformation. In no way does Jesuit education inculcate ideas of injustices, atrocities, and lawlessness in its students. To be a responsible Atenean is to let your values lead you to the truth. Distorting the Ignatian values to justify your own perception of the truth is a completely different story.
A leader alone cannot change a country. Only the collective efforts of its people can.
