Date: May 7, 2016
Publication: Inquirer.net
Link: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/139278/watch-college-students-video-calls-for-clean-2016-elections

MANILA, Philippines – For many Filipinos, the nation is now seeing a kind of disunity brought about by the upcoming national elections. The Philippines, a country so promising and full of hope, is now greatly divided in the choice of presidential candidates. As unverified information rapidly move from platform to platform, people are now coming to quick yet uninformed conclusions, with many people reduced to defending their choice of candidates by way of personal attacks, insults and closed-minded arguments—all of which result to broken ties and friendships.

An unprecedented conflict is on the rise among citizens as pressure builds high to finally reach a sound consensus for voting. As the elections draw to a conclusion on May 9, one college student from De La Salle College of St. Benilde (DLSU-CSB) is attempting to sway the judgment of Filipinos not by urging to vote for a particular candidate, but by urging to make an honest, knowledgeable decision on Election Day. Terence Jan Requiron, a Multimedia Arts student at DLSU-CSB, is appealing to everyone for cooperation in ensuring that this year’s electoral process be clean, honest, and truthful. With this call in mind, he created the video “Bantayan Ang Boto” to better drive home the point that whatever the outcome in May 9 will greatly define the future of this generation. In a caption to his video, Terence dedicates his work to all Filipinos. Per his statement:

“TO ALL FILIPINO VOTERS
I decided to work on a music video to relay this message to my countrymen. This is not about any candidate, any political party, or any person.

This is about us, Filipinos.

On May 9, we are choosing our leaders. These are leaders who will drive our country for the years to come. These are leaders who will determine the kind of future that I, and the rest of us, will have.

I will be graduating this October. I look forward to work for my future. The choices that our country will make next week are significant to my dreams and ambitions.

It is not about who will win and should not win. It is about who the entire nation really wants to lead our beloved country. Let the voice of the majority, through clean, honest and truthful election process, prevail.

There should be no room for cheating. There should be no room for manipulation. There should be no room to destroy one another.

The clean and rightful choices we make will be our country’s success.

Bantayan po natin ang ating mga boto.
Ang malinis na halalan ay tagumpay nating lahat.
God bless the Philippines!”

Watch the full video here:

The video has already garnered 3,400 views and 270 likes as of May 5, 2016.

Terence, like everyone else, hopes to find the elections come to a sound closure rather than come to terms with a potential aftermath. INQUIRER.net/VT