Youth, Teachers solid behind Loren

NP-NPC-LDP VICE PRESIDENTIAL BET LOREN LEGARDA IS THE YOUTH AND TEACHERS’ CHOICE FOR VICE PRESIDENT, GARNERING SUPPORT FROM VARIOUS PARTYLISTS AND STUDENTS ORGANIZATIONS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
Recently, the Kabataan Partylist announced its dream slate where Legarda is the youth’s official VP bet. Kabataan Partylist, led by Representative Raymond Palatino, is the umbrella organization of several national student organizations.
This includes the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP), League of Filipino Students, ANAKBAYAN, Kabataang Artista para sa Tunay na Kalayaan (KARATULA), and Youth ACT Now! (Youth for Truth and Accountability Now).
The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) is also solid behind Legarda for upholding campus press freedom. Legarda supports amending the Campus Journalism Act of 1991 to make it more responsive and effective in protecting the rights of campus journalists.
Contrary to reports circulated by political foes that Legarda has filed a bill to cut the benefits and salary of teachers, the party list Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Philippines (ACT) led by national chair Tonchi Tinio has thrown its support behind Legarda.
ACT also denounced the said black propaganda, saying that Loren has in fact authored the Public School Teachers’ Salary Upgrade Act (SB-1611) and the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers Act (SB-72). Both aim to increase the basic compensation levels and benefits package of public school teachers.
ACT is the largest progressive organization of teachers, academic non-teaching personnel and non-academic non-teaching personnel in the country.
Over the last few months, student leaders from all over the country have banded together to form the Kabataang Loren force, Tropang Loren Youth Movement and the Philippine Climate Youth Movement to support the candidacy of Legarda.
According to Kabataang Loren spokesperson Engr. Reagan Say, “it’s time for the youth to stand up and be counted in the coming electoral exercise as the future of the country is at stake.”
Meanwhile, the Tropang Loren Youth Movement has gained ground after successfully recruiting students from Metro Manila and the country’s other regional centers.
Tropang Loren is headed by 500 youth leaders from all over the country who share Legarda’s environment and youth advocacies.
“Loren is a role model for the youth. She exemplifies the traits that the Filipino youth seek – nationalism, compassion for the poor and needy, intelligence and active environmentalism,” said 24-year old Cristine Baysa, a student at Perpetual Help College of Manila and head of the Tropang Loren Movement-NCR Chapter.
Said Nova Jane Lacbao, President of Tropang Loren-Mindanao Chapter and student of Western Mindanao State University, “Of the vice-presidentiables, Loren is the only candidate who has supported progress in Mindanao and who really cares for its people.”
The Philippine Climate Youth Movement (PCYM), meanwhile, continues to rally behind Legarda’s environmental protection campaign. Led by 23-year-old Cebuana and international climate change advocate Esperanza Garcia, PCYM has successfully mobilized young “climate heroes” from every region, city, school, and university in the country.
Garcia was the Philippine’s only youth delegate to the Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change in December.