STUDENT council leaders from more than 100 universities and colleges nationwide yesterday threw their support to the senatorial bids of Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino, and Heidi Mendoza.
In a press conference in Quezon City, the student leaders, representing at least half a million youth and student voters, also endorsed Akbayan party-list organization.
The student leaders said they picked Pangilinan, Aquino and Mendoza and the Akbayan group because they are the youth sector’s “most dependable allies.”
“They’ve stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us in the fight for increased education budgets, the passage of the Free Tertiary Education Law, the protection of student rights, and the campaign against corruption,” said Rinoa Dela Cruz of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) College of Communication Student Council.
Jedryc Romero of the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Sanggunian, said: “Atty. Chel Diokno of Akbayan party-list has always defended student rights and welfare. Senator Bam didn’t just support free college — he authored the law. Senator Kiko has consistently pushed for bigger budgets for state universities and agriculture scholarships. Meanwhile, former COA commissioner Heidi Mendoza has been a fearless anti-corruption crusader.”
