From Its Roots
The foundation of student leadership is crumbling.
Much has been said on the discourse on student representation — whether abstaining is valid, the need to revitalize the militancy amid the US-Marcos-Duterte regime, or the multitude of reasons why the movement is currently plagued with cracks. Yet, nothing seems to change.
Beyond the dwindling voter turnout across the UP system and the unfilled council seats due to abstention, another blow strikes the University: no one dares to run for a seat. In UP Manila alone, candidates run unopposed, with some positions left vacant. Only three candidates are vying for a seat in the University Student Council (USC) this year — all from one party.
The cracks extend into the colleges. The College of Dentistry opted out of the elections since “no student candidate is ready to run for office,” while the College of Arts and Sciences declared a failure of election because no one ran. Other colleges have incomplete slates with little to no competition.
The absence of opposing candidates suggests a “dead” campus politics. Whereas traditional student elections find competing candidates running from room to room before the end of the semester, UP Manila holds its online elections midyear when most students are on vacation. This exacerbates student disinterest in elections.
Student participation is stuck in an endless loop: the council struggles to organize with insufficient capacity, and since students are barely organized, few step up to run for a seat in the council. The primary culprit? The demise of micro-institutions that springboard student participation into place.
Students’ academic workloads are already overwhelming, and taking up leadership roles or even joining organizations takes another toll. Without healthy leadership and student welfare priorities at the grassroots level, larger leadership roles cannot thrive.
Indeed, the foundation of student leadership is crumbling, not only due to perceived apathy but also because the structure meant to support it needs rebuilding.
A closer analysis reveals a key player in rekindling student participation — campus organizations.
Campus organizations undeniably play an important role in nurturing student leaders who will assume responsibilities and become integral members of the council. However, recent events suggest a critical need for these organizations to regroup and reorganize, as their traditional practices have proven ineffective in cultivating new leadership. It is time for them to rectify the errors of the past years.
Organizations must confront and acknowledge their weaknesses through a comprehensive assessment and evaluation. They must develop a robust action plan to prevent the recurrence of these shortcomings. Prior to organizing, conducting social investigations and class analyses among students is imperative, as well as recognizing the diversity within each cohort. Also equally significant is the emphasis on continuous learning — re-engaging members in educational discussions and revisiting developmental texts that underscore the expected conduct of organizational members.
Once organizations have stabilized, they must devise new strategies to arouse, organize, and mobilize students — the only way for the University to reaffirm its identity as a bastion of student leadership committed to serving the people. It is then incumbent upon them to effectively and patiently reach out to the students to conduct a necessary restructuring and keep them engaged. An effective organization manifests through the capacity of students to engage in a meaningful membership-leadership dynamic and develop their interpersonal capabilities.
Likewise, the UPM administration is challenged to provide spaces and opportunities for organizations to thrive and cultivate emerging leaders. After all, the current crisis in grassroots organizing can also be attributed to the administration’s years of neglect. They only stood still while the bedrock of student representation cracked and crumbled before their eyes.
In today’s challenging political climate, students are pivotal in reigniting hope. Engaging in collective efforts not only sustains commitment but also empowers them to contribute meaningfully to societal well-being and prepares them for greater leadership roles.
Rebuilding the crumbling foundation may be slow, but only through rectification and revival of these micro-institutions can the best in the student movement emerge.
