First of all, congratulations to everyone in mounting the launch of “I CAN SEE YOUR VOTE: SEE-KNOW ANG KARAPAT-DAPAT?” VOTERS EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE SERIES.

This special project launched by IAS VOTES and FEU SCREEN is more than an event that we conduct today. It is indeed a social advocacy that is in line with the mantra of the Department of Communication, “may alam, may pakialam!” or socially aware and involved.

Bilang may alam, we in the department surely know the core values that a political leader should have, and that is IAS, which is an acronym that means: Integrity, Accountability, and Servant-Leadership.

INTEGRITY: Candidates must be honest and must have strong moral principles; or moral uprightness.

ACCOUNTABILITY: Candidates know how to take ownership of what happens as a result of their choices and actions. They don’t make excuses. They face all the consequences.

SERVANT-LEADERSHIP: Candidates serve the people, and not the other away around. They know that they are not icons to be worshiped, but a servant-leader who focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of every Filipino, especially the marginalized sectors of society.

So let’s remember that the next leaders of our country must have IAS: Integrity, Accountability, and Servant-Leadership.

We embark on this endeavor so we can advocate for a kind of election when people should know and see better this time. We are here to encourage and educate the general public to critically assess every candidate who apply to lead and serve the country.

“A leader is great, not because of his or her power, but because of his or her ability to empower others.” says John C. Maxwell

This is where “may pakialam”comes in the scenario.

It is not enough that we are only aware. Mayroon tayong pakialam. We empower! We empower not because we only know what to do, but more importantly, it is because we CARE.

We care.

Far Eastern University and all its stakeholders, faculty members, and the students care for the future of this nation.

We care for our families.

We care for our children.

We care for the:

• primacy of life and human dignity
• social justice
• effective pandemic response
• safe and secure economic recovery
• quality education for all
• land and environmental protection
• human rights, and
• rights-based governance, all for the benefit of the Filipino people.

As we launch I CAN SEE YOUR VOTE project today, may this serve as one of the platforms of our Institute to help us in scrutinizing those who are worthy of our votes in the coming election so that we can confidently answer the question for today: SEE-KNOW NGA BA ANG KARAPAT-DAPAT SA ATING MGA BOTO?

Again, congratulations and thank you very much!

Magandang hapon po sa lahat!

[Opening Remarks, I Can See Your Vote Launch on March 17, 2022]