LAST Mar. 27, the Bedan Electoral Committee (BELCOM) announced the official list of candidates aiming for a position in the Student Executive Council (SEC) for A.Y. 2024-2025. The roster comprises new and old faces: the Bedan party-list and two independent candidates running for President. In this kind of situation, students are either rooting for the candidates themselves only or the platforms that can hopefully be of service to the Bedan community. The question is, what kind of student are you? 

First, a student’s voting behavior may be manipulated with personal biases or reasons that do not concern the incoming elections. Some students may select a specific candidate just because it’s a friend, has a prominent image or reputation, or there is a sense of familiarity. Judging from the 2022 Senatorial Elections, Senator Robin Padilla was able to surpass the rest of the senatorial candidates due to his notable fame whether in his filmography or history of criminal conviction despite his negligence in recognizing his impact on the public. As a result, the mass was easily swayed into supporting Padilla. With this, a student can also be capable of voting for a candidate because of level-surface reasons and dismissing a candidate’s inefficiency in leading the student body. 

On the other hand, some students take their time to delve into the candidates and analyze their plans for the students. These are students who scrutinize and go beyond what a specific candidate exhibits to the public, learn what they believe in outside of the school, and know when to make a stand in times of student oppression. Once a candidate presents his or her platforms, a student must not only accept what is being fed but properly assess if it is truly what the school needs. To further test the example, the school administration and students can encourage active participation and education in student politics and conduct election-related activities such as miting de avance and proactive campaigns. 

Although it is not wrong to support a candidate, it is shameful if we deprive ourselves of taking a stand and seeking the type of student leadership we deserve. Therefore, we must not only “stan” the candidate but challenge their platforms. As the campaign period commences, what type of student will you be? A student who stans? Or a student who takes a stand?