Ateneo Law School to hold voter education

MANILA, Philippines – The Ateneo Law School (ALS) is set to deploy around 600 students and volunteers to conduct voter education activities in marginalized sector communities starting this month.

ALS student council president Cyndy dela Cruz said yesterday the project aims to teach those in the grassroots their basic rights during the elections.

The training will also cover topics on accountability, as well as on legal tools that may be used to report election related-offenses.

“It aims to focus on the marginalized sector – fisherfolk, indigenous people, laborers and youth, for them to know the basic and most pressing issues surrounding their sector today,” said Dela Cruz.

“Gone are the days in which the candidates will be the ones who present their platform today but we, as Ateneo leaders, will be the ones who shall let them know what issues they must address,” she added.

The ALS last week finished training the last batch of students who will be deployed for the voter education project, which is funded by the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives.

A research team will also consolidate the data gathered from the communities to come up with a political sectoral agenda that will be presented to candidates.

The school said the deployment of students and volunteer lawyers will begin this month in Metro Manila and in indigenous people communities in Mindoro.