By JIAN ZHARESE JOEIS SANZ

MANILA – For the youth, what the country needs now are leaders that would forward the interest of the poor, especially of the youth. 

“The issue the youth face regarding their rights is the bleak future ahead, particularly in education, where we are being deprived of our right to learn,” Kej Andres told Bulatlat after the  ‘Pasyon ng Taumbayan’ last April 16. 

Andres, the seventh nominee of Kabataan Partylist and national chairperson of the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP), said that education issues revolve not just on budget cuts but also in repression being experienced by the students. 

Andres said that P27 billion was removed from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and P12 billion from the Department of Education. He added that State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) have a backlog of 165,000 classrooms. 

“In schools, students are overcrowded — fighting for slots, for teachers — all while extreme heat is worsening in our schools,” Andres revealed.

Data from the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) show that state allocation to public tertiary education has dwindled by 12 percent. Additionally, the number of recognized public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) remained significantly low. This resulted in a public to private ratio of 12:88 based on CHED’s list. On the other hand, A.Y. 2024-2025 list of Basic Education Institutions from DepEd, reflects public to private ratio of 79:21. 

Students in private educational institutions, meanwhile, grapple with tuition and other fee increases with 4.74 percent annual increase, according to KPL. 

In the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) Year Two Report, released on January 27, inadequate funding of education remains prevalent in the country budget increases over the years. The report pointed out that the Philippines failed to meet the recommended education spending benchmark of 4 to 6 percent of GDP based on the UNESCO 2030 Incheon Declaration. 

To add, the country also struggles with the lack of teachers made worse by the increasing resignation of qualified teachers. Education Secretary Sonny Angara stated in a Senate finance committee last year that thousands of teachers quit yearly. 

Woes of young artists

For young artists, education is just one of their many struggles.

Gaia Mauricio, education and research officer of Panday Sining, revealed that young artists are burdened by the worsening economic situation in the country, making it difficult for them to support themselves even for their most basic needs like food. She said that the high cost of art materials hinder their capacity to engage in their craft.

She added that many young grassroots artists are affected by red-tagging, a practice which the Philippine Supreme Court considered as a threat to a person’s right to life, liberty, and security. 

Mauricio, however, is encouraging young artists not to be discouraged and to continue with the militant spirit. She said that the hardships they are experiencing should empower them to take responsibility in taking up the fight to change our society. 

Pro-poor and pro-youth leaders

According to Andres, the country must seriously reflect on who are the Judases of our society, referring to leaders who betray the interest of the majority – the poor and the marginalized. 

“Those who deprive us of our rights, those who made promises long ago but only used their positions to enrich their families. They are the ones who don’t deserve a place in our government,” he said. 

On the other hand, he believes that leaders from the basic sector who experienced the hardship and the issues of their sectors and the suffering masses should be elected. 

Mauricio encouraged youth voters to not base their vote simply on the popularity of the candidate. “Let’s return to the true purpose of our elections, even if the system is rotten. Remember, elections are supposed to be about platforms—not personalities,” she said. (RTS, RVO)