23/04/2025
๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ง
The USLS General Election has officially begun.
In any democratic space, the right to suffrage is not merely a rightโit is a cornerstone of our shared responsibility as members of a governed community. Through this right, we are given the power not only to participate in the act of voting but also to shape the future of our student body by choosing those who will lead and serve.
Like many of you, we looked forward to this season with hope. Yet, in the face of difficult challenges, the Samahan ng Makabagong Lasalyano โ Sectoral Action Group for Empowered Students (SAMALAYA-SAGES) has made the painful but necessary decision not to participate in this yearโs General Election as a socio-political party. While this was not the direction we initially envisioned, we believe it is the most responsible path at this time.
This is not the first time a political party has taken a step back, and it may not be the last. Throughout the years, pauses like these have served as crucial periods of reckoning and recalibration. Now, it is our turn.
We humbly acknowledge our shortcomings. This journey has not been easy, but it has brought with it valuable lessons. It has challenged us to unlearn old ways and reflect deeply on the true meaning of leadership, service, and unity. We were reminded to be discerning in whom we entrust with power, and to seek alignment not only in words but in intention and conviction. Leadership is not merely a symbol of unity but rather, it is a responsibility that must be fulfilled through meaningful and consistent action. Promises find their truest form not in rhetoric, but in results. It is through action that commitment is proven and trust is earned.
We also recognize that some may use this time to serve personal interests masked as service. While appearances can be deceiving, truth always prevails. What happened is behind us now. But we will not allow the same mistakes to define who we are.
We remain fully aware of the silence growing in student governance, and the declining number of those willing to serve. Still, we believe in those who stay. We believe that student leadership is not about status or stepping stones for higher interest. It is a commitment. It is sacrifice. It is service without any expectation of return. Thus, to ignite purpose and foster the potential of every Lasallian with a sincere heart for service continues to be our greatest motivation.
Let us be clear. We are not, in any form or manner, affiliated with any political party participating in this election.
While our absence may be noticed, our mission endures. Our values and our work continue beyond what is visible. We send our best wishes to all the candidates and political parties participating this year. May the democratic spirit shine with clarity and conviction.
This is a time for us to recalibrate, to reflect, and to strengthen what we have built over the past 37 years. When the time is right, we will returnโnot only as an organizationโbut as a community renewed by purpose, grounded in clarity, and driven by the same compassion that has always defined us.
We owe you our commitment.
We owe you our excellence.
And most of all, we owe you our service. The service that is rooted in competence and compassion.
Together, as one SAMALAYA-SAGES, we will rise: stronger, better, and clearer.
Time and again, we hold true to our adage:
Forged by passion, strengthened by service.
This is our promise.
Then. Now. Always.
SAMALAYA-SAGES
