Bantay Boto launches ‘Armchairs ng Pangarap,’ youth sector demands for 2025 midterm elections

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UP Diliman's Bantay Boto to gather first-time voters and the civil society to draft a manifesto amplifying critical issues in the youth sector

This is a press release from Bantay Boto.

MANILA, Philippines – Bantay Boto, the election campaign arm of the UP Diliman University Student Council, will convene a national forum titled “Youth Elections Agenda (YEA)” on May 2, 2025, at the GT-Toyota Asian Center, UP Diliman to amplify the youth’s demands for accountability, transparency, and participation in governance, in preparation for the 2025 Midterm Elections.

The event, scheduled from 1 pm to 4 pm, will gather first-time voters, youth leaders, and civil society representatives to draft a collective manifesto outlining critical priorities for political candidates. The forum will feature expert-led discussions, policy dialogues, and collaborative activities aimed at strengthening youth engagement in the electoral process.

Partner organizations, including the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Government Watch (G-Watch), NAMFREL, and ABS-CBN, will participate in panel discussions to address youth concerns. Attendees will also finalize and publicly present a manifesto detailing the youth sector’s demands for the 2025 elections.

The Youth Elections Agenda emerges amid growing calls for greater youth representation in political discourse. With over 52% of registered voters in the Philippines aged 18–35, the forum seeks to channel the demographic’s influence into actionable policy demands. Bantay Boto 2025 emphasizes that the event is open to all Filipino youth, including non-voters, to foster inclusive civic participation.

Event Logistics

• Date: May 2, 2025 (Friday)
• Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
• Venue: Philippine-China Hall, GT-Toyota Asian Center, UP Diliman, Quezon City
• Registration is free and open to the public. Email yea.bantayboto.org to get registered.

About Bantay Boto

Bantay Boto is an alliance of individuals, councils, youth and civil society groups, and other formations across the country that aims to develop responsible and informed voting practices among Filipino citizens through voters’ empowerment initiatives. We work towards promoting critical and honest elections nationwide with the strength of the masses in forwarding the people’s agenda. Thus, this serves as the election campaign arm of the UP Diliman University Student Council for the upcoming 2025 National and Local Elections. – Rappler.com