by Leonard Andrei Cabalona and Melchi Pagdanganan
Justine Ocampo of Bulacan State University (BulSU) Bustos Campus and Jude Claire Cruz of College of Arts and Letters (CAL) were crowned as Lakan at Lakambini ng Karapatan 2022 during the Closing Salvo of Students’ Rights and Welfare Month on Monday, November 21.
Lakan at Lakambini ng Karapatan 2022 winners. Photo by Amiel Antonio
It was a back-to-back win for CAL as Justine Mild Reyes from the journalism department clinched the same title in 2021.
In her advocacy costume during the semi-finals, Cruz emphasized on her clown attire how the government treats human rights as a joke. In her final stint, CAL’s lakambini popped her balloon containing what seemed like blood, indicating that officials should be held accountable for their human rights violations.
Lakan Justine Ocampo advocated for equal rights for the LGBTQIA+ community through his warrior-angel costume complete with scales of justice and gender symbols.
For the first question and answer round, candidates were provided with pictures and asked to explain them within 45 seconds. Ocampo, with grieving people as his assigned photo, said that the youth is there to advocate for the rights of everyone.
“Bilang kabataan, kami ay naririto upang tumindig at ipinaglalaban natin ang karapatan ng bawat mamamayan. Because I believe that as a youth of this generation, we have the autonomy to govern ourselves, to fight for our rights,” Ocampo said.
Meanwhile, Cruz was given a picture of a farmer and astounded the crowd as she tore the image after an impactful answer.
“Maigi nating kinokondena ang unti-unting paglulugmok ng gobyerno sa ating mga magsasaka at pagwasak sa ating agrikultura,” she said.
Ocampo and Cruz’s answers helped them secure a spot in the top 6, where they were joined by lakans of CAL, colleges of engineering (COE), social sciences and philosophy (CSSP), nursing (CON), criminal justice education (CCJE), and lakambinis of science (CS), education (COEd), CON, CSSP, and COE.
“Sa kinakaharap natin na pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin, naniniwala ako na dapat lang babaan ang presyo ng gasolina lalo na sa ating masang Pilipino, sa ating mga driver, mga trabahador, dahil naniniwala ako na ang pagtaas ng presyo ng gasolina ay ginagawang mahirap pa lalo ang mga taong nasa laylayan na,” Ocampo answered on the final round of Q&A portion when he was asked if the government should suspend excise tax on fuels.
On imposing taxes on wealthy people, Cruz agreed that the taxes should be carried by big companies.
“Grabe na ang inflation rate at hirap na hirap na tayo. Kahit tayo bilang estudyante, ang hirap maka-survive, paano pa kung sa maliliit na tao ipapataw ang excise tax na ’to? Kaya ako’y naniniwala na dapat sa malalaking kumpanya ipataw ang buwis,” Cruz said.
CSSP’s Merwyn Cruz and COEd’s Kishi Delos Reyes bagged the Lakan at Lakambini ng Kalayaan title, while CAL’s Mark Lawrence Contreras and CS’s Mhizie Angela Mendoza were hailed as Lakan at Lakambini ng Katarungan.
CCJE’s Gilbert Israel and CON’s Dianne Manuel were declared 1st runners-up; COE’s Richter Von Dela Cruz and Rose Chanel Malgapo were 2nd runners-up; and CON's Harry Kim Bade and CSSP’s Hannah Racell Driza were 3rd runners-up.
Other special awards related to the candidates’ advocacies were also announced during the pageant.
CAL bagged the Advocacy Costume Award for both Lakan and Lakambini.
COEd’s Leo Hernandez bagged four special awards, namely Lakan ng Kamalayan: Advocacy Flagship shared with Kishi Delos Reyes; Lakan ng Sining: Konseptong Larawan; Natatanging Milenyal: Most Reaction; and Jascen Clicks Award.
Lakambini ng CCJE Aleczandra Burgos claimed the award for Lakambini ng Sining: Konseptong Larawan and Natatanging Milenyal: Advocacy Highest Views.
Merwyn Cruz and Hannah Recell Driza of CSSP gained the award for Lakan at Lakambini ng Kabataan: Participation.
Errish Gamboa from BulSU-Bustos Campus won the Natatanging Milenyal: Advocacy for Highest Views award shared with Justine Ocampo; and Jascen Clicks Award.
Supreme Student Government President Patricia Ann Camus in her speech reminded every student that the advocacies carried by the candidates are directly affecting the Filipinos.
“Tayo ang daan para maipaglaban ang mga karapatan na ’yan,” she said.
TAGS: Students’ Rights and Welfare Month 2022, Closing Salvo, Lakan at Lakambini ng Karapatan 2022, Bulacan State University, Justine Ocampo, Jude Claire Cruz, College of Arts and Letters, Bustos Campus
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