By Rohanisa Abbas

Far Eastern University (FEU) hosted Cable News Network (CNN) Philippines’ Town hall’s first episode on December 10 at the Mini Auditorium, Technology Building.

CNN’s Town hall is a series of forum featuring political aspirants. The program piloted during the 2013 elections and would resume this year for the 2016 elections.

Its first series was joined by politicians running for the senatorial post, the highest position being vied for at the time. This season, the Presidentiables would get the chance to interact with the young electorate.

Pia Hontiveros, Town hall’s moderator, said that they wanted to open up the entire political debate to young people. “Town hall aimed to bring itself closer to universities, where the young people are,” she added.

FEU was CNN’s first leg for Town hall. Liberal Party (LP) Presidential and Vice Presidential hopefuls Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo were the first to take the hot seat. Students from various institutes participated in the event.

Moreover, student leaders had the opportunity to ask questions on the tandem’s achievements and platform. The idea of Town hall was to democratize the discussion and the debate.

“It allowed me to know them beyond what the media has portrayed them,” Sunshine Mendoza of the Oratorical and Debate Council (ORADEC) shared. She also gave importance to such type of discourse “to have a better understanding of our candidates.”

Hontiveros believed that people, especially the young ones, must feel involved in the discourse. “It’s not as simple as you just go and vote, and then that’s your only participation in the electoral process or the political process. You must be involved in crafting the idea, the principles, the policies, etc. One way to do that, to encourage engagement and participation is to do this, this kind of Town hall,” she stated.

First session of this season’s Town hall will air on December 12, 8:00 PM on CNN Philippines.