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Apathetic towards politics?
"THREE simple things" the youth can do to change politics and bring about good governance:
First, convince people not to vote for action star Fernando Poe Jr. in 2004.
Second, call up radio stations to criticize wrongdoings of government officials because politicians are afraid of the media.
Third, attend barangay assemblies and make their views known.
This was the advice of Solita Monsod, University of the Philippines professor and host of the television talk show "Debate," to about 400 select students who attended the first Inquirer Seminar Series on "Generation Why?"
"Convince 19 other people why FPJ should not be it," Monsod said, eliciting laughter from the crowd.
"I will never vote for FPJ and I will campaign violently against (Sen. Panfilo) Ping Lacson," she added, apparently referring to speculations that Poe and Lacson were teaming up for the 2004 presidential election.
Monsod's advice was just one of the ideas expounded during Saturday's first installment of the seminar series dubbed "Identity of the Youth in a Changing Philippines." Aside from an exchange of ideas, there was also a frank and witty examination of the conscience of the students and some of the country's most outspoken leaders.
Monsod and Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri, who declared that the youth are apathetic to politics because of the "absence of an inspiring leader," spoke during one of two simultaneous workshops during the morning session. Their topic was "What's the point? Have young Filipinos become apathetic towards politics?"
Inquirer columnist Conrado de Quiros, who spoke during one of two workshops in the afternoon, urged the students not to lose their idealism.
"For it is your idealism that will drive you to turn something into reality, to do something heroic," De Quiros said.
The students, who were chosen from among 800 who listed up for the seminar held at the University of Asia and the Pacific, were enthusiastic and asked questions ranging from the simple to the thought-provoking. They took notes, laughed and clapped and milled around the speakers even when it was past lunchtime.
Be heard, get involved
Philippine Daily Inquirer president Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez set the tone for the seminar by urging the youth to let their voices be heard and to get involved in society. She said the seminar series aims to help the young generation define their role in the socio-political landscape.
"There is a common misconception that the youth today do not care about society. Judging by your faces and the number of students in this auditorium today, I know that to be untrue," she said in her keynote speech.
Romualdez said the seminar was also being held to harness the reading habits of the young and help shape them into effective leaders who can bring positive and permanent change to the country.
"An informed citizenry makes the best decisions and our country cannot afford any more disastrous mistakes," she said.
It is in reading news and opinions, she said, that people can learn to be critical, alert and perceptive of issues in society.
Disgusted, not apathetic
During her discussion, Monsod noted that the youth were not apathetic but disgusted with politicians. But the public has the power of its vote to make things happen.
"We get the government that we deserve," she pointed out.
"How many of you call up the radio stations? If one hundred of you call up to say Congressman Zubiri made a very stupid statement in Congress, he will never say that again," Monsod said.
Monsod also suggested that they remind their parents to pay the right taxes.
Zubiri lived up to his image as a member of the Estrada-nemesis "Spice Boys" of Congress.
He said the "vacuum of inspiring leaders in the country today" make the Filipinos a lost and listless race.
"We need the human equivalent of a North Star. We need a Moses in our midst, not necessarily to shepherd us to the land of milk and honey, but to a place that is just safe and clean," he said.
He said Filipinos needed a leader who could assure them of a bright future and many good jobs and promising careers in the land of their birth.
Zubiri said there was a feeling of national hopelessness and despair, with the ballooning deficit, lawlessness and unemployment, criminality, rising prices and corruption in government. This results in a "politics fatigue" that is manifested by a people who would rather discuss the latest cell phone with a built-in camera than the absentee voting bill in Congress.
"Not a squeak was heard from us when a mother of seven choked her two kids to death because she could no longer bear their wailing for food. Yet, rivers of tears flowed into the gutters of campuses that missed the basketball championships," he said.
He noted that no big rally was staged to condemn the most expensive road that ironically was named after a frugal man.
Zubiri was referring to the President Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard which was exposed in an Inquirer story to be overpriced by 600 million pesos.
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Comments
christopher bernardo | Apr 12th, 2003
Good one Mr. Gonzales, though some of your arguments were oversimplified other ideas are quite interesting. ;)
cmli_jc@yahoo.com
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