"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.
Bad reputation
Unfortunately, Zubiri confessed, Congress is not in a position to supply the inspiring leadership. He said it was a bad time to be a politician because of the "bad reputation congressmen are getting nowadays."
He said that for single congressmen like him, introducing themselves as politicians to prospective partners is worse than admitting to be a son of terror leader Osama Bin Laden.
During the open forum, Bastiaan van de Looo, a student from University of Leiden in the Netherlands, asked how presidential candidates who spend eight billion pesos to get elected president could perform honestly without being indebted to business tycoons.
Zubiri then disclosed that when he was a newly elected congressman, contractors offered him a 20-percent commission for his pork barrel projects, or two million pesos of a 10 million-peso project.
"The temptation is so great," he said.
Zubiri said his salary of 35,000 pesos a month is barely enough to give to the many people who seek his help for medicines, burial and other matters.
When Delfin Delfin of the University of Sto. Tomas asked if he was willing to forego his salary, Zubiri said he did just that the other day when he spent for the fare of 20 of his constituents who were gypped in Manila.
Making yourself heard
Rae Rivera, a student of the University of the Philippines Diliman, said there was a need for government to set up an agency through which the youth could be better heard. She said it appeared that the government was "not willing to hear us."
Monsod replied that the youth could make themselves heard through text messages and by getting involved in their own communities and schools.
"If we just clean up our barangay, that's big stuff because it goes all the way to the top," Monsod said.
Nicky Yu of Leyte College asked when the government would start collecting taxes from the Church so that there will be no budget deficit.
Monsod replied: "Why not? So why don't we start the ball rolling? The bottom line is don't just sit there, do something."
Inquirer president Prieto-Romualdez said the views of the youth are welcome in the Inquirer and its website with GMA-7, www.inq7.net.
"Do write us and get involved," she said.
'Truly inspiring'
Vincent Angeles of the University of Asia and the Pacific found Monsod's discussion "truly inspiring."
"I learned that we should not just find fault with the government but to actually take part in our own little circle -- the family, the university, the community rather than tackling the whole country at once," Angeles said after the forum.
Pocholo Gonzales of UP Diliman drew his inspiration from Zubiri, saying the congressman's talk showed that he was "not 'plastic' and cares about the youth very much."
Isaiah Lugtu of Adamson University said she was very inspired by Romualdez's talk about the importance of reading.
"I love books, but after hearing her speech I will love reading more," Lugtu said.
Josephine Alcalde, also of Adamson, said she skipped an outing to attend the seminar and that she was not disappointed.
Raiza Cusi of the Philippine Women's University was all agog about Monsod and Zubiri and said she was "enlightened by a mile."
RJ de Guzman of San Beda College found the forum very informative and inspiring.
"I found hope," said Randy Herrera, also of San Beda.
More to come
The seminar is a joint project of the Inquirer and the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations of the Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines and UA&P.
GMA-7 co-sponsored the event's sponsors.
Bernadette Sembrano of GMA-7 and TJ Manotoc hosted the seminar.
The other workshop during the morning session was conducted by Emily Abrera, president of McCann-Erikson Philippines, and writer Jessica Zafra. They discussed the topic: "Youth consumerism: Is youth culture being manufactured by business?"
The afternoon workshops had former Education Secretary Raul Roco speaking on a topic close to his heart: "Beyond four walls: Will the youth's education today work for them tomorrow?" Also speaking during that session was Amado Mendoza, associate professor of political science in UP.
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