Nowadays, one might have probably already been confronted with the question, “anong ambag mo?” Although this may sound quite petty to some, one cannot deny the need for its discussion, most especially amongst the youth who are considered significant members of society. However, one might ask, what can the youth contribute to their homeland?
As the national elections are fast approaching, with political aspirants filing for their certificate of candidacy, we can’t avoid having incompetent, unworthy people run for posts in the government. Although the youth are free to state their own opinions towards each hopeful, a better contribution would be registering to vote. Preaching #RegisterToVote on social media can be a good start but it shouldn’t end there. Bear in mind that a single post or tweet can help but the responsibility of an educated voter never ends.
Through the latest data given by the COMELEC, the percentage of registered youth voters is 52%, over half of the total number of registered voters in the country. And this significant rise in number shows how the youth of today have been constantly proactive over the years in regards to political engagement. Important issues like human rights violations, the fight for press freedom, corruption, and many other issues by the administration have all been confronted by the youth of which they have played their part and expressed loudly their opinions and distaste for injustice.
The current generation shows no fear as it has proven itself time and time again. They carried themselves with conviction and confidence knowing full well that they have maximized every opportunity to learn about their country’s historical truths up until the current administration of President Duterte. The fine line between being ‘too young’ and ‘young enough’ to engage in discourses involving public affairs did not matter to them nor did it stop them.
The youth has been well-known to be one of the most outspoken critics of this age. They don’t just merely grumble about the shortcomings from politicians but also contribute in every way they can to society. They have wanted a better response from the government in regards to the current health crisis. They even shared a yearning to eliminate corruption to properly allocate public funds. But the youth knows better than to expect help from the people too busy helping themselves, so instead of just pointing out these mistakes or joining rallies to do so, they contribute to their country’s progression by taking action. And by taking action, the youth continue to consider and maximize using their right to vote in order to put the right and fitting individuals in the position to lead the country. They are relentless in trying to ensure that the mistakes of the previous elections that have badly affected the country through six years in the making won’t happen again.
The youths are now screaming the loudest clamor. The soaring number of young individuals getting involved in political activism may serve as a silver lining for this land as they thirst for change, and with hope, to also put pressure on political elites to acknowledge the role of youth in society.
Come what may in May 2022, let this be not just the youth’s, but every Filipino’s fight, as we do our duty to vote wisely.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of POLITICO.PH
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Janine Alexis P. Miguel is a senior student of Journalism at the University of the East – Manila, and is currently an intern at PageOne Media and Communications Inc. As a student, she’s been an active part of and has lead student organizations and councils in her university, as well as editorial boards for writing organization. She enjoys writing stories for and about other people. With coffee and writing as her ally, she seeks to empower people with facts and proper information.
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