Think Great Citizenship

This blog has been created by Jessica, Karen and Bea in partial fulfillment of requirements for Citizenship and Governance (CITIGOV) for Term 2, AY 2013-2014. Obligatory disclaimer: “The views expressed in the essays appearing in this website are attributed only to the identified author/s, and do not represent the views of the entire group, the class, the course instructor, nor the university to which the student belongs.”

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

Ultimate Hindrance: Satisfaction

By Karen DJ. Lao

  What are the prospects and limits of my power as a Citizen?

  “Satisfaction is the enemy of change.” – Dr. Dannug

I never thought of that statement until then. Though I firmly believe on the vast power that citizens have, I still know for a fact that, like everything else, it has its own limits.

There are two limitations that I came across with the power of citizens. First, demanding from an authority something that is far outside his oath. Secondly, hearing out only your biases.

Demanding from an authority something that is far outside his oath. Sometimes it is okay to ask for their help especially when you feel hopeless, like financial assistance for your health every once in a while, since you are requesting something that the government allotted for you (I would like to believe that that is how they allocate their funds). But to knock not in their respective offices but at their residences to give you money to buy food for you and your family is, for me, something that not anyone should become. Instead of earning yourself a chance to be self-reliant, you tend to depend on the government purely to give you dole outs. When you exceed that mark that only means to say you crossed your power as a citizen.

Hearing out only your biases. Another limitation that the power of citizens has is the failure to look at the other side of the coin. It is not new to us that we Filipinos always find our way to make what we want a reality. And if someone, including the government, comes in our way, that someone automatically becomes a threat and therefore must be overthrown. In most cases, I agree that this can actually happen but not always. There are times that an effective communication between two groups of individuals solves the case. It is a two-way kind of communication wherein when Person A talks, Person B listens and vice versa.

If we settle for satisfaction, then change will never have the chance to place. These aforementioned limitations shape up the ideals of what a Filipino should and should not be. It is up to us to abide by these limitations and to do whatever we can to act and to work as one with the other players of governance; namely, the government, the business sector, and the civil society organizations.

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

The Negative Good

By Karen DJ. Lao

  What major insight have I gained so far from my on-going experiences in engaging in the initiative?

  All my life we had received the perception to view the word “good” as the opposite of bad therefore it should connote something positive. It might not always be the case.

I learned in CITIGOV (Citizenship and Governance), during one of our discussions, that being contented wit what is good is the primary flaw that is to be seen in the Filipino citizens like us. It is because we do not aspire to become the great citizens that we can actually become, which in return makes us only less than great.

During my initiative, together with two of my colleagues, I consider governmental awareness and engagement as the major insights that I have gained. According to Erin Tañada, unless you (referring to all the Filipino citizens) move yourselves up towards developing the interaction that should have been existent with you (as a player in governance) with your leaders, they (referring now to the government officials) will continue to act as if they boos and control the society even more.

I agree with his idea of transparency. I agree that the Freedom of Information can offer us a new wave in good, or should I rather say, great governance. That way, we can easily track the plan of actions that a certain barangay or municipality do and then monitor their actions if what they are reporting presents truthful and reasonable values.

Currently, I’m on the state of applying what I have learned. To be honest with you, it is only awareness that I can say to myself that I was able to fully practice. I’m not fond of watching news because it bores me to see and to hear biases, which Tañada corrected in his talk when a classmate of ours in MSMEDIA shared his frustrations about the government.

Although we, I guess all of us, share the same sentiments as his, I still have to agree with Tañada when he said, “We should not let our frustrations take the better of us.” Instead, I know now that, like the turning of the word good into something that may mean negatively, same analogy applies to when you turn something negative, such as frustrations, into something we can all benefit from. Thus the birth to convert these negativities the other way around.

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

Better Government

By Karen DJ. Lao

What do I hope to achieve?

Just like you, I’m sure, I want the to be lead by a set of honorable officials who know how to handle the complex and difficult affairs the Philippines face.

I don’t know if it is just me or you feel the same way as I do but I think about the debt that we, Filipinos, owe to other countries. If I’m not mistaken, I learned about some of these debts back when I was still in high school because I got stricken by the statement mentioned by my teacher which goes, “Hindi ka pa pinapanganak may utang ka na. Hindi pa pinapanganak anak mo may utang na siya.” I believe that in this regard, the politicians are to blame for successfully pulling down the country’s welfare.

Maybe you have heard of our Department of Tourism’s recent slogan of “It’s more fun in the Philippines”? In my opinion, the slogan in itself encapsulates the great wonders the Philippines have yet to offer to the world. However, I do not support the slogan at all as a controversy about it came out. Apparently, the slogan was copied from an old Switzerland advertisement dated 1951.

Speaking of copying, who here does not know Tito Sotto’s case of plagiarism? No matter how much he denies it, the fact that he obviously committed plagiarism cannot be changed. His excuses, for me, are not enough to justify the crime, and yes in my department plagiarism’s a mortal sin. He read his speech loud and clear therefore I believe he must also have that strength to admit his mistakes nationwide, especially to the writer of the text he did not bother citing.

“You cannot expect a perfect leader from an imperfect society.” – Dr. Dannug

I have mentioned in the past paragraphs a couple of the fault of those who are in the position. What I, I admit, failed to look at are the flaws of those who are outside of the government office and that is us, the citizens. Thus proves the statement above, as quoted from Dr. Dannug, that in order for a country to propel forward, we must work in developing a better nation through electing deserving government officials to act upon the mandate of ruling over us and doing our task to monitor them as well. That way, I believe, we can achieve the better government we all long for.

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

I Am Who I Am

By Jessica Marie G. Gonzales

What are the prospects and limits of my power as a Citizen?

As a Citizen, there are numerous ways that I can be a great citizen and help with making the country a better place for everybody. I think the best place to start is home, or at most the community we live in; encouraging the family to be more active when it comes to government initiatives, be aware and be informed about things that are happening within the province, and to help out with social projects that CSOs do. For myself, and my family, we’re not too far from this ideal situation since my grandfather is an active member/officer in our local Rotary Club. I remember how sometimes I would tag along when they would have events like the mangrove planting. It felt nice to give back to the community, no matter how small it is, because in the future, the little things that we do might be of big help for the future generations.

The next stage then is in the school setting. Being a great citizen as a student would entail being democratic and being a good leader, as well as a good follower, to the school’s system. Become a prime example of how the best student of all-time, not just of the year, could be; as Mahatma Gandhi said: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Be fair to your classmates, be understanding, be the problem-solver and not the problem-maker; don’t be a brat, don’t cheat, and don’t bully the others into doing things for you. These values and characteristics should be maintained until we graduate. Being good now will develop into becoming great in the near future.

Lastly is being a great citizen on a more macro-level—the country. Take into account everything that one has learned so far—it’s basically following what Dr. Dannug taught us: the 5 A’s (being alert, awake, alive, aware and active). I have the resources to do accomplish the 5 A’s; through the use of the internet and all the information that flows through it, through different local and international news sites, I can always be in the know and share that to my friends and family, even to the rest of the internet world. With a simple click of a button, information can be sent to millions and millions of netizens and with interaction among the netizens, from all over the world, I can grow as a well-versed person with regards to issues of politics, science, literature, or the arts. I can be a catalyst of change; you can be that catalyst for change. We all know that. But of course the question is: do you want to (be)?

It’s easy to say all of the things that I can do for my country—from simply being updated with the latest news and current affairs, to actually going to rallies or just by writing letters to my congressman. But the most important thing is the willingness to do what you have to do. I’m saying this because I ask myself this all the time. I have all these ideas in my head, things that I can do, things that are ideal and far-fetched but are doable; plan everything out, make it as fool-proof as it can be but when the time comes for you to take action, will I? I know I should, I know I could, but that doesn’t mean I would. And that’s what limits me from becoming the great citizen that I know I can be. It’s going to take a lot of discipline and effort, but will I be willing enough to invest time and energy for these things to happen?

I think that’s my biggest problem. I’m afraid to give my 100% because I’m afraid that it won’t turn out the way I planned for it to be; I’m afraid that I will fail—that I won’t be able to change anything; that it would have been all for nothing. But as soon as I overcome this fear, I’m sure that I can do what I’m supposed to do; to be a great citizen and to be capable of contributing to the development of my country.

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

Say Yes We Can

By Jessica Marie G. Gonzales

What major insight have I gained so far from my on-going experiences in engaging in the initiative?

The first time I’ve heard about the FOI Bill was maybe around last year or during the first year in college. I’m not quite sure. And it may have been that long already, the FOI Bill has yet to be passed. I remember how appealing the Freedom of Information Bill was when I first learned about it. This could be the thing that could save our country from corruption, was the collective thoughts of my friends and my classmates who supported this piece of legislation. If you think about it, it really is.

I bow down to those in the House and in the Senate who have pushed for the FOI Bill, but I don’t think that that will be enough. There has always been an excuse as to not pass the law, and I share similar thoughts with Bea as to why; we should not let their fears control us. As a matter of fact, we should take pride that they will fear us, the people, to do their jobs right. If the Bill still doesn’t get passed within this year or by early next quarter, I think it would take another Pork Barrel scam to push, not all, but at least around 90% of the officials to approve the Bill. The FOI Bill needs help from the public. We, as the citizens, have to act now; if we do not act, if we do not at least say something about it, we will not get this law enacted.

“The time is ripe for the passage of FOI, Mr. President. Majority of our colleagues are for it; the leadership of both Houses of Congress (Senate President Drilon and Speaker Belmonte) have openly declared their support for it; and even Malacañang has announced that the FOI bill will be included in the LEDAC list of priority measures. But most importantly Mr. President, there is a real, genuine public clamour for it. Dinig na dinig, ramdam na ramdam po natin ang kagustuhan ng mamamayan para sa FOI. Given such favourable conditions, I do not see any reason why we should again fail to approve this vital piece of legislation this 16th Congress.” – Sen. Grace Poe’s sponsorship speech, September 24, 2013 (via Rappler)

I think that what we need is for more people to demand for the FOI Bill to get passed; more awareness, more campaigns. Although there are already a number of people who are publicly demanding for the FOI, I think the public needs a little more push. The people should know that they have the right to know; they need to become conscious about what the government officials are actually doing; they need to know that they have been kept in the dark; they need to know that there is a way to stop corruption. As for myself, I think I’ll need hope that the FOI will get passed; that we can still work together to change the country, and actually see the change, feel the repercussions of the change, within my lifetime.

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

Feedback

Talk to us! Tell us what your thoughts are about what we talk about, or about anything that you think we should talk about regarding the Philippines' government, governance, citizen-participation, etc.

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

Importance of Information

By Jessica Marie G. Gonzales

What do we hope to achieve?

The government initiative that my group mates and I have agreed to delve into is the Freedom of Information Bill. Last October, for one of my major classes, Mass Media and Society (MSMEDIA), my group in that class had invited Sir Erin Tañada to have a talk about the FOI Bill with regards to media. As a soon-to-be media practitioner, and as a hopeful student and citizen, my role will be simple: to support and to spread the awareness of the FOI Bill to the rest of my countrymen.

Erin Tañada: “Hopefully, with the issue of the Pork Barrel, the PDAF, the DAP, the Malampaya, now, the noise and the shouts of the FOI Bill be enacted into law becomes even louder.”

In light of recent issues regarding the government’s transparency and fight against corruption, I think that the FOI Bill must be made into law as soon as possible. This Bill has been made waiting for far too long. If the people would just clamour for it, just a little louder, then maybe we can finally have that Bill passed.

As students, I think that being able to spread the word of the FOI Bill, to help get support for it, will be easy, seeing as my generation is active online. We have the means to communicate with one another, to help each other promote the FOI Bill and to gather the numbers we’re going to need to get the Senate to pass the Bill. From there, together, we could get the Senate’s attention and pressure them to act upon our demands and expectations of them. It is important that the citizens work together to get something done regarding their cause. It is important that they find it within themselves that they have the passion to fight for something that they truly believe in. It is important that we do not let the government cheat us and manipulate us when they have a clear responsibility to us—to the people they relied on to get to where they are now. I think that being part of the support group for the FOI Bill will help me, as a student, as a citizen of the country, as someone who has the means to do something, realise those things that I’ve mentioned—this will help me discover my passion, my sense of purpose, my sense of belonging. I expect nothing less from this participation.

And in the long run, when the FOI Bill is finally made into law, we, as the citizens, will finally have the capability to have a transparent government. To have a transparent government is important—the value of honesty is ideal for the government especially because they are the ones who handle our money, who handle our resources, who take care of us with security and socio-economic projects. If the government officials knew that we have access to what they do with our money, with our trust, then they would clean up their acts—they would be careful, they would be fair and they would be pressured to conform to the expectations, to the needs, that their citizens demand of them if they do not want to be ousted from their position or to be ridiculed by the media for their lack of competency to deliver their promises to their people.

It is important that we have access to information. Think about it, if we didn’t, then it’s as if we don’t have the internet. We wouldn’t know things that we do now if it weren’t for the availability and the power of the internet, right? Apply it to the Freedom of Information Bill. If we had the FOI Bill, then we would know what the government is doing, or what they are planning on doing; we wouldn’t be cheated on, we wouldn’t be fooled. But right now, we still don’t have it. And right now, we’re still being fooled, we’re still being cheated on. We need to know. We need to know so that we can act accordingly; we need to know in order to save ourselves—to save our country—from further damage secrecy proves to bring about. There is power where there is knowledge. And sometimes, having that knowledge can make or break you.

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

Randy David on Intelligent Citizenship

Our professor presented this to us in class last month. Just the first fifteen minutes, I think. But it has been very insightful.

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

For A Change..

By Bea Joy J. Vargas

What are the prospects and limits of my power as a Citizen?

The Philippines is a democratic country.  What exactly is a democratic country? According to Encyclopedia Britannica, it literally is, rule by the people. Therefore, are hands are what makes the country rise or fall. Comparing the Philippines to a glass ball, if the ball goes to the hands of incapable people, it will break, shatter into pieces. But if it goes to the right hands, no matter how fragile it is, the ball will be in perfect condition. We are the ones handling the ball. The ball is our country. Decades have pass, our ancestors shed tears and blood in preserving our country. And throughout those times, the ball (our country) has been stained, cracked in areas and we’re left to take care of what’s left.

As a citizen of this country, I believe that it is my task to preserve and help in the development of the society. We, the citizens, have the power to initiate the change we want to see in our nation. It is through thorough understanding of our government and active participation in the affairs of the society that enables us to become productive citizen capable of initiating change. I can see some people even some of my peers constantly complaining about our government when they themselves haven’t even done something about it. What I see of what’s happening in our country, is that people are just all about talking and complaining but aren’t really thinking of what they’re saying or if they have credible knowledge about the issue that they talk about.

If I want change, then I would first see to it that I have sufficient knowledge about our government. Being just a citizen is different from being a citizen consumer. It is so easy for us to criticize how the government handles our country when we don’t even make a move to change it. And to change it requires our knowledge and active participation in the affairs. Being a citizen of this country also means that I always have to be prepared in whatever comes my way. If I’m equipped with the right information, then it will be easier for me to make the right decisions. Every right decision that I make counts. Especially when it has something to do with the affairs in the society. Like choosing the right candidate for instance. When I take a wrong step and vote someone who’s incapable but I thought was capable, then there’s a big possibility that he will nothing be but a barnacle to our country.

I also have the right to know and to be involved in the political matters of this country. And this right is seldom used by most of us. With the FOI bill, this right would more utilized. It only needs to be more publicized by the media; On how much power we actually hold in this country.

But with these roles and prospects, we also have our limitations. I, for example, am aware of my rights as a citizen, but those rights come with a limitation. Knowing when and where to stop makes it just for us in exercising our rights. Crossing the boundaries of my limits isn’t productive anymore. A hierarchy still exist in our system.

It is important that we learn how to say no. We’re not supposed to be coerced into doing something that’s beyond our limit. For sure, many political leaders have lured people into doing things that are against their own will but were only forced because of the promise of money. Money is of course a very inviting idea. As cliche as it may sound, but I agree that money it the root of evil. For example, Why do you think that this political candidate killed the other one? Because he’s thirsty for power. And with power comes money. He hadn’t killed the other candidate all by himself, of course he hired someone. And I believe that that someone was just forced into the situation because of bright light, that’s money. So I think that before making such decisions, we must know our limitations. How far can we further go without doing harm to anyone?

It is up to us to know how far can we go. Freedom comes with great responsibility. We are given freedom to use in all the right ways, to help in the development of our nation. That’s why me must limit ourselves into everything that we do. Our ancestors shed blood and tears fighting for the freedom of our nation, and the best thing that we could do is to take care of it and not let it go to waste.

We are vital in the development of our nation. So must be aware of our rights, exercise them in the right way and know our limitations. Because we want change, it begins with us. We must be alert, alive and awake as citizens for a change to happen. Not gradually, but eventually.

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

The Power

By Bea Joy J. Vargas

What major insight have I gained so far from my on-going experiences in engaging in the initiative?

Like most people, I was honestly not that well abreast about the Freedom of Information bill at first. Yes, I’ve heard of it in the news and had to sit down on a series of talks about it, but it is not until now that I realized how much power it actually has, how much power we actually have. If only all of us truly knows about it…

Although our country has higher literacy rate than its opposite not all of us are fully aware of our rights, of what we can actually do and what our government is up to. It is in our constitution (Art. 3 Sec.7), that every citizen has the right to information. We are after all in a democratic country. We are entitled to a fair share of information in our society. But I think what’s really happening is that our government alters the information relayed onto us. They may make us think about this and that. Make us believe everything they’re doing is for our benefit. Some unknowing citizen would just agree to every information that they say. When the truth is, they brainwash us into thinking that they’re doing good. Well not anymore, if the FOI bill will be finally passed, I don’t think that they can deceive us again or use our money for their own welfare. Corrupt public servants would think twice before doing anything that could destroy them for it is now easier for us to track down their deeds.

What I think is the one holding back the passing of the bill are those people who are afraid that they would get exposed. In an Inquirer issue way back, studies have actually shown that countries who have freedom of information have less corrupt government. Why? Because government officials are afraid. As I’ve mentioned, every move they make is subject to public’s eye. There’s the media who serves as the messenger of information to the people. I’m not saying that the FOI is a total guarantee that there would be no more corruption. As long as there’s money, people will do whatever it takes to acquire fortunes. But the FOI is there to make it difficult for them to steal and do illegal things. If they are ‘clean’, then they have nothing to fear. But sometimes politicians make it obvious that they’re hiding something. Just by not agreeing in the FOI makes us raise our eyebrows on them.

The Freedom of information bill is no guarantee. A bad nut will always be a bad nut. But it will just make it tougher for them to corrupt our country. Imagine if this bill is passed then we would actually know where the money in our baranggays go. If it’s really spent on the projects, or goes in the pockets of the kapitans. The FOI is actually a tool for good governance. It is just one of the many ways that can lead to a better government. I say that those who are stopping the passing of the bill are those who have something to hide. I actually can’t find a reason why it shouldn’t.

Over all, the best insight that I have gained through this FOI initiative so far, is that we actually have the power in our government more than what we think we already have. Our government is nothing without its people. Information is power. With it, we are able to make just decisions. We are able to truly participate in our country’s affairs. We would always be a step ahead of anyone who isn’t well-informed.

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

The Big Three

By Bea Joy J. Vargas

What do we hope to achieve?

“Information is power. With the right information, we make the right decisions. Without the right information, we do not make the right decisions” - Lorenzo Tanada III

There are three things that I, as a student ,would like to achieve through the of FOI Bill; Security, Transparency and a Just society. I believe that it is not only I that would like this to happen, but my fellow countrymen as well. In Art. 3 sec. 7 of the Philippine constitution, it states the ‘right of the people to information on matters and documents of public concerns’.  That is why we have the right to know what is happening in our society and how our public servants do their jobs. But do all Filipinos know about  this? Most certainly not. Not all of us are active citizens. Not all of us care to know the issues concerning our government.

Security. Through the FOI bill, we’re all hoping for a more secured nation. If we are informed of how our public servants are doing their tasks, we are able to know just how secured we are at the present and the future. How secured we are of our resources. Surely, some politicians nowadays are putting away the country’s resources in their own pockets or throw it in useless projects. Make bridges that aren’t of standards, build roads that have the poorest materials and need to be reconstructed again not long after it has been done. I believe that these are  just  public display of those officials. Make the people believe that they have projects that could benefit them, but then again the money comes from the people. Yes, they will propose a said budget and post it in a big tarpaulin with their name almost covering up the entire space (PROJECT OF: ____________) . and of course, there’s the proposed budget barely seen but it comes with a lot of 0s in it. But how sure are we that the digits are really invested in the project? Then there’s the need for the security of a better future.  If we are able to see the all the transactions made by our government, the documents and papers, those officials would be afraid to commit such illegal actions that will turn the people against them.  They would know their limitations since every wrong move they make, we will be witnesses to it because every documents and transactions they make, are available to us. Lastly, maybe the FOI bill is the answer to our economy. The reason why our economy hasn’t improved is because our public servants aren’t really on their feet trying to fix it. They have their ‘black plans’ that actually worsen our economy and improve their own standard of living.  That’s why if the FOI bill will passed, itmay be a way for them to be afraid of their actions as they know that we will be there to observe them.

Transparency. FOI = transparency.  Because we have access to official records, documents, papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to government research data. We will be more knowledgeable in the current status of our government. If only the government are more transparent as to where our taxes really go then we will be more secured. And for sure public officials will be afraid to commit such acts that may cause them their reputations. For years, the media has been a powerful tool in the transparency of our government. But I believe that what the media has covered is not yet the entirety of it. We still have much to learn about or government. A good government must be transparent to its people. But I don’t think the Philippine government is any of that. What with the recent PDAF scam that involved a lot of the higher authorities in our country. Some of whom we believed to be doing well before the scam broke out. Without the whistleblowers, the anomalies in our government wouldn’t be exposed. So much for transparency.

Just Society. Who wouldn’t want one? I believe that in every relationship, there must be a two-way communication. Same as well in our country. The government and the people should be doing their part to make the foundation stronger. In our case, I’m not certain as to who’s doing their own part the right way, the government or the people (certainly not the government) . Yes, I believe that everybody’s doing his own part, but is what we are doing right? The government makes it appear that they are doing their job, but how come the poorest of the poor in the country is still the poorest of the poor? How come some baranggays in Tacloban and in some parts of Visayas haven’t had a single relief pack given to them when we saw the reports that millions worth of help have been received from all over the world? Something must be very wrong in our system. We saw the breakdown of money received from the other countries, but we haven’t really seen the entire breakdown on how they will really use the money.

These three are just some things that we hope to achieve through this initiative. The media has been a powerful tool for us to unveil our government. And the media is also, I believe, the enemy of some public servants. During the Marcos regime, media has been banned. For media is a powerful tool that can capture the minds of the people and can turn them against the government if they want to.

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

Popularity and Accountability

By Jessica Marie G. Gonzales

What bothers me...

I have never been the one to critique the government before--I kept them to myself and opted to be passive and/or indifferent towards a lot of things regarding the political sphere. But now I'm given the chance, the responsibility, to make my observations known.

It bothers me how time and time again people are voted into government positions because of their popularity, not their ability to actually do something to make the country a better place. We are all fed lies--that they will help the poor, that they will get rid of corruption, that they will always listen to us because without us, there will be no them. Of course. And of course everybody falls for that lie--at least, those whose votes count. And time and time again, after the candidates get voted into place, their promises from their campaigning disappear with it. Then people would complain about still being poor, about still having corruption, about not being able to have a say on certain decisions that will affect everyone in the community. It bothers me that voting the next person who will be seated in the government--people who should be doing their best to make sure that our needs are met--has turned into a popularity contest. It's not about what they can do anymore, it's about how they look like, what movie or television show were they most successful in, what their last name is--which family they come from.

It bothers me how politicians blame everyone else but themselves for mistakes or scandals, or whatever issue there may be out in public. "With great power comes with great responsibility" right? The politicians are accountable for their actions--nobody else should be held accountable for their mistakes or wrongdoings. Whoever is responsible for it should be the one who will pay the price. There is always a consequence to something done that shouldn't have been done; there's always something for something. With the media today, it's going to be hard not to get caught--but of course it's going to be harder to admit that they were the ones in wrong. With the recent Pork Barrel Scam, everyone is innocent, until proven guilty. But until then just deny and deny--"fake it 'til you make it" kind of attitude. Of course everyone else is at fault--everyone else but them.

I find the whole political world just disappointing. There are a lot things that should be done but are never done; people should pay their taxes, politicians should be honest, government officials should be held accountable for their actions no matter how much money they have or how much influence they possess. There are a lot of things that should be done to better serve the country but in reality, there are a lot of things that are being done to better serve themselves.

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

LAGAY

By Karen DJ. Lao

What bothers me…

Last 28th of October, another baranggay election was held. Even though I’m a first time voter, I know how the voting process works, be it manually or precinct-count optical scanners (PCOS) powered, since I always go with my family whenever they vote. 

I’ve been hearing rumors that certain candidates, the night before the actual elections, crawl up to some of the voters’ residences to give money in exchange for their votes. I have no concrete means to verify this issue but assuming that it’s true, worries me a lot. 

Lagay now serves with a double meaning. Paglalagay (bribing) and hindi Mapalagay (being uneasy). 

Bribing is the fault of both parties, the candidates aka aspiring “honorable” leaders and the voters aka those “longing” for change. We are following a democratic kind of government but it doesn’t necessarily mean we can do whatever we want. 

To the candidates who may have done deviation relating to bribing must be ashamed of themselves for resting their political fate on the rays of money. True leadership demands honesty and zeal for service. You at least owe pinpointing to yourself the reason why you are running. How can you be ready to lead us if you cannot honestly even lead yourself?

For the voters who insist to see political change, don’t you think the first step towards reaching it starts with you? Because we are the ones who elect these officials and our duty as citizens doesn’t end there. Unfortunately, most of us had that duty stopped the minute they walked out of the precinct. We must remain in constant surveillance of their progress so as to determine those who deserve the position.

I feel really uneasy knowing that such case could exist. Regardless if it’s happening in reality or not, for me it still can be undo IF all of us take action with its resolution and that fact remains. 

[thinkgreatcitizenship]

Change or Changeless?

By Bea Joy J. Vargas

What bothers me…

Decades have past and changes were made in the Philippine political system. Leaders of the past as well as the present try to smoothen out the creases they see in our system. But how could a nation that has gone through so many changes actually have changed so little? We’ve seen reforms and a change of government before, they called it ‘for the good of our nation’. But looking back, I don’t really see what changes it has made. The Philippines still belongs to the list of the most corrupt countries in the world. Yes, little progress may arise and may last for quite some time, but then again it is pulled back down by some scandal or mistake the government makes.  

Why has the long standing poverty and injustice in our society still rampant? This issue has been around for as long as we can remember. During campaign periods of political candidates, countless of them use these issues and make platforms related to solving such. But nothing really happens. I believe that this is caused by our government not being transparent enough as they should be. The Pork Barrel scam is just one case to prove that. Who knows what more filthy secrets they could be hiding. Who knows what ‘what could’ve been ours’ became ‘theirs.’

 Is our country’s resistance to change directs to political stability or instability? We can’t really say that it’s stability. Leaders of our country that come and go have tried many reforms and movements that they believe would pave the way for a better nation, but then a slight shift or a wrong move in any branch of our political system could send the economy and the nation cascading downwards again. The process goes on and on. One would try to make progress, something goes wrong, then another one would clean up the slate and start all over again. For me, they’re just going on and on in circles. So I believe, that out country’s resistance to change can be attributed to political instability.

If this is how politics in the Philippines work for generations now, what would become of our future? What would happen to the already worse margin of the poor in our country? Would injustice continue to be tolerated? These lie in our hands. Becoming involved in the Political activity of our country not only makes us a good citizen, but in the end we can say to our future sons/daughters, that “we’re part of the change.”