Harnessing Filipino Youth Power for Good Governance
The Filipino youth, comprising more than 50% of the voting population, is considered the great equalizer in the upcoming Philippine elections.
In partnership with the Kaya Natin! Movement, the World Bank Knowledge for Development Center brought champions of good governance to schools and universities so they can have direct interaction with the youth
Through videoconferencing and face-to-face discussions, local government leaders encouraged the youth to vote and choose transparent and responsible leaders
MANILA, December 3, 2009— In the Philippine elections in 2010, an overwhelming 53.8 percent of the voting population or 26 million will come from the youth sector, a figure that’s even higher than the 24 million youth voter turnout in the US presidential elections in 2008 that brought President Barack Obama to the White House.
At least one vote from the iPod generation here will be decided by Joan Boras, 19, a student leader from Jose Rizal University. Last September, she was at the Caravan on Good Governance held at the World Bank’s Knowledge Development Center (KDCs) in Ortigas Center in coordination with the Kaya Natin! Movement, listening closely as Congressman Teofisto Guingona and Mayor Sonia Lorenzo of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija talked to students and teachers from her school.
Mayor Sonya Lorenzo talks about good governance via videoconference with students from Saint Paul University
At the same time, both Mr. Guingona and Ms. Lorenzo, who are Kaya Natin! champions for good governance, freely interacted with around 100 students from Saint Paul University in Tuguegarao City through the World Bank’s videoconferencing facilities at the KDC.
“I realize that one person can make meaningful changes if the people are behind that person,” says Ms. Boras. “As they said, a large percentage of ‘the people’ are young so that means we can really make a difference.”
Youth Power
Many believe the youth vote is latent energy akin to solar power in politics—it’s potential is huge, it’s free, “clean,” and it’s not likely to run out in the next couple of years. Harvey Keh, the Ateneo School of Government’s Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship, believes harvesting this energy to pursue good governance and transform Philippine politics is the way to go.
Young people know instinctively which candidate is phony. With the entire knowledge of the world at their fingertips through the Internet, they are harder to impress. But once a young voter is engaged, he pays attention. Once he is engaged really well, he will go the extra mile to promote something that incites his passion. He is not yet too jaded for hero worship, which means the perfect time for him to meet effective and honest leaders whom he can emulate is now.
But since only 20 percent of the Philippines’ youth is in college and it is no secret that there is a deep correlation between education and voter turnout, Mr. Keh says the “hakot” system works best. “Hakot” means bringing champions of good governance to schools and universities, transporting out-of-school youths to KDCs so they can interact with national and regional political leaders, baranggays (villages), and church youth organizations all over the country to preach good governance.
Promoting Good Governance
This is why Ms. Sheila Algabre, a leader in the KDC network and Vice President for Identity and Mission of the Notre Dame University in Cotabato , spearheaded the project “Caravan for Good Governance Goes to the KDCs.” In this project, the KDCs partnered with the Ateneo School of Government and the Kaya Natin! (We Can Do It) Movement to bring the Caravan to youth from all sectors all over the country to encourage them to vote and encourage them to choose transparent and responsible leaders.
KDCs are knowledge-sharing partnerships between the World Bank and 10 knowledge institutions in the Philippines. They do not merely provide free access to books and magazines, but are also places where deep and discerning conversations on economic and social issues are made.
The World Bank, while known first and foremost as a lending organization, is also a knowledge institution that promotes free discussion and welcomes searching questions on economic and social issues facing the world’s developing countries.
Kaya Natin! Movement
So far, Kaya Natin! has brought good governance champions face-to-face with the youth in theKDCs in Palawan, Cebu, Iloilo, and Cotabato City to share best practices in effective and ethical government leadership. Through videoconferencing, four more KDCs were reached in Davao, Tuguegarao, Dumaguete, and Naga.
Kaya Natin! is led by local government leaders, namely, Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, and Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo, Ifugao Gov. Teddy Baguilat, Jr., and San Isidro, Nueva Ecija Mayor Sonia Lorenzo. Padaca and Robredo are recipients of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service (Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize), while Panlilio recently received the Gawad Galing Pook award for Outstanding Local Government Units.
“Read the papers, listen closely to the discussions—these are things that will help us learn more about the presidentiables’ true colors,”Ms. Lorenzo appealed to the youth.
“Do not go into it blindly. Study the candidates. Do not vote for somebody just because he has a nice voice or he comes out in movies. Remember, the future is in your hands. You have the power to put someone in position especially if you vote as a group,” added Mr. Guingona.
“We discovered that our youth are hungry for good stories and stories of hope. They are tired with the stereotype of the corrupt politician, and are amazed that there are still political leaders who are effective and honest. They are not apathetic; they only need to be shown how to be engaged in politics and how they can volunteer,” says Mr. Keh.
Clearly, the cry for “good governance” has struck a chord with young Filipinos. The KDCs scattered in the country remain as a place that’s always open for those who are searching for knowledge and a good, open conversation on social and economic issues—even for the iPod generation.
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