29/04/2025
๐๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ | ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ง๐ฎ๐ด
๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ๐ ๐จ๐ช๐๐๐ง๐๐๐: ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ค๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ข๐ค๐๐ง๐๐๐ฎ
Ten years had passed but, until now, the proposed bill of the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago is still pending in the committee for approval. The Senate Bill No. 2472 entitled An Act Integrating Voter Education in the Junior and Senior High School Curricula aims to promote the inclusion of votersโ education in the academe, to establish youth participation and provide up-to-date information regarding Philippine elections. This bill only went to first reading; from 16th to 19th congress, it was buried deeply by other legislative members like it was never presented.
On the Article 2, Section 13 of The Constitution says, the youth plays an important role in nation-building and shall inculcate the patriotism and nationalism through encouraging their involvement in public and civic affairs, therefore, the proposed bill inherently encourage the youth to become active citizens and arouse their interest to fight for democracy through safeguarding the integrity of electoral process. Moreover, under the proposal, high school students shall be taught about the countryโs election process and the importance of a fair, free and honest election, making them smart and responsible voters.
Students should be taught not only with theories and principles, but should also be armored with knowledge which are necessary to societal development. It is never wrong to teach these young minds with the right procedure of voting, their rights as citizens, and the ethos of democracy. The proper way of infusing individuals with the skills and ideologies in life must be taught in formal setting which is the academe. Filipinos might stop electing incompetent politicians when in their preparatory age, they were trained to be meticulous and smart, to filter those with competencies, and segregating those lazy ones. Yet, being vigilant equates questioning of transparency. Are politicians ready to face the question of the society?
According to Senator Miriam Santiago, Corrupt politicians are afraid of educated voters, but with our culture today, it is the other way around. One deserves the government he chooses and may this younger batch be the generational breaker of the rotted election system. Improving our electorate is best started at school. Voting power must be strengthened early to empower human rights and eventually empower the country.
