Corruption is not a monopoly of the Adults

Magpakatotoo - series 1, youth and student voice - Listening to the Young Mind’s The majority of young people in the Philippines belong to the silent majority who are not heard, not given the chance to be heard, and if fact many are not heard not because they are not given the chance but because they refuse to speak because they do not want to be used by politicians, vested interest or other power trippers. Let us listen to some of them.
Magpakatotoo - series 2, youth and student voice - Youth Speak on Heroism and Patriotism Honoring the nation every flag ceremony or going to the rallies are stereotyping of patriotism, the following are youth insights on the issue of heroism and patriotism.

Corruption is not a monopoly of the Adults

Reading one article on corruption among the SK and reading articles regarding the Lozada case, I remember my paper at the Asian Social Institute. The following are the excerpt from page 114 entitled so young yet so corrupt (Buroklod, ASI, 2005) .

Having been dissapointed with the groups and people I met, I also never saw my generation making new paths of our own. My generation belongs to the so-called generation x who were born in the 1970's and are in their late 20's today (then of course). Older generations like the baby boomers are fascinated with us because of our line of thinking and the environment we live in.

However, as I have seen it, the idealism and energies of our generation are tainted by the older generation's greed and more refined greediness by our generation's sophisticaticated selfishness (remember Romulo Neri's statement to moderate their greed?) by our generation....I found out that corruption is not the monopoly of the older generation. Reading today's young people, i look forward that they will be more detached to the corruption of our society.

----- * -----

I am not a fan of Joe De Venecia. In fact i don't like him as a politician. However, last saturday, i heard him in a radio interview in DZXL by Jarius Bondoc (Philippine Star columnist), that all of us are sinners and all of us need to change. Perhaps all along he is right.

Whether he is serious or not, we must accept it that our sociey, including we the people and our institutions alike are conquered by this dark clouds called corruption. I believe that it is a crime of treason when you stomach as a leader having a courage to put your country in debt by plunder and by soliciting kick backs while many decent Filipinos are decently working to earn a simple life and the vast majority do not eat decently because they don't have a decent work to support their children or family, forced to go out from the country, to send their kids to school, to heal their sick relatives or to the end, provide a simple funeral for their departed love one.

It is an act of treason. And it deserve capital punishment. If we don't want to see our countrymen putting justice in their hands, let start to change and accept that premise that all of us are accountable because we create the kind of our leaders we have.

And for our leaders, to change so that they become an inspiration to the people that is sadly not happening....

albert banico
manila

___________

Corruption in the SK - Ralph Anderson A. Rojas

Watching Lozado's expose regarding ZTE broadband deal, my heart bursts so much into anger to the extent that I can feel numbness with everything I hear about corrupt practices in our country.Corruption is indeed rampant in all parts of the country and in all institutions of the government. Differences only come in amounts - higher position means higher power equals bigger projects means probability of bigger commission. What is more, corruption is not just about commission and overpricing, it takes a lot more faces.

Even in Sangguniang Kabataan, this issue is not new. Many SK officials are indulged in corrupt practices. For example, when they purchase sports equipments, office supplies, uniforms, etc, they get 10% or more of their payment. Worse, other SK intentionally overprices the items by conspiring with the suppliers in order for them to gain more into their pockets.Another example is on sports tournaments where SK would make proposals containing the number of games which is more than what actually transpired.

They would process the papers according to their proposals and would convince the referees to sign and attest so that they could have the excess budget. Worse, some were able to liquidate even there was no event that really took place.Moreover, it is common that SK buys books for the youth of their barangay even many of those are not being utilized.

Some just buy these reference materials or encyclopedias just for the sake of having a project to be included in their accomplishment reports and oftentimes because of the commission they could gain. They not only defeated the purpose of the project but instead of more books are being purchased for their constituents, they spend the money for themselves.These were just some of the corrupt practices involving SK.

I know there are a lot more. What is more disheartening is that SK's fellow officials like the barangay captain, councilors and treasures are the ones teaching them the process. Yet, I always kept reminding my fellow SKs not to emulate such disgraceful deeds. I even talked with our accountant and auditor on how to deter these acts yet they told me that as long as the papers are complete, it is hard to falsify it. Truly, our government has weak accountability and auditing procedure and lots of loopholes in our laws.I really feel demoralized with the happenings in our country.

But I also believe that we have no difference with Abalos or FG if we are indulged in corrupt activities during our terms as SK.In our youth, I hope we could effect change. We could resist temptations if we are thinking not just of ourselves but of others. We should not follow the wind but rather adjust our sails, even we are alone. Though, in your term as public servants, you spend your own money in many occassions, it doesn't give you the right to compensate it through corruption.

Never rationalize illegal acts.For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest, niether anything hid that shall not be known and come abroad (Luke 8:17) and he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much (Luke 16:16).

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:36:40 -0000
Ralph Anderson A. Rojas

___________

A Congress for Our People

Last night, Jose De Venecia, one of youngest cabinet member appointed in the Marcos regime, the longest speaker of the House of Representatives was ousted because of contradiction within the ruling coalition party.

TANOD SERIES – 9 Filipino Dream
(Ang TANOD SERIES ay mga bahagi lamang sa mga artikulong sinulat ni albert banico sa TANOD dyaryo ng Bayan noong 2007. Ang bahaging ito ay tungkol sa mga pangarap ng pinoy base sa mga pakikipagusap at panayam sa mga ordinaryong tao sa lipunan. Ang nauunang artikulo ay bahagi ng isang diskusyon sa klase sa San Beda tungkol sa mga hangarin ng Pinoy)

Men are oppressed too, Mon, 18 Dec 2006: Discussion with atty. Rita Linda Jimeno, manila stadard today

If we desire to live in a better society, i guess we need to reflect on this ideas. Reconstruct our laws to be equally sensitive not only for the children and women but also to men and to all gender. We are all exploited by our own social reification.

ANG BAGONG LIGA
This is an effort to invite companion in the formation of a generational movement if not, a small initiave to come up with independent and non partisan initiatives to effect change, development and reforms in any field of interest.

A Congress for Our People

see this articles of youth and student voices ---> Magpakatotoo Listening to the Young Mind’s - series 1, youth and student voice

Last night, Jose De Venecia, one of youngest cabinet member appointed in the Marcos regime, the longest speaker of the House of Representatives was ousted because of contradiction within the ruling coalition party. Last year, 2007, the House as a separate chamber from the Senate celebrated its 100 year centennial anniversary even if in the official seal of the House stated that it was re-founded only since 1987.

In 1907, the Philippine Assembly was organized by the Americans in the Philippines for the purpose of preparing the Filipinos for self-governance ignoring the fact which was admitted by many Americans and their military officers then that the Filipinos themselves are capable of governing compared to their South American counterpart. It was welcomed by the large members of the Malolos Congress of the same first Republic of 1899, by the Negros Republic who are lead by land lords and the local elite in that province, the Federal Council of the Visayas as well as the Islamic sultans of Mindanao.

The Malolos Congress as a war congress representing the will of the people to be free from any foreign interest and to become equal before the law and opportunity for the Indios only to be betrayed by the same Malolos Congress members who represent them by invoking their sovereign will and the sovereignty of the Philippine islands in their recognition of the Treaty of Paris of 1898.

In 1935, a new constitutional arrangement was institutionalized led by Senator Claro M. Recto to effect a compromised between the American interest and the clamor for a genuine Philippine independence since the time of the Tagalog Republic of the renewed Bagong Katipunan of Sakay and the Rizaline Republic of Ricarte. In reality, the 1907 and the 1935 Congress are both debating clubs with a few powers to affect civil service, education and diplomatic affairs with less power to assert our sovereign will.

After World War II, a group of progressive legislators won in an election but was denied from their own legitimate seat in Congress to prevent them in rejecting the Parity rights that allows equal rights to the Americans to continuously exploit our natural resources.

Without the amendment no.6 of Marcos that give him the absolute hold in congress as well as his dictatorial power, the Batasang Pambansa is close to perfection. But by the virtue of martial law, that effort in 1971 to create a better parliament or legislative house was reduced and was perceived as a puppet institution of the Marcos regime. In 1987, a Constitutional commission drafted a constitution and after subjected to a plebiscite, a Freedom Constitution of Cory Aquino was effected in the light of the aspiration of the people who sacrifice themselves in the long highway of EDSA.

The 1987 was a mixture between great aspiration of our people to have a better society and the ugly side of traditional politics of elite democracy. The Congress, the Senate and the House, with some perseverance to be with the people in the issues of land reform, energy, debt servicing, health, education, housing, natural resources, civil liberties and an independent foreign policy was proven to become an assembly not of the people’s will but the will of traditional politics of patronage, transactions, political survival and family interest. I don’t dream of an anti-American Congress. The American people are not enemies. They have their own decent leaders and we have true friends from them in the pages of our history. However, today, we heard of other agreement where the longer consequence does not favor the Filipino interest. We have enough ZTE with China, the JPEPA with Japan and other more which our common people, though they know but refused to make a stand because they are tired of being used by conflicting forces of our society.

Let us hope that our new leaders will seized this moment and move forward while they invoked the call for change to return to the original Congress, when the idea of a people’s assembly was still in the mind of our genuine heroes in harmony to the collective aspiration of our long suffering people regardless of their regional orientation, religious belief, economic affiliation, ethnical identity and most importantly for those who are unheard, neglected, ignored and forgotten.

(In memoriam to those who fell but unknown barefooted peasant soldiers after defending the Malolos Congress in the start of the Philippine-American war)


Albert Banico

____________

EDITORIAL- our war with the Americans

The enemy is us Tuesday, February 05, 2008
(excerpt frm the Manila Times editorial)

Filipinos have survived centuries of colonization, by at least three nations, to reach this vital act in their life.They fought at least three great armies with inferior arms but with great courage. A few have said Filipinos could use the anvil of a civil war to forge a stronger bond, a clearer vision and a sense of purpose.

But sacrifices, small and great, have to be made. Quiet acts of heroism in the daily life could help. Doing volunteer work is a good start. Electing honest men and throwing out the bloodsuckers is another. Getting involved and having your voice heard matters. Our civic duties challenge us everyday. We have fought the Spaniards, the Americans and the Japanese to evolve into an inchoate nation.

It is time to fight our personal and collective demons, the wrong values and weaknesses of character that are our greatest enemy.

Peace begin in us – September 7, 2007

(this article is a response to a question, how can young people help rebuild society after a violent conflict?)

Peace can achieve by starting to search that peace in within.

In a society, destroyed by conflict, resolution can achieve by resolving the roots of contradictions that divide each country.

Solutions that were proposed to eliminate conflict and disagreements must be reasonably entertained and sources of future conflict must be addressed earlier.

Significantly, peace can only be achieved with honesty and justice. Providing justice for those who become victims of conflict and forgiving those who ask forgiveness. Justice must be in harmony to social justice, respect for human rights and eradication of the sources of conflict particularly poverty and greed-driven institutions.

albert banico
manila

_______

How can young people help rebuild society after a violent conflict?

UNICEF is organizing a meeting about the role of young people in conflict situations this November in Jordan, and we want to bring your comments to the discussion! In unstable situations and emergencies, particularly during conflicts, young people are targeted for violence, abuse and exploitation.

They are often recruited by armed forces and separated from their families. Girls are especially vulnerable, and are at high risk of sexual violence, abuse and exploitation, as well as related health problems including HIV/AIDS.

Young people in conflict situations are forced to take on adult roles, and because the conflict takes away their opportunities, support and services, they can be forced into activities that are economically exploitative.

Their world can look like one that has no future, no hope. Their frustration sometimes leads to destructive behavior, and their participation in increasing violence and preventing peace and development is a big concern. Because young people are affected by and involved with violence during conflicts, it is really important to include them in humanitarian and peace building efforts.

There is a growing recognition that young people are a crucial component of any peace building initiative.

Young people have a positive role to play, too!

Unicef home page