The youth and elections

RAIN OF FIRE
Cesar G. Bonilla

SAN NICOLAS, Ilocos Norte -- The participation of the youth as an active component of nation-building can be tested in the 2010 presidential election. Youth groups can make a lot of difference in terms of forwarding their interests through unity and consolidation of principled action.

The Sangguniang Kabataan can be mobilized for community affairs, serving as the primary vehicle for political socialization aimed at increasing civic consciousness. As representatives, elected leaders of the SK be part in decision-making, from the barangay to the national level, articulating views and preferences of the young on critical issues faced by communities and the nation. Only through expressing their preferences can they make sure that their leaders will truly represent their vision of the future.
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Ilocos Norte under the leadership of Gov. Michael Marcos Keon has envisioned an optimistic outlook for investment opportunities and other projects with the help of fellow Ilocanos residing in Hawaii. The journey of Keon and other well-known politicians in Hawaii can boost growth for the province and cement relationship that will bring positive results.

Well-known leaders of the Filipino community in Hawaii like the civic-minded balikbayan mayor of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte and president of Citizens Mortgage Corp. John H. DeLos Santos had promoted friendship among fellow Ilocanos whose mission of goodwill can bring about the industrialization of Ilocandia.

Political unity and dynamic leadership are needed specially in the field of diplomatic intercourse with fellow Asian countries. The hotel and convention center in Barangay.Suba in Paoay town is a good venue for accommodating foreign and local visitors for business concerns, seminars or educational tours. Peace and order can invite more investments in the province.
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Educators should be the model of refinement and excellence inside and outside institutions of learning but there times students test the level of their endurance. It’s a torture on the part of the teacher if students’ impertinent behavior run contrary to long-treasured values and the golden rule of discipline-oriented Filipinos.

Being a teacher entails a lot of sacrifice. There are times that some are victims of prejudices and impartial ascertainment of their tasks by superior officers in the academe due to poor conduct and mediocre performance of students.

Aside from receiving a meager income for the services rendered, proud and rich students make fun of their miserable condition by treating them unfairly. Humiliation experienced by teachers leads to resignation. Some students nowadays ignore the professionalism and sincerity of their mentors to mold them in the battlefield of life through quality education.

Despite the fact that most teachers are underpaid, they are easily made victims of presumptuous tongues and arrogant statements which give them a sense of worthlessness and being poor. It is high time institutions of learning should give quality education rather than being commercialized. Respect afforded to poor teachers is a kind of social justice that an institution of higher learning could give. Respect for teachers is a paramount concern.
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The International convention on the rights of children, of which the Philippines was one of the first signatories, protects the physical, emotional, moral, and intellectual well-being of the child. Realizing the vulnerability of the young person, the convention requires the State to play an active role in defending these rights.

The Philippines is supposed to be one of the most responsive countries in terms of legislation for children's rights. Furthermore, the Philippine Constitution is perhaps the only fundamental law in the world that has a specific provision on the right of children to assistance including proper care and nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, cruelty, abuse, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their development (Section 3,Article XV).

In many homes and schools, corporal punishment is still considered the best way to discipline a child. Humiliation is sometimes used to make them toe the line. A common way of teasing a child is by making fun of his physical and intellectual characteristics.

Some misguided parents believe that this cruel treatment will make the tot stronger so that he or she will be more emotionally equipped to face the ordeals of life. Give them the right to live in an atmosphere of equality, respect and most of all, love.