Yesterday would have also been a grueling moment for aspiring young leaders who wanted to serve the community. I could only imagine youth "campaign managers" waiting outside the canvassing area for the results to be announced. Sadly, the Sangguniang Kabataan elections were postponed to a later date because of clamors from different sectors.
I remember the time when I was still qualified to vote for SK officials. On the eve of the Election Day, a young lady called out my name outside our porch. She was holding a lot of envelopes and handed one to me. "It's an early thank you gift," she said. Then I recognized she was one of those who were vying to become an SK councilor. I did not understood what she meant so I took the envelope anyway and wished her good luck. As she left, I opened the envelope which had my name on it and found a fifty peso bill - my vote was bought.
I was horrified because at a young age of 15, she could afford to buy a hundred votes in our subdivision. The bill did not come alone as attached to it was her business card which held her profile. Odd positions were listed such as having "good skills" in tennis and garnering the Most Behaved award in elementary. It was coming to me as if she forgot that the SK election is not a Student Council election.
My story was only one of the how many thousands of young politicians bought votes with the people's money. It was a relief that mine was just bought at fifty pesos. How much more could rich barangays afford?
This is a sad reality - the elders are teaching the next generation to steal money from other's pockets so they may be put into positions. Instead of the adults knowing better than the young ones do, they are pushing the wrong to become right.
The presence of vote-buying during the SK election is a setback seen by many on the generation dreamed to change the mindset of the Filipinos. On top of that, the young officials are boxed in to the idea of making concrete projects such as basketball courts, waiting sheds and forming leagues, thinking that this will prove their stay in office. They have forgotten to lobby the concerns of the youth to a higher authority.
My own testament (and others, maybe) is a basis for me to give my full support to the postponement of the SK election. It needs not to be abolished, but only reformed. Young leaders who want to be in public service must be fully aware of their duties and responsibilities - leadership is not only about sports fests and barrio fiestas.
I'm not really open to the thought of the youth selling themselves to residents and saying promises like a modern politician. Who gives them the assurance of having enough budget for their dream projects? At the end it would only reflect what kind of elders we have.
Those kids with the real heart of serving can always exercise their skills in other avenues such as the school, church and other community-based organizations. There are a lot of things that need to be done to make our society a better place, the barangay hall is only one place.
The important key in becoming a leader is to become a good servant. A good servant knows the law by heart and tries his or her very best not to bend or break it. Leadership is not about who smiles the best on the posters or who gives the most appealing speeches. At the end of the day, a young leader's willingness to serve will make the majority believe that there is hope for the political landscape in this country.