barbiegotbrains

mood: distressed

I have lived for 19 years under a sheltered family, watching American TV series, or in a private school, busy with school stuffs and childish dilemmas. Before, I never really cared for anything other than my school works, fashion, make up and holidays. My life practically revolved around my selfish interests. Until recently, I realized that there is a bigger world out there waiting for me after graduation. A world different from what I am used to, a world full of social realities that I am not prepared to encounter anytime soon. Months from now I will be receiving my college diploma and will be entering another chapter of my life and I am scared of what’s waiting for me out there. I think that school cannot teach students everything, education is both thought and self discovered. The education that schools give students are just grounding facts that can be use to different situations but students must also immerse themselves to different situations outside school premises to see what is going on in the real world. The experience of discovery will help students like me to know how to response to different problems concerning a broader interests. Right now I am already completing my school education but I failed to discover what’s happening around me. It’s sad to recognize how ignorant I am or in better words it is frustrating to realize how I made myself ignorant.

The other day as I read our school paper I was inspired by the article of a friend. According to her article few months ago she’s just like me but recently she was thrown into different situations which inspired her to be active in movements for different advocacies. I envy how passionate she is and moreover I envy how she tried to change herself. Each day that I spent with her, hearing her opinions and conversing with her I am inspired to care for issues concerning other people and myself. I always wonder how she mange to change herself and maintain her personality, maybe it is all a matter of choice. All of us, especially young people like me have the choice whether to act or ignore, whether to join or not, to care or not to care. Most young people today are self interested they lack the urge to use their power for social change. They are contented going to school, partying, watching TV or surfing the net. I believe that every once in a while they also think of all the issues. The problem is that they think they cannot do anything about it or they should not care because they are not directly affected by the issues. I should know because that is exactly what I thought before. The youth of today are so blinded with all the glamour and pleasures of the modern world and they disregard the fact that each and every individual has a role to play in this society. It is important to realize that change starts with the individual. If a person wants change then he/she should start with his/herself from there collaborate with the others and together create a difference. Social change is not a one man thing it is a collaboration of all the people from all ages and from all walks of life.  I am so fortunate to given the chance to make a change (thanks to my friend) and I am starting with this blog that will hopefully inspire young people out there.

Everyday I ride a bus going to school and everyday I pass through a number of street children begging, selling candy and cigarettes wearing dirty clothes and sometimes with no slippers on. Whenever I see them I always wonder what are they thinking, are they aware of what’s going on with our country? Do they think about their futures? How can they manage to live like that? Then I start to think that maybe they know exactly what’s going on more than anyone else in the government or any agencies.  They know what the problem is, because they experience the problem, they are the product of all the problems. Even if they lack school education there are things in life that they do know that common people do not know. They know the value of life, they know how to appreciate a cent, they know how to treasure a piece of bread, in these sense they are indeed more knowledgeable than other ungrateful people out there. I believe if given the opportunity to live a better life, those young people in the streets will be good citizens who will dedicate their lives for social change.

There are so many issues in our country. Corruption, human rights violation, unemployment, undying poverty, capitalism and the list goes on and on. With all these issues, we the youths are all affected. As future employees we will be paying are taxes to the government, corruption takes are taxes into the pockets of dishonest officials. We are all subject to human rights violation because of the elite favorable justice system in our country. Graduating from college does not assure us of a job, it could include us to the millions of unemployed citizens. Poverty has been one of the oldest problems of our country and the poor are getting poorer. The fine line between the poor and middle class people is now hard to determine who knows today we are in the middle class tomorrow we can be considered as poor. Poverty will plague the whole country due to capitalism and unemployment. These are few of the problems that may affect the young people today and in the future. There are other problems that will affect us if we don’t care now such as environmental problems. These issues are calling the youth’s attention yet we tried to keep our eyes shut and hear nothing. We see beggars everyday and disregard them. We hear news everyday and forget about it the next day. We witness injustices everywhere and we take no action.

Next year is the big year, the year that can make or break our country. 2010 is the year where we elect new government officials, the year where we choose who will lead our country for the next 6 years. This is also the year where the young breed of the society can make the move to change our ill nation. 60 percent of the voters’ population next year will be young people. This is probably the largest number of youth voters here in the country. If this 60% will all vote wisely then the next 6 years of our lives will be better. If we vote the right people at least we can all move forward, improve our lives and build a better world for the coming generations and for all the young people who are working and struggling everyday instead of going to school or enjoying their youth. I hope that everyone especially the youths will vote not just for themselves, but also for the interests of the deprive ones, the less fortunate and for the future of our country. It is difficult to know the right person to lead our country. I think there will be no perfect person for that position. I know that most people are skeptical to vote. They think that nothing will change whoever will be the president. I think people are tired of all the false hopes and promises that politicians’ use to attract voters. So, how will we know who is the right one to vote? Right now there is no clear answer to that and in the coming months it will be more difficult to know who’s real or not, who’s genuine or who’s trustworthy? I think the only way we can vote wisely is to be keen observer, critical viewers and never be blinded by those fancy commercials!

The Philippines needs transformation, drastic change that will wash away poverty and anomalies in the country. It will not happen overnight neither by changing the constitution. As one of my professors told us, the problem is not the law the problem is the people who misuse and abuse the law. The law is created above man, its supremacy should prevail and be the guiding light for those people seeking for justice, equality, freedom and more importantly for those people who is pursuing peace and transformation. The youth must go out from their comfort zones and use their skills, knowledge and voice to fight the problems of our nation. They can if they will. It is never too late to start and discover the real world. Immersing ourselves to different issues does not mean pushing away things that we like. It is just like adding a new hobby or a new routine in our daily lives. It is not taking away our personality but instead improving who we are. It is about trying to make sense and do something meaningful for the country. It also does not mean that we need to go out join rallies and protests everyday, maybe once in a while. The important thing to do is to care and be aware.