P1,500 for an SK vote. Anyone?

Really?
That was my initial reaction when my friend told me about the cost of a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) vote today. The cash was given two (2) weeks prior to election day and a promise of an additional cash will be given a day prior to the election has also been made by the camp of the candidate. This vote-buying scheme is a BIG slap on the face of today’s youth. A BIGGER slap is likewise intended to the residents of our town, Presentacion, where this reported vote-buying activity has transpired, worst, the involved candidate is part of an influential family who dreamed of installing his own political dynasty in this fifth class municipality.

During our time, a vote doesn’t cost a dime but it’s being paid with service, integrity and honor. Ah. That was fourteen (14) years ago and the previous two (2) SK elections must have changed the way how youth casts their votes today. The picture of this political exercise of the youth is gradually emulating the harsh color schemes of our veteran traditional politicians. It will only take a matter of few more elections before we can surely witness the genesis of SK election vote result rigging, massive SK vote-buying and SK candidate killings happening right before our very eyes.

Now I’m beginning to understand where DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo was coming from when he proposed the abolition of the Sangguniang Kabataan. According to him, there is a need to abolish the SK council since it has not proven itself to be functional and effective in delivering its services under the Local Government Code. Being a former SK Chairman myself, I posed strong objection to this initiative by the good secretary, but now that I have come to know how this fundamental youth right have been largely contaminated by culture and traditional habits, drastic measures need to be implemented to re-align the direction of the youth.

Our accidental national hero was right in saying that the youth is the hope of the fatherland not because we are next in line (in terms of leadership) but because we (the youth) are in the RIGHT and TIMELY position to create and influence change. There’s little we can do about what we have now with our current leaders, the youth, particularly the SK leaders have practically longer time in the world to be the change that the world needs to have. What we have with our current leaders are reflections of their contemporary ideologies when they were teens. Our youth today surely have something better to offer in the future.

I’m calling on the sanity of my fellow kababayan who are running and will be voting this Monday for the barangay election. If you think P1,500 to compensate for the development that we and our community urgently need, then you are equally accountable for the current state our municipality and barangay is in. You are as liable as the one you voted for. When was the last time you felt a certain degree of satisfaction on the service any elected official has given you and the community? I bet you can’t recall any. It’s not amnesia, it’s because you have been bought.

P1,500 for an SK vote. Anyone? Think again.