By: Xian Calagui
Published: February 1, 2022
Activism is not a walk in the park, nor a cup of tea on a Sunday morning. Activism is a constant war between one’s principles and the status quo. “The basic premise of the democratic sort of regime is freedom.” Two centuries later, the wit and words of Aristotle live on in the youth of today’s modern era.
As the election season gets underway, Halalan 2022, or the 2022 Philippine Presidential Elections, has already proven to be one of the most controversial. With political discourse and arguments resurfacing through
various social media platforms, it is no wonder that the youth of today’s era can certainly take a stand for their democratic freedom.
The youth has ventured out towards a firm stance for their political ideals; from urging fellows to open their eyes to hidden realities to forming organizations persistent to staying focused in combating the dilemma of our nation today, as well as red-tagging and state-sanctioned tyranny among many others.
The Duterte administration has been chastised for its tough stance on discipline as well as its inability to follow through on key campaign promises. Over 30,000 lawyers, activists, and suspected drug users have been killed in the country's drug war since his inauguration in 2016, a figure compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, the drug traffic in the Philippines has not decreased significantly.
IMPACTFUL QUOTES:
Activism has then served as the lifeblood of the youth’s existence — the blood that runs through the veins and core of our very being.
One of the issues youth activists face is the generation difference. Due to differences in culture, ideas, and experiences, the contrasting viewpoints of younger and older generations can sometimes cause animosity
“Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.”, we live by Dr. Jose Rizal’s quote
There was no single, defining moment for them that prompted defiance to the current regime; instead, it was the continual injustice meted out to the Filipino people. Activism has then served as the lifeblood of the youth’s existence — the blood that runs through the veins and core of our very being.
However, activism is not a walk in the park, nor a cup of tea on a Sunday morning. Activism is a constant war between one’s principles and the status quo. With cases of red-tagging and fabricated lawsuits, the youth is at the whims of unmerciful people that ironically still continue to govern a democratic nation. The youth continues to champion a strong united front albeit the threats and adversities they face.
Furthermore, one of the issues youth activists face is the generation difference. Due to differences in culture, ideas, and experiences, the contrasting viewpoints of younger and older generations can sometimes cause animosity, driving one to detest the other and vice versa. The disparities between the two generations must be discarded. Therefore, instead of resenting one another, the two parties must strive for effective and efficient reforms.
"Enough is enough," the youth exclaims day after day as they look out over the riotous expanse of a government that fails to control. Democratic freedoms and the right to resist oppression must not be sheltered to oblivion.
To this extent, the youth encourages everyone to get more involved in the political spheres in which they partake, because democracy is both a birthright and a commitment that relies on the contributions of the citizenry. Those who cry the loudest in times of crisis, we exclaim, are simply trying to be heard.
“Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.”, we live by Dr. Jose Rizal’s quote as we, the youth, continue to amplify our voice of impact. Together we go further and onwards with persistence.