Keep the youth councils

Congress recently postponed the election of the Sangguniang Kabataan or youth councils to next year but there has been a clamor to abolish these councils for not serving their purpose.

It has also been observed that elected youth leaders start early in learning dirty tricks in politics instead of lessons on good governance.

Nevertheless, I am against the abolition of the SK. Instead, I favor the institution of some reforms. The SK remains important in training our youth for civic efficiency and public service.

Dirty politics is learned by SK leaders from the bad politicians in their community. The politicians even encourage youth candidates in illegal campaign and election practices.

I am in favor of increasing the age of SK leaders from 15 years old to 18 years old so that they will at least be mature enough to perform governmental responsibilities. Let us be responsible in helping mold our youth.

Let us not give up on our youth. They are still the hope of our country. Let us help build a better future for them.

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Recently, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, one of the lawmakers indicted by the Department of Justice for plunder delivered a privilege speech intended to be a bombshell which turned out to be a dud.

Estrada merely accused the Commission on Audit of singling him out and some lawmakers of abusing their Priority Development Assistance Funds.

But in a way I welcome the exposé of Jinggoy although those whom he accused came out with their defenses. It was revealed that the senators received additional funding of P50 million each after the conviction of Renato Corona. This was confirmed by some senators and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad.

According to reports it was only then senator Panfilo Lacson who did not receive the additional funding from Malacañang. But Estrada’s speech was a disappointment as it failed to answer the accusations against him by the Department of Justice and the whistle-blowers led by Benhur Luy. I think that was what everybody waited for but Jinggoy chose to ignore the accusations against him and went into an offensive.

Jinggoy should answer squarely the accusations leveled against him as these are serious. The people are saying, what can you expect from an Estrada, “like father, like son.”

Now that Estrada has ascribed wrongdoings to some lawmakers, I think he should also lead the way in filing cases against them if the evidence warrants.

Today, considering the latest development about the abuses and misuse of the pork barrel I am in favor of abolishing this system of lump sum appropriations. This has wasted so much the hard-earned money of the people and it becomes more scandalous when the lawmakers are so awash with wealth coming from the citizenry’s taxes after misdirecting the pork barrel to their pockets while most Filipinos live in dire straits.

It is the right of the owner of the money, the people, to decide where it should go and the president should respect what the people want.

The Office of the President should not and must not be exempted from the abolition of the controversial pork barrel despite the justification given by the office.

The President has about a trillion pesos of pork barrel fund allocation. I suggest that he give it up and re-channel it to the local chief executives who are primarily responsible for the delivery of basic services to the people.

Who is in a better position to determine what the country needs but the officials closest to the people?

I believe the people should be more aggressive in its campaign for the abolition of the entire pork barrel system. This would be a great way to put an end to corruption in government.