By: Sofia Margarette D. Mijares
What can I really do to improve the quality of life in this country? This topic will be talked about from different perspectives, as a youth, as a student, and as a social media advocate.
As a youth who is a first-time voter in the May 2022 National Elections, one way for me to contribute to the betterment of the nation is to vote for someone who truly believes in the values of transparency and accountability. Someone with concrete and doable plans must be placed at the helm of Philippine governance. The next Philippine president must not be someone who only gives false hopes to the country.
As a student in a Catholic institution, it is my responsibility to open more spaces for improvements and nurturing of potentials that are directed toward nation building. I also believe in my responsibility to educate myself as among the future leaders in this country and when I exercise my right to vote, it is part of this educative process.
With the spread of fake news on social media platforms, I consider it my duty to combat disinformation. Personally, I practice fact-checking and research, which many social media users do not do. I advocate for patronizing only reliable online sources.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s conviction still rings true that: we have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon. In this same spirit, the Filipino hope lies on the 56.2 percent of youth voters— the determiners of the result of the 2022 presidential elections.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Sofia is also a St. Thomas of Villanueva Loyalty Awardee together with her three siblings who graduated from CST-R and their parents. She plans to become a social science teacher after earning her degree from a state university. This essay was sent to the A.Y. Foundation National Discipline Awards Committee.
