Garcia, Lyza A.

2a6

Now that the Philippines have been one of the international hotspot for spate
of extrajudicial killings and the unabated graft & corruption of the people in the
government, I wanted my family, my friends and the rest of the Filipino people to be
keen on the issues that we are currently experiencing now and decide this coming
election whom they are going to vote.

GMA News and Public Affairs started airing an eight-part program called
Philippine Agenda, hosted by Mike Enriquez, Mel Tiangco, Jessica Soho, Arnold
Clavio and Vicky Morales, which goes beyond personalities in the May 14 elections
to tackle key issues that confront the Philippines. Every week, Philippine Agenda
tackles problems concerning education, corruption, crime and justice, housing, job
security in the Philippines and abroad, health, the environment, and hunger. GMA
News and Public Affairs’ says that, ultimately, elections would serve not the
politicians’ agenda, but the agenda of the people. Senior staff of GMA News and
Public Affairs researched the program’s episodes, gleaning facts from studies and
the insight of experts. They also documented the situation of ordinary citizens on
the ground. Viewers find teachers, doctors, government officials, policemen,
overseas contract workers whose lives have been affected by a lack of good
governance.

After watching Philippine Agenda episodes, I was really touched and guilty
upon learning the true status of our country. I have realized how lucky I am not to
experience the real poverty and hardships that my fellowmen was going through
right now. I know that there are really poor people living in our country. Some of
them have been born that way while others chose to be that way because they
were not able to give more importance to education. However, I was not much
aware that there are actually more people who live in misery than people who live
in wealth and great comfort. That’s why, honestly speaking, I am pleased with the
episodes that we have watched. This is another breakthrough. I believe that this is a
success, especially now that people have to be informed on the specific agenda of
our senatoriables and presidentiables. I’m very positive that this program would be
able to help viewers raise their level of concern and awareness on the country’s
recurring problems that, in turn, can largely help the Filipinos in making sound
choices come Election Day. I’m quite sure that those issues that have been tackled
will greatly help the voters, especially the youth and all first time voters, in choosing
the best candidate for the coming 2010 elections. It made complex issues more
comprehensible and had put significant events in context, so that voters like me will
know how this year’s elections would largely affect our lives. Moreover, this
program would really help enhance public awareness of issues with great
importance for the betterment of our country. I’m really thankful that our theology
professor let us watch this program because it had informed us on every issues
happening in our beloved country.

Philippine Agenda put into the public eye the many struggles of poor students
from far-flung provinces. Because of this, I realize how important education is for
Filipino student like me because truly, it is the only major key to success and the
only thing that cannot be stolen from me by anybody.

On the other hand, I believe that one of the causes of our present dilemma is
the lack of a holistic population management program. I don't expect for our
country to go into the extreme of legalizing abortion. Responsible parenthood, total
understanding of having a family that can be sustained in a decent living condition
is all that matters. If our population growing at 2.3-2.5 per cent per year is not
basically addressed, all the problems on education, environment, hunger and
poverty, and so many others will not be solved. Every year, we are already
importing rice unlike about over two decades ago when we have export on this
basic commodity. The pressure of growing population overtaxed all the country's
resources - land-based, water-based, physical as well as social and political
infrastructures. If you factor in corruption, and other socio-cultural factors such as
lack of discipline, gambling, the problems will be more complicated. Let us just look
on our Asian neighbors as an example - Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. What
have they done as a society that we have not? What their leaders have done and
our leaders did not? Let us all think about it. More importantly, let us all be
responsible voters because the change that we are all clamoring for and the fate of
the next generations lies in our own hands!