A case study on the degree of political participation of the youth of Bacoor, Cavite in the 2007 Sangguniang Kabataan elections

Abstract

According to the Article II, Section 13 of the 1987 Constitution, 'The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well- being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.' Apparently, the youth has been sometimes taken for granted when it comes to politics. The political arena has always been dominated by older men. Most positions in the government require ages over 40 years. To name a few, there are the positions of the president, vice-president, senators and even the Supreme Court Justices. And it is reasonable for such 'institutions' like them to handle the most powerful aspect of the society: politics. However, the government has recognized the need for youth political participation. After all, it should be the training ground for us to exercise our rights to suffrage. To meet this goal, the Local Government Code of 1991 provided for the election of the Sangguniang Kabataan (S.K.) in each barangay. (S.K. voters are those aged 15-18 years only.) According to the S.K. of Cavite, their mission is to "affirm its role in the formation of young leaders to become competent and compassionate professionals committed to the service of the community and of the province." They also commit themselves to the promotion of truth and pursuance of good governance in the province. Such a move to include the youth in the political arena would be very helpful to their holistic development. Indeed, the government has recognized the importance of this group of people in the society. But, it is also important for us to considerate the success of the S.K. Thus, the researcher would like to know how active the youth is in political participation, specifically, with regards to the recent 2007 Sangguniang Kabataan elections. Political participation will not be limited to mere voting during elections. The researcher would also look into its other forms: traditional and contemporary. Traditional political participation would include voting, campaign activities during elections, membership in interest organizations, and contacting. Meanwhile, the contemporary forms of political participation are political activism, illegal or violent participation, political consumerism and signature campaigns. [Introduction]