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Sunday, February 22, 2004
So young, yet so corrupt?
By Mia E. Abellana
CEBU CITY -- Even usually idealistic youth leaders have many stories to tell about corruption.
Some Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials who attended the Voters' Values Formation seminar of the C-Cimpel on Saturday admitted buying their way into office and having witnessed older officials receiving bribes from private individuals.
An SK officer shared to participants of the seminar that he bought most of his votes to get the SK chairmanship in his barangay.
He said that there were rumors that his opponent was going to give voters money, so he did it before his opponent could make his move.
Jessie (real name withheld) regretted it. His opponent did not give money after all.
He did what his elders told him to make sure he would win.
Other SK officers could sympathize with Jessie.
Witnesses
They have seen bidders bribing barangay officials to grant them projects, and other barangay officials approaching bidders themselves to ask for a commission in exchange for granting them projects.
Others have also used government funds for personal gain.
Seeing the trend of show business personalities jumping on the political bandwagon, Louella Alix, of Cebu-Citizens Involvement and Maturation for People's Empowerment and Liberation (C-Cimpel), did not miss her chance to compare a movie with the upcoming elections.
"In every movie, there are actors. In the elections, the actors are the candidates, voters, members of the Commission on Elections, the media and others," Alix said.
Difference
She said an interesting scene for the movie would show politicians trading barbs, making promises and distributing campaign materials.
The plot thickens with the mudslinging, cheating and, sometimes, killing.
Despite the corruption of the leaders of a supposedly non-partisan youth federation, Alix was glad to know that there were those who fought corruption by not participating and putting an end to it.
Another SK chairperson said that during the national SK Federation elections, she was saddened that the officers were already picked even before the elections took place.
However, she and a few others voted for their original choice even if they knew that their bets would not win.
Alix defined corruption as the use of public or private goods and power for personal gain.
With the revelations of the young leaders, Alix reminded them that even just one person who does not take part in corruption can make a difference.Sun.Star Cebu
(February 22, 2004 issue)
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