The Challenge of Reform Part I

Let's Start the Revolution of the Filipino Youth X

As the 14th Congress starts its session on July 23, I hope that they will seriously begin as well our country's real first step towards a national program of reforms. We badly need reform in many aspects of the government be it in the executive, legislative or judicial branches. Reforms in the conduct of elections are where primary efforts should lie judging from the conduct of the COMELEC during the May 14, 2007 elections, alot can be done to ensure a better, more orderly and a truly peaceful and credible election in 2010.

This is of vital interest to the country because the candidates we elect into office are the real leaders of the country and not those who win by cheating or using violence or both. Without drastic changes in the Commission on Elections, the country maybe brought to its knees in 2010.

Secondly, the government should begin a real anti-corruption campaign. A program wherein every institution involved in the investigation, prosecution, and conviction of every corrupt and scrupulous official is reformed. These are the Commission on Audit, the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice, the Sandiganbayan, the Ombudsman, the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), the Bureau of Immigration & Deportation, the regional and municipal trial courts, the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Internal Revenue - to name a few. Every agency which is tasked to eliminate criminal activities must be strengthened. And only honest and competent officials or personalities should head these agencies.

Thirdly, which I believe is the most challenging of all, involves the reform of each individual, each Filipino individual, each Filipino family in the country. Reforming the country needs to start from within. Each Filipino who desires change needs to realize first that he/she is part of the solution. Whether you are in power or not, whether you are wealthy or not, whether you are old or not, each one of us shold become responsible citizens in our own ways.