“Knowledgeable” and with a “critical understanding of state affairs” in different sectors are two important traits that define Filipino millennials’ ideal leader.
At the recently concluded “Millennial Talk Series: Who is your leader” forum hosted by Far Eastern University Public Policy Center, 40 student leaders shared their thoughts on the qualities that they wanted to see in a Filipino leader.
Fifty percent of the participants, who hail from five different universities, said they want a leader who is intelligent, dedicated and responsible. The students explained that knowledge and understanding of the Constitution are essential requirements – taking into account that there are many ways to define intelligence such as educational background and experience.
It is also important for the student participants that reforms and laws are applied equally to all sectors of society nationwide.
On the other hand, the forum participants want the next leader to address issues concerning education. Majority said that reforming the country’s educational system and making it more accessible will help make people become better informed and empower them to make better decisions in the future.
Other issues that concerned the students are environmental sustainability, poverty alleviation, affordable health services, cultural conservation and climate resilience.
Moderator of the discussion and dean of FEU Institute of Law Atty. Melencio Sta. Maria delved into other topics such as their reasons for voting and their sources of information when getting to know the presidential candidates.
Majority of the participants said that the act of voting is an expression of their right and their contribution to the country as Filipino citizens. They added that they would like to be part of history and influence change in the government.
Being citizens of the Internet, millennials revealed that they obtain initial information about the candidates from social media. They clarified, however, that they verify these information through researching, cross checking with other forms of media and by consulting with a trusted advisor or mentor.
Data from the Commission of Elections show that millennials or those 17 to 34 years old comprise nearly half, or 24.73 million, of the 54.36 million registered voters for the 2016 general election on May 9.
Recognizing this, the FEU-PPC is encouraging students to participate in discussions on national issues.
“By providing avenues for discussion, such as the Millennial Talk Series, we hope to have a deeper understanding of the issues that matter most to their generation and their basis of choosing their next leader,” explained FEU president Dr. Michael Alba.
Dr. Alba added, “This activity is part of FEU’s civic engagement initiative, preparing our students to be upstanding members of the community and especially of a democratic society.”
The schools that participated in the forum were Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Jose Rizal University, Philippine Women’s University, University of Santo Tomas and Far Eastern University.