Leadership is not just driven by influence or advocacy, but by what actually happens after the clout fades and the plans are put into motion. In our system, however, it does not reflect that way. Instead, it is reflected in how the unhealthy influences and flawed practices present in central government often imprint themselves even on small-scale organizations such as student governments, school advocacy groups, and youth organizations.
Disorganization is slowly becoming a “normalized system.” Transparency International emphasizes that corruption and weak accountability systems deeply affect the youth and institutional trust. If we look closely, newly established organizations now have informal leadership roles, mistakes are often excused under the reasoning that participants are merely students, leading to chaotic meetings and poorly structured planning. It is in these moments where ignorance and disorder start to feel acceptable when it is scaled down. Scaled down to the point where the starting point of where these moments should be developed—but the complete opposite is now deemed “normal.”
People say that the youth learn from earlier generations. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) suggests that the youth often shape their understanding of governance through the institutions and systems they participate in daily. In this case, youth organizations learn from unstable Constitution representations. Instead of learning from our government’s mistakes, those bad habits are slowly becoming inevitably normalized. If the youth continues to mirror that behavior, the youth will not even do a change for our future at all.
Beyond the disorganization, affiliations and titles become a status symbol rather than a symbol of vocation. As a result, people join many organizations at once but cannot handle the responsibility they are obligated to carry. It is especially evident in school learner governments and youth led organizations . Most officers win out of popularity and less of advocacy. The ending is not a productive school government, but a popularity contest where no one wins—in the school or the popularity contest.
Our state’s government reflects all the same disorganization and goals that do not benefit the state in the way we expect. The situation in youth organizations and school governments almost perfectly mirror that of local government. Where campaign jingles reign over accountability, unfulfilled promises written on a counselor’s tarpaulin, and the face of the mayor are printed on every subsidy.
But guess what, local governments reflect from a higher level. National politics reward influence over competence and publicity over accountability, local institutions eventually begin to adapt to the same standards. It is hard to identify what good service is if we are fatigued by the same systems. The same systems reflected in every level of governance.
Now back to where it should all begin—youth organizations. Being poisoned by the system that is rigged should not be reflected to the youth. The youth who is supposed to build our future. As our guy Dr. Jose P. Rizal said, “Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.” And that is the reality we should build. A reality where we break the line-of-sight reflecting the system towards the kinabukasan our hero expected.
Written by AGOS
AGOS is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
