What are the Economic Issues that Matter to Young Voters?
A survey was circulated among Enderun students that asked them to rank certain economic issues we Filipinos face in today’s world. The following struggles are poverty, climate change, COVID-19, gender inequality (LGBTQ+), feminism, social media feuds, governmental flaws, inflation, and employment/unemployment. All these problems must be brought to the spotlight regardless of their rank. Nonetheless, knowing what the youth aims to prioritize can lend us a deeper insight into the needs the generation aches for today. Respondents were tasked with ranking these issues according to their personal opinions of importance and urgency. Through this exercise, the collective priorities of the Enderun student body become clear.
The ranking was based on the context of our current social, economical, and environmental climates.
Among the different issues, the Titan community placed priority on what can be considered to be the most immediate concerns of the country, specifically the recovery from the pandemic, climate change, and unemployment, while feminism was ranked the lowest. Those that remain are generally ideological. Ultimately, these points will be somewhat addressed when tackling the aforementioned concerns– like a domino effect. For example, the road to recovering from COVID-19 will affect the status of employment and unemployment. Some factors are rated within the same rank (refer to numbers 2,3,6, and 8) because I wanted to include each individual’s personal opinion on what struggles are most urgent for them even if they are different from another. It provides clearer insight for us. Traffic management is also significant especially because we are slowly moving on to face-to-face classes. Raising this case will urge MMDA and other public officials to take more responsibility in implementing rules and regulations to make our roads not only safer but readily accessible to cater to thousands of commuters.
Studying this would be beneficial for us, as it informs many to realign their priorities in what should be fought for today. More importantly, knowing these people’s needs, helps others gain a wider perspective of who to vote for in the 2022 elections. As mentioned, climate change and poverty are the problems that must be prioritized because this has been ignored for numerous years. That said, we must vote for someone that shows determination in fixing these issues as well as provides a plan on how to do so. No longer should some be loyally blinded or close-minded as voting requires one to view the big picture– regardless of how overwhelming it may be. That said, thoroughly studying every candidate and holding them accountable will immensely help people to realize how significant it is to take elections seriously. In fact, it will form a government that will either be for the betterment or further detriment of our country. We must choose wisely, take action, and educate ourselves and each other.
