Youth Wants a God-fearing President for the Next Six Years--Survey

MANILA, February 10, 2010-With the onset of the official campaign season, Catholic Filipino youths are one in saying that they want a God-fearing President to be elected come May 10.

In a podcast interview during the January 16 launching of YouthPinoy at UST, a number of Catholic youth leaders expressed their views on what qualities the next President should have in order to govern morally and effectively.

According to Paula Cheng of the Filipino-Chinese Catholic Youth (FCCY), if the President or any person is God-fearing, that person would not do anything that is against the will of God.

"I believe that the next president should be God-fearing because everything else follows. He should be God-fearing because if you fear someone supreme than you then you would be terrified to contradict the will of that Supreme Being," she said.

Like Cheng, Jo-I Villas from the Youth for Family and Life (YFL) also said that the next President should have strong belief in God.

Other young people, whose schools, parishes and organizations are involved with the YouthPinoy group, also said they would vote for a presidential candidate who would not support the controversial Reproductive Health Bill.

"At least 75 percent of the country is Catholic and so as a firm believer of the Catholic faith, we should follow the Church teaching taking into consideration not to vote candidates that are in favor of the bill for 'it destroys one of our intrinsic Catholic beliefs that we should not kill,'" said Cheng in agreement with Carla Cucueco from the Institucion Teresiana.

Aside from being Christ-centered and imbibing pro-life lifestyle, other young Catholics said they wanted an open-minded, principled and credible president.

Juno Figueroa from the Dominican Network said the next President should be "open minded to be able to adapt everything and will focus on change because that is what our country."

For her part, Sabrina Santos of the Student Catholic Action said that as a leader, the successor of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo should have "credibility, commitment to the people, and a life that is Christ-centered."

"He/She should stick to his principles and morale because, nowadays, lahat nadadaan lang sa pera eh kay mahirap patakbuhin yung bansa natin. Pero kung magkakaroon tayo ng president na ginagawa kung ano yung tinuro sa kanya ng magulang niya at kung ano ang tinuro sa kanya ng Panginoon, edi uunlad ang Pilipinas," said Cucueco.

Meanwhile, Bro. Jomar Valdevieso of the UST Central Seminary said he "expects that the next president to be honest and true to his promises."

In summation of the youth's opinion on what values and qualities the next President should have, YouthPinoy recognizes the fact that the young population are embarking on one of the greatest qualifications the nation should not take for granted when they fill up their ballot come election day-our values.

Despite the fact that anyone who has passed the qualifications of the Commission on Election may run their desired position, the youth is reminding the general voting public that a good leader should be a good servant-someone who will set aside their desire for power, riches and fame in the name of God and country. (Kate Laceda / YouthPinoy)