The Government We Want: The Youth Agenda for Governance

Through the years, the Filipino youth has emerged as a powerful force in shaping the nation. We have witnessed them forward their agenda on various socio-political matters, whether out in the streets or within their own circles. Constituting 30% of the Philippine population, their civic participation is fundamental in realizing the values of democracy and good governance.

Even with this power, however, the youth today — the 40-year-olds and below —  struggle to claim their space and fulfill their civic potential. Against the backdrop of democratic backslides and shrinking civic spaces, they are challenged by a growing disillusionment on politics and governance, which they attribute to political polarization, weak rule of law, weak political ideologies and parties, and the persistence of the experience of simply being ‘warm bodies’ in political mobilizations. This comes at a critical crossroads when the youth and its segments can potentially shift narratives and innovate on solutions in pursuit of development and democracy.

With the advent of the internet,  the youth has made creative use of social media to amplify their voices. Such tool, however, can be detrimental more than helpful, as the virtual engagement space has reflected more negative and reactive standpoints, than help put together a constructive, solutions-seeking agenda.

With these challenges, what are needed are innovative ways and leaders to come up with a co-created youth agenda on governance: a youth agenda that will be generated by breaking the barriers of political colors and demographics for meaningful discussions, design thinking, and storytelling and; a youth agenda that will broadly raise awareness and engagement to forward an improved and more responsive government.

The Youth Agenda is generated as a collection of stories and innovations crafted by the INNOVATEGov Youth Network that responds to the 2030 Global Goals and the broad movement for good governance and democracy. This is the Youth Network’s initial effort to promote a positive space among the youth to talk and fulfill their civic potential. The ideas and solutions being forwarded by the Agenda are not mere demands from the government but concrete action points that can be initiated by the sector itself. This also stands as a call for allies and support from the private sector, the government, civil society, and other stakeholders to altogether work on the Global Goals and beyond.