Filipino youth are now aware of political societal issues lawyer

By: Gail T. Momblan

THE Filipino youth had grown more aware of the country’s political and societal issues, according to lawyer Chel Diokno, chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG).

According to Diokno, the consciousness of the youth was molded by educational institutions and their exposure to the Internet.

Amidst the proliferation of fake news in social media, Diokno said that the youth have the discernment on the information they take in.

“Palagay ko ay may discernment sila alam nila yung sino ang nagsasabi ng katotohanan at kung sino yung nagdadala lang ng fake news,” he said in an interview on Jan 8, 2019.

Diokno is confident that the youth will rationally pick candidates in the midterm polls.

According to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), voters coming from the young demographic will dominate the 2019 midterm polls.

Almost 20 million registered voters in the country fall under the 18-to-35-year-old range, it said.

“Malaki ang tiwala ko sa mga botante ngayon lalung-lalo na ang kabataan, hinahanap nila eh ibang klaseng kandidato palagay ko eh sawang-sawa na sila doon sa pare-parehong mga kandidato, plataporma at mga dinadalang issue,” he said.

Diokno had served as a human rights lawyer for 30 years. He will run for senator under the opposition slate in the May 2019 polls.