Good governance is expected from good leaders.

This is the core message of the Y-vote, a forum conducted on February 27 to encourage participation from the youth on the upcoming May 2013 elections.

In Region XI, around 2 million are registered voters out of the 4 million voting population. Y-vote, or the You vote, Youth vote, was conducted to enlighten the youth with the importance of exercising their right to vote.

“One in many avenues in which we can promote good governance is the upcoming midterm elections,” University Community Engagement Advocacy Council (UCEAC) chair, Atty. Romeo Cabarde said in his opening remarks.

The youth sector, according to Atty. Cabarde, is one of the most powerful sectors because they comprise 54% of the total voting population.

“Nothing replaces the heart of a volunteer,” he said as he explained that being good is a challenge that calls for the attention of the youth today.

Guest speaker Janaree Disomimba, former Lanao del Sur mayor, also emphasized how choosing good leaders result to good governance.

“If you really want change, it should start from you. Reflect on your candidates,” Disombiba said.

She gave a brief account of her experiences as a teenager, and how those experiences helped her become more aware of the issues that plague the country. She said one way of becoming an informed individual is to attend forums, such as the Y-vote. In this way, she said, the youth can get the chance to personally get to know the candidates and their advocacies.

“Usisain niyo ang mga issues sa paligid niyo,” she added.

She ended her talk by stating that the responsibility of the youth does not end in voting.

“Youth initiates change,” she concluded.

Bahaghari, a social political club, initiated the educational forum together with its partner organization, Kaya Natin!.

Wendell Balderas, an alumnus of Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU), together with Nash Cordero, enlightened the audience with the purpose of the movement. According to them, Kaya Natin aims “to espouse good governance and ethical leadership through responsible citizenship, political education, and support for good leaders”.

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilian, also one of the guest speakers, was not able to attend the forum because of a family concern he has to attend to.