My Advocacy: Engaged Citizenship

                                            

                                                       What is Engaged Citizenship?

There are many different definitions of engaged citizenship, but in general, it refers to a type of citizenship where individuals are actively involved in their community and participate in its governance. Engaged citizens are knowledgeable about their community, and they are actively involved in making decisions that affect it. Engaged citizenship is an ideal that people should be actively involved in their local community, and that they should have a voice in how it is run. It is important for citizens to be engaged in their community, because it helps them to understand and participate in the decisions that are made about their own lives. It also helps to build community ties and to create a sense of identity and belonging.  

As Filipinos, we are guaranteed fundamental rights by the 1987 Constitution. No matter who the leader is, we have an obligation to uphold these rights. We take these responsibilities seriously in our everyday lives as engaged citizens. Knowing our rights and fulfilling our responsibilities is essential to ensuring that we fully exercise our rights and uphold the Constitution's principles. To be able to fully exercise our rights under the Constitution, we first need to know what they are. Once we know what our rights are, we take on the responsibility to live out these rights and uphold the Constitution's principles. Each of our rights under the Constitution has a corresponding responsibility. For example, our right to free speech has a responsibility to speak truthfully and responsibly. Our right to free assembly has a responsibility to peacefully assemble and not engage in unlawful behaviour.

Why is engaged citizenship important?

Engaged citizenship is an important concept because it means that citizens are engaged in their communities and are aware of their rights and responsibilities. This engagement makes citizens more aware of the issues facing their communities and how they can help to solve those issues. Additionally, engaged citizens are more likely to participate in civic life and to vote, which can help to improve the quality of government and the overall quality of life in their communities.

References:

W. (n.d.). Primer for Engaged Citizenship. Martial Law Museum. https://martiallawmuseum.ph/magaral/primer-for-engaged-citizenship/

L. (2022, August 2). 1987 Constitution of the Philippines (Full Text and PDF). Law Booklet. https://lawbooklet.com/1987-constitution-philippines-pdf/

R. (2020, June 30). Download Group of people holding question mark icons for free. Vecteezy. https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/1218825-group-of-people-holding-question-mark-icons

Washington State University - Tri-Cities. (n.d.). engaged citizenship Archives - WSU Tri-Cities. https://tricities.wsu.edu/tag/engaged-citizenship/