Get involved in preventing corruption
OMBUDSMAN TO STUDENTS
GET involved.
This was the appeal made by Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang when he keynoted in last Friday’s 1st Campus Integrity Crusaders’ (CIC) Congress at the Dagupan People’s Astrodome attended by some 700 students from Pangasinan.
He called on students to imagine this: “What if a bully becomes a policeman? What if a student who keeps on cutting classes becomes your congressman? What if a student who cheats on his allowances becomes a tax collector?”
“If we fail to make the proper intervention as teachers, as parents, as school officials, as classmates, or as friends — if we refuse to care, we might be helping students become potential dangers to society and potential case respondents in the Office of the Ombudsman. Kaya’t hanggang maaga pa, makialam ,” Carandang told his audience.
The Office of the Ombudsman will also hold a CIC Congress in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Carandang said project’s objective is for “CICs from different parts of the country to be united by one vision – to promote a culture of integrity by making each student a person of integrity,”.
A CIC refers to any non-partisan school-based youth organization recognized by a secondary or tertiary educational institution and duly accredited by the Office of the Ombudsman.
There were 142 school organizations in Pangasinan Divisions 1 and 2 that rose to the challenge and were accredited as CIC for this school year.
In Metro Manila, the Ombudsman accredited 114 CICs; in the Visayas, 52; and in Mindanao, 37.
Carandang underscored that to be “a person of integrity”, a student must take to heart and be guided by the values of honesty, respect for law, love of country, and responsibility – the same values espoused by the CIC program.
“Basically, we want to train students to become good leaders. It’s going to be a venue for some activities that could hone their leadership skills,” explained Carandang in a talk to newsmen.
He added that members of CICs will be later put on a leadership training program.
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
