EDITORIAL: Not Partisan, But Never Apolitical

In every age, there comes a time when silence becomes complicity.
For JCI Manila, that time is not now and never will be.

We are guided by a creed that does not bend to convenience.
We believe “that government should be of laws and not of men.”
We believe “that earth’s great treasure lies in human personality.”
And we believe “that service to humanity is the best work of life.”

These are not ceremonial words but a call to conscience.
They remind us that leadership is not about allegiance to power, but allegiance to principle.

Non-Partisan, Yet Never Apolitical

According to JCI World’s Policy on Non-Partisanship:

“Junior Chamber International shall refrain from endorsing or supporting any political party or candidate. However, JCI recognizes the civic duty of its members to actively participate in the political life of their communities, in accordance with the principles of democracy, freedom, and human rights.”

This principle defines us.
To be non-partisan is to avoid political bias;
to be apolitical is to avoid responsibility, and that is not our calling.

JCI Manila is political in essence, because we believe in active citizenship, in shaping not just our communities, but the policies, institutions, and values that govern them.

We are political when we educate voters through Juan Sa Halalan, advancing civic responsibility and youth empowerment.
We are political when we champion peace through the Ignacio B. Gimenez Outstanding Police Service Awards, recognizing police officers who uphold justice and integrity.
We are political when we signed our Statement of Support for the Bitcoin Transparency Bill, advocating for blockchain use in government records, a forward-thinking move for transparency and accountability.

We do not run for office ourselves, but we influence the conversation.
We do not push party lines, but we push for integrity, accountability, and human dignity.

These actions are not partisan.
They are civic.
They are the very embodiment of our Creed in motion.

Other Examples from the Universal JCI Movement

To show that this is not just theory, here are a few other instances from JCI chapters that illustrate how Jaycees have assumed political roles (in the civic sense) or intervened in public policy, governance, or social justice:

• In Basilan, the Basilan Jaycees have historically engaged in local political life beyond community service. In the period leading up to the 1986 Snap Elections, Basilan Jaycees, under leaders like JCI Sen. Kieck Seng Tan and JCI Sen. Fernando Cariaga, organized an Operation Quick Count in coordination with NAMFREL (National Movement for Free Elections). That effort sought transparency and citizen oversight in the vote count in a region where peace and order were fragile. (Wikipedia)
• Also in Basilan, its Jaycee chapter helped launch political action committees such as the Concerned Citizens’ Aggrupation (CCA), which brought citizens together to protest against abuses of the Marcos regime. (Wikipedia)
  These are direct interventions in the political life of the community, not in support of a candidate, but in defense of democratic integrity.
• In post-war Asia, JCI’s “Operation Brotherhood” (1954) was a multinational campaign in which Jaycees provided humanitarian aid, rebuilt communities, and advanced a vision of reconciliation and democratic values in war-torn regions. While ostensibly humanitarian, it carried political weight in advancing ideas of governance, human rights, and international cooperation in a Cold War context. (JCI New Zealand)
• In the United States, the U.S. Jaycees (JCI USA) have long participated in civic action and policy advocacy. For example, local chapters historically lobbied for legislation mandating accessibility for persons with disabilities (public buildings, facilities) and stronger anti-discrimination policies in their states. (JCI New Zealand)

These are not isolated or fringe projects. They reflect a pattern: Jaycees see their role as bridging the gap between civil society and governance. They challenge unjust systems, demand transparency, advocate for marginalized groups, and stimulate public discourse.

Condemning Corruption and Injustice

The Filipino people deserve leaders who serve, not rule; who uplift, not exploit.
Corruption is not merely a political issue. It is a moral one.
Injustice against the poor and powerless is not merely social. It is structural.

To condemn these wrongs is not partisanship.
It is patriotism.
It is our responsibility as citizens and as Jaycees.

We will not be silent when the law is used to shield the corrupt.
We will not be neutral when public trust is betrayed.
We will not be indifferent when the poor are ignored.

Silence protects the oppressor.
Action protects the people.

A Call to Engage and Lead, Not Just to Feel

The JCI Mission calls us “to provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change.” That empowerment includes civic engagement, critical thought, and moral courage.

To every Jaycee:
Be political, not partisan.
Be engaged, not neutral.
Be courageous, not complacent.

Today, many members feel deep frustration and heartbreak over the rampant corruption eroding our nation’s soul.
They are dismayed that JCI Manila has yet to make a public stand, or to join the people’s call for accountability in the Trillion-Peso March.

Some members feel strongly but as individuals, they cannot represent JCI Manila without the guidance of leadership.
Our principles must be expressed not through isolated voices, but through unified, official conviction.
We cannot allow our silence to be mistaken for indifference.

Hence, it is time for our leaders to lead.
It is time for them to be the true light, to guide the organization in the moral storms of our time.

Let this editorial, and this moment, be a challenge:
Let us fly the JCI Manila flag in Luneta.
Not as partisans,
but as Filipinos who still believe that service to humanity begins with standing for the truth.

For when we live our Creed, we prove that service to humanity is not silence. It is action.
Not fear but faith in what is right.

And when we do, we remind this nation that JCI Manila is, and will always be,
non-partisan but never apolitical.

Editorial Board, The Asian Pearl

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