Seguerra to youth: You play crucial role in building better Philippines

CEBU, Philippines - Amid the many issues the youth is facing, National Youth Commission chairperson Aiza Seguerra urged the younger generation to stay focused since they have an important role in building a better country.          

"We can have a beautiful Philippines, a beautiful Cebu, beautiful barangays. We have to protect our ideals and don't let the world eat that passion of yours," said Seguerra, in yesterday's forum on "Empowered Youth for Social Change."         

Seguerra urged youth leaders who attended the event to play their part in helping the government achieve the change that is needed for the Philippines.

"Hindi kaya ng gobyerno lang. Dapat tulungan natin ang gobyerno. We should all help each other out. We should start caring for other people and spread out," she said.        

Ma. Evelyn Nacario-Castro, executive director of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.-Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center, the organizer of the forum, expressed the need to tap the potential of the youth in nation-building.

In her speech, Nacario-Castro said the Philippines is a relatively "youthful" country, wherein it has a median age of 23.2-year-old, which is much younger than the worldwide median age of 29.9-year-old, based on the World Fact book of the Central Intelligence Agency.

She said that based on the Philippine Statistics Authority's population projection for 2016, those 15 to 30 years old would comprise 27.6 percent of the entire country.

"This indeed is a staggering statistic of unharnessed potentials that could steer the country towards a brighter future," Castro said.

This is the reason why RAFI-EADSC, in partnership with the Central Visayas Network of NGOs and NYC, organized the forum to provide a platform where different stakeholders from government, civil society, the academe, private sector and youth groups inform, inspire and influence each other in empowering today's youth for social change.

During the forum, various youth engagement initiatives from different sectoral groups were also presented like the Federation of Youth Organizations of Barangay Basak in Lapu-Lapu City.

FYOB is a champion in youth empowerment through socio-civic consciousness, active engagement and participation in nation-building.

Other groups present include the Young Minds Academy, which aims to develop the youth to become responsible leaders and pro-active citizens, and the Club Mega which has chapters in universities and colleges around Metro Cebu. Club Mega is a youth group that plays vital role in advocating for a more livable and competitive Cebu.

During the forum, the youth leaders were also informed of the salient provisions of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the SK Reform Act of 2015.

The SK Reform Act was discussed to inform aspiring young leaders and inspire them to serve their respective communities as SK officials. (FREEMAN)