- PENN T. LARENA
On June 12, the nation will celebrate the 123rd anniversary of the proclamation of the Philippine Independence from the Spanish rule.
This is my message to our youth of today’s generation.The young today are the ones who will and should make our country a better place to be. Like what Jose Rizal said in his novel, El Filibusterismo, “where are the young people to consecrate their golden hour, their illusion, and their enthusiasm for the welfare of their native land?”
Many years have passed since these words were written, and yet the challenge for us, the youth, is as relevant as ever. As my youth explored who we were and who we were meant to be, the role of nation-building is firmly in our hands.
Mentors from previous generations have done their part in shaping the country and developing us, the youth, to be the next agents of change.
But from what I’ve observed these days, most young people like me no longer embrace the value of education; nothing else was done as we are busy with our cell phones, ML here, ML there. Where are the youth today? Who will give everyone hope?
They need the right nurture and guidance so that they can learn at the right age, so the youth should be entertained despite the difficulties they are facing now. We young people today should not be left out because what we need is in this world. We should keep going, bring our different capabilities because we are the hope of this life, we young people are the hope of all. We are the future of this country because, in the most literal sense, we will be the ones who will lead this country. We are the future of this country and our actions today will shape the life of tomorrow.
We live in a time when our social impact is being accelerated by the abundance of resources. In the age of new media and the advancement of technologies, we can create more, reach more people and take quick action. We need to use this for a good purpose.
Once we accept that we have limitations, it will be easier to move into the future, with our understanding that, to serve the country, it is only right to create good intentions. Let us accept that progress takes time, but once we know the process, it is easier to reach a bright future. There are times that we can create actions because of our uncontrollable emotions and thus, affect our actions. But as one of the youth, we must not forget that our country needs us to encompass our talents and skills.
The youth has an important role to play in our society. For that, we need to know why young people are so special because they are still young, full of energy, and educated with reason. Young people are protectors, young people are expected to be protected by their culture and tradition, while at the same time they are shaped for the better by social changes.
For example, the youth have become a part of the political movement for major changes in a country. They become part of the armed forces to protect the freedom of the people. Our youth now is part of the Order of the Knights of Rizal to promote patriotism, while our student nurses are Red Cross volunteers.
The world demands the virtues of youth: not the time of life but a state of mind, a quality imagination, and a great deal of courage. – NWI
