New Challenges for the Youth

Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo graced the celebration of Boholl Youth Day yesterday where she also launched Greeen Phillippines and Barkada Kontra Droga. While the complete Unity Ticket of the Administration Candidates for senators came with her, the vist was strictly a governance affair that highlighted what the youth can do to advance the development agenda of the President. The President was right in calling on the youth during her speech to play an important role in creating a new vision for the young country. After all, the youth constitute 65% of the population and therefore they have every right to help set the directions of this country that they will inherit. The President encouraged the youth to regain the lost forest when she launched Green Philippines. Forest cover tells the story of how a country and its people regard sustainable environment. She cited the man-made forest of Bilar and Loboc as the example that the youth can replicate all over the country.

She also asked the youth to participate in civic activities, to let their vioices be heard, and to determine their own fortune by using the instruments that the government has given them to become professionals and to devote their energies in creating an environment where a job abroad is a “career choice and not the only option for the hardworking Filipino.” Her wish is for the country to be in the frontline of global workforce. What the President envisioned is not far from the vison of Bohol to become a prime eco-cultural tourism destination and a strong agro-industrial province.

Eco-tourism cannot thrive in an environment that is not supportive of Green Philippines. Poverty reduction that is envisioned under the agro-industrial vision of the Province cannot succeed without job generation. With jobs made available to the people, job hunting abroad will indeed be a matter of choice already and not the only option. All these should be made clear to the youth if their participation is to be indispensable. They must be able to see the relevance of their role if they have to be enlisted in nation building. And they must realize that they have the capability to play those roles. Leaders like the senatoriables in the coming election must be able to identify their programs and convince the youth that they have a part in these programs. Otherwise their politics will remain a skim of the surface and is nothing more than showbusiness. NOTES. Pres. Arroyo announced the coming to Bohol of a 6-star hotel to be constructed by the Kingdom Holdings of the Prince of Saudi Arabia. The project will cost $150 million and will stand on the property of the Fonaciers in Panglao Island . Who would have the savy to close a deal like this but the Father of Tourism of Bohol himself, Atty. Anos Fonacier. The only thing that can derail this project is bad politics that is aplenty in Panglao.