Youth in Agusan Norte converge for peace
By Nora
L. Molde
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) -- “Youth, you are our future leaders. The future of the province and of the country lies in your hands,” said Governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante of the province of Agusan del Norte during the recent conduct of the Youth Leadership Summit (YLS).
The
activity gathered all leaders of the Sangguniang Kabataan and other youth
organizations from the 10 municipalities and lone city of the province of
Agusan del Norte.
The YLS
is a program of the provincial government of Agusan del Norte, 29th Infantry
Battalion (29IB) of the Philippine Army and other stakeholders, as an
initiative under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict
(NTF-ELCAC) to protect the youth from the communist terrorist groups.
It is
designed to empower the next generation of leaders through the conduct of
various workshops, seminars, and team-building activities that enhanced their
leadership skills, promoted teamwork and fostered a sense of civic
responsibility.
Amante
further encouraged the participants to embrace their roles as future leaders
with integrity and dedication. She emphasized the power of young voices in
shaping the future and urged them to be catalysts for positive change in their
communities.
“Let us
work together for the development of our community and our country, do not be
deceived by the ideology of the New People’s Army (NPA),” the governor
reiterated.
Rubygiene Vertudazo, Sangguniang Kabataan president of Tubay town and the president of Young Matatag, a group of youth leaders organized by the 29IB, is grateful to the 29IB for organizing the YLS.
“The YLS
is very important to us youth because it enhances our interpersonal skills and
it teaches us to become a better person to our families and to the community,”
she said.
“We
learned a lot from the YLS. The summit was a venue for us to learn about the
government programs and projects, especially for the young people like
livelihood trainings, scholarships, among others,” Vertudazo added.
In
response to the call of the provincial government, Vertudazo committed to unite
all youth leaders in the province and support the peace advocacy of the
government. She also emphasized to invite the remaining youth to participate in
the upcoming YLS activities so they may be part and instruments in the
attainment of peace in the province and of the whole country.
“The YLS
features dynamic discussions, interactive workshops and has inspirational
speakers who will motivate and empower the participants to explore innovative
solutions to pressing challenges in their sector. They will also explore
entrepreneurial and leadership opportunities, fostering economic development
within their communities,” said 29IB Commanding Officer, LtCol. Cresencio C.
Gargar.
“With the firm commitment to creating a peaceful and prosperous environment, the summit also focuses on preventing the recruitment efforts of groups like the Communist-NPA-Terrorist (CNT), ensuring that the youth remain focused on positive avenues for personal and community growth,” Gargar added. (NCLM/PIA Agusan del Norte)
