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'The Filipino youth are right here, on the cusp of greatness, brimming with idealism, and poised
to make the Philippines a better place'
“Where are the youth who will consecrate their golden hours, their illusions, and their
enthusiasm to the welfare of their native land?” Such were the words of Jose Rizal, in the
persona of the patriotic priest Padre Florentino, in his novel El Filibusterismo.
Over 100 years have passed since these words were written, and yet the challenge to us, the
Filipino youth, is as relevant as ever. As young adults on the quest of discovering who we are
and who we are meant to be, the role of nation building has been firmly placed in our hands.
Mentors from generations before have done their part in shaping the nation and are grooming
us, the Filipino youth, to be the next change agents.
In our short stay here, we have witnessed the tragic effects of our nation’s most lamentable
social ills: the orchestrated misuse of government funds, the systemic violation of basic human
rights, and the continuous loss of life and property due to abandonment and greed.
Through all of these, it has become more and more apparent that our nation needs more
Filipinos than citizens.