INTRODUCTION
Secretary Nieves Confesor of the Department of Labor, Secretary Armand Fabella; Chairman of the PCYA, Joseph Javier; the newly inducted officers of the National Sangguniang Kabataan, fellow workers in government, mga mahal na kababayan.

Mukhang ako lamang ang naka-amerikana rito na walang kurbata ano, at hindi naka barong-tagalog. But maybe that is a happy and intentional happening. Dahil sa binago ko itong ating programa. It is not like what you saw on television just now by adding one word to the program. This, henceforth, is going to be called the President’s Summer Youth Work Program (PSYWP). Okay ba sa inyo iyan? Dapat lahat kayo ngayon ay naka-jeans and T-shirt lamang that would have been better. So this is now in one word the expanded program. The emphasis is on work. Hindi iyong enjoy. Work. And having said that, we want you to show the way for hardwork among our people.

You know, about this time last year, I was very busy running for the presidency on a platform built around the theme of people empowerment. And there were many who doubted my chances of winning on this platform. They said that people empowerment was too vague, too optimistic, too hopeful.

But today as I look at all of the young, bright and hopeful faces before me, I can enjoy the feeling of having been proven right during the campaign. You and I, the young Filipinos, were brought here today by people empowerment. We are here because we believe in people and people have returned our trust. In the midst of the challenges before this administration, many of these challenges are tough and a few stand out as the toughest. And among the toughest of all is providing a productive place for our young in the mainstream of national life. That is why we have this President’s Summer Youth Work Program.
FACING UP THE CHALLENGE
I began my presidency by issuing a call to return to the roots of our idealism and patriotism that have marked our history, to look at our country and ourselves afresh in the same manner that this nation must have looked at our young heroes of 100 years ago who believed that progress was the inevitable fate of our race.

And so if I may quote from a previous speech given on the occasion of the award of the 10 outstanding young men and young women in the Philippines under the sponsorship of the Philippine Jaycees, iyong mga TOYM and TOYW of the Philippines. This is what I said: “Of our galaxy of heroes from the revolutionary period starting from the propagandists of the late 1880’s and ending with the political nationalists of the early American period, everyone would have easily met the age and achievement requirement for today’s TOYM awards, because the limit is age 35.”

For instance, Graciano Lopez Jaena was 32 years old when he founded La Solidaridad in Madrid. Of all of the heroes of the revolution, Marcelo H. del Pilar was the late bloomer. He was 39 when he took over the editorship of La Solidaridad. But by then he had already been a veteran of the propaganda movement, because he started attacking the abuses of the Spanish administration in his native Bulacan as a lawyer aged 30. And his satire was of fighting that he had to flee to Spain to escape persecution by the monastic sovereignty.

At age 26, Jose Rizal had finished the Noli Me Tangere and at 35 he was dead, the first and greatest martyr of the Filipino nation then being born.

Andres Bonifacio founded the Katipunan when he was 29 years old. And when the revolution began, Bonifacio’s faithful deputy, Emilio Jacinto, a general was still four month short of age 21.

Emilio Aguinaldo was the victorious general of the revolution at age 27 and founder of Asia’s first free republic at age 29.

General Gregorio del Pilar was only 25 when he fought his last battle as Aguinaldo’s rearguard at Tirad Pass.

Apolinario Mabini was 34 when he took up the intellectual and political leadership of the Malolos Republic.

And Sergio Osmeña and Manuel Quezon were both 29. And Osmeña became the speaker and Quezon, the majority floor leader of the First Philippine Assembly under American rule in 1907.

So our kabataan, especially our SK national officers and those in the regions, in the provinces, in our cities and municipalities, are not that young, because they can be matured leaders in our communities and in our national life.

Now having said that, let us say that our government today is one that gives importance to ordinary Filipinos. A government that shows the way towards a brighter future, towards people empowerment. But we should empower the youth not only with the future in mind but also mindful of how they can help us in the present.

The youth sector remains largely untapped. I find this surprising because young people make up approximately two-thirds of our population. You are definitely the majority in our country. But we have not really involved you, the young Filipinos, in nation building.

Until now, our government has been unable to take advantage of your sheer numbers, your boundless energy, your idealism and optimism and your refreshingly different way of looking at the whole world through your young eyes.

Today, the youth of our land can apply themselves with vigor to the task not of clashing with government but of working with it. And we can accomplish much by doing things together.

At the celebration of the 7th anniversary of our EDSA Revolution last February 25, I asked the Filipino nation to adopt a single battle cry: Philippines’ 2000. Meaning, that we work together as one nation and one people in order to rank among the newly industrializing countries by the year 2000. Philippines 2000 is our call to progress. It requires a collective response, and in this effort, the mobilization of the youth becomes imperative.

I cite in particular the election of the Sangguniang Kabataan National Federation officers who are here with us for their oathtaking to commit themselves to the service of their fellow Filipinos. And so from now on, we count on the youth to be our full partner. Hindi lamang salingpusa, but the full partner of the government in national development.

As Sangguniang Kabataan officers you must lead our young people in upholding our country’s laws as well as our principle of the rule of law in respecting and defending our democratic institutions and in helping develop our communities. You must become role models in inspiring and counseling your peers and helping them when they have problems. And you must act as our society’s bulwarks against such youth-related problems as drug abuse, drug dependence, juvenile delinquency and alcoholism.

You must practice and help propagate such values as self- reliance, hard work, honestly, cleanliness, dedication to family, service to community and love of God and country. And you must lead the way in the practice of a new kind of politics, a politics that is clean, competent and committed.
PSYWP: AN INVITATION TO PROGRESS
In a few weeks, student professionals will step out of the confines of their schools. Many will be looking forward to summer, that season almost with us by now, most associated with fun, frolic and enjoyment. But this year and all the years hereafter, we will not enjoy, we will work, according to this program. Okay ba sa inyo iyan?

There are many others who want to just work. And for them we offer the president’s summer youth work program. We have had the PSYP since 1989. And this year, i have directed its expansion to allow more of our young people to work in a broader range of developmental activities. You saw the video and i will not detail anymore what these specific programs are.

But what all of this means is that the youth shall be immersed in active work experience in the various departments and agencies of government and in private establishments. This gives the youth their initial participation in governance and in our economic programs.

I speak of the youth participation in government’s outreach program to help bring basic social welfare services to our most needy countrymen.

I speak of having the youth experience the creative nature of Philippine society and culture through summer camps and training opportunities in creative skills.

I speak in involving the youth in medical missions and health campaign programs, in infrastructure development projects, and in sports and physical fitness programs. It’s not only sports that you must do. I have added physical fitness because in the end it is your fitness as a human talent, physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual that will spell whether the Philippine youth will be competitive in this global village or not, now and in the future.

So the PSYWP, I am committed to see that our youth appreciate the importance of community voluntarism and service. And I am resolved to give the youth an active part in the economic and social reforms we are now undertaking. And because I am committed to this, I have designated secretary of the department of labor and employment, secretary Nieves Confesor, as the chairperson of the steering committee of the PSYWP. In other words, the emphasis is on labor and employment. May labor pero mayroon din employment.

I am also directing the PSYWP steering committee to come up with a proposal for a more comprehensive youth program that we can implement on a year-on basis. I want this broader program to be launched not later than the end of May. In other words, as soon as you end the summer component of the work program, we go into the yearlong program for 1993 and for all the years thereafter.
TOWARDS GREATER YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
Now, to provide a clear testament of this administration’s resolve in empowering the youth, I am directing the PCYA under Joseph Javier and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDDA) under Secretary Habito, to formulate in consultation with the youth sector a national youth development plan not later than the end of June this year. And I expect this to be in consonance with the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan for 1993 to 1998.

I shall nominate to Congress sectoral representatives for the youth before the end of this month. We are now into the screening process necessary for such nominations.

As for the funds to support the national training program for newly elected officials of the Sangguniang Kabataan which shall be undertaken by PCYA, I am directing the department of interior and local government to ensure the speedy release of the SK funds for this purpose. But beyond just releasing, I also direct the DILG to submit a progress report on the release and utilization of these funds from the local government units within 30 days.

I understand that the Department of Budget and Management released last February 1993 to the DOLE the amount of P54 million out of the P60 million appropriated for assistance to poor but deserving students.

I am also happy to announce that the release of an additional P500,000 requested by the PCYA to fund the expanded PSYWP is hereby approved.

I am therefore directing the DBM to speed up the release of this amount. And because the PCYA is your direct link to the office of the president, we must strengthen it. And I am directing the presidential management staff to coordinate with the PCYA chairman in reviewing the scope, powers and functions of the PCYA and its council and submit recommendations within 30 days.

In the meantime, I direct the PCYA to strengthen each institutional tie-ups with the departments that have youth programs such as DECS, DOLE, DILG, DSWD and the Department of Agriculture as well as with the private sector.

Lastly, I urge the Civil Service Commission to double its efforts in the recruitment of outstanding young graduates to serve in government. I want all departments and agencies to support this talent search program because we need fresh talent to energize the bureaucracy.
CLOSING
Let me congratulate again all of the departments and agencies responsible for implementing the president’s summer youth work program. And I am confident that our Sangguniang Kabataan National Federation officials, will lead the youth councils throughout the land in the youth sectors’ meaningful participation of young Filipinos in governance.

I likewise call upon the private sector and indeed the entire concerned citizenry to work and support this total program for youth empowerment.

So let me close by expressing my unswerving faith in the strength and brilliance of our youth. Your countrymen share this faith and you can always count on my dependable support and continuing commitment.

Mabuhay ang kabataang Filipino! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat.
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