INTRODUCTION
Ako’y nagagalak at tayo ay naririto ngayon upang makilahok sa napakasayang paradang ito — ang Pista ng Kalayaan — na ating isinasagawa bilang isa sa mga tampok na bahagi ng ating paggunita ng ating Sentenaryo — at bilang pagsalubong na rin sa unang araw ng ikalawang siglo o bicentennial.

Napakaraming dahilan upang tayo ay magsaya. Salamat sa puong maykapal, ating nalampasan ang napakaraming pagsubok sa ating pambansang pamumuhay. Ating napaghilom ang mga sugat ng di-pagkakaunawaan at natunton natin ang daan tungo sa isang mas matiwasay at mas maunlad na pamumuhay. Patuloy tayong nagwawagi laban sa ibat-ibang kasamaan sa ating lipunan.

Ang lahat ng mga ito ay hindi lingid sa kaalaman ng ibat-ibang bansa, kaya naman lalong umigting ang kanilang paggalang sa ating kakayahan.

Batid natin na napakarami pa ring suliranin na dapat nating harapin bilang mamamayan. Subalit buo ang aking paniniwala na habang tayo ay nagkakaisa sa ating mga layunin, kayang-kaya nating lutasin ang mga ito. At ito ay napatunayan na natin ng di iilang beses lang.
YOUTH-ORIENTED CELEBRATION
I am doubly glad that this celebration is youth-oriented as can be noted in our parade’s theme: “Kabataan: ang Pag-asa at Yaman ng Bayan” (The Youth: The Hope and Wealth of the Nation). No less than our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, who expressed deep faith in the youth when he said: “ang kabataan ang siyang pag-asa ng bayan”.

At the outset of the Ramos administration, we have identified people empowerment as an indispensable ingredient in achieving genuine growth. Along with global competitiveness, it has become part of our strategy in attaining the vision of “Philippines 2000!!!”.

In fulfilling this vision, we singled out youth empowerment as an essential element of the strategy. With 53 percent of all Filipinos below 20 years old and 14 percent under 14 years of age, we realized that our goal of sustainable development can only be made possible to the extent that we empower the youth as vanguards of our future, heirs of this nation, and partners in our quest for development.

The reason is obvious and clear — only the youth can provide the kind of historical continuity that development programs of any great magnitude require.
YOUTH-FRIENDLY ADMINISTRATION
As my presidency comes to a close and as i look back to what has been accomplished, I can proudly say that the Ramos administration has been youth-friendly. We have ensured that the major policies affecting this sector — foremost of which is the youth in nation-building act — have been enshrined in the law and put into motion.

We have continued to empower the youth at every level of governance through the Sangguniang Kabataan and have strengthened our support to all efforts of government for the sector.

Only a few days ago, we launched the Medium-Term Youth Development Plan (1998-2004) (MTYDP) which will be the government’s main blueprint for programs in the area of youth participation and development.

The MTYDP is a product of rigorous work, nationwide multi-sectoral consultations and close collaboration among major stakeholders of youth in government, the private sector, people organizations (POs), non-government organizations (NGOs) and among the youth themselves. As the master plan of the youth agenda for the beginning of the 21st century, the plan is truly an important legacy of my presidency to the Filipino youth.
MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE
But the task of youth empowerment and development is far from over. Now that the architects have carefully crafted and designed the MTYDP, it is time to get the groundwork done.

I urge my successor to prioritize the youth in constructing the future, and i ask the next administration to continue keeping development for, by and with the youth as one of its foremost concerns.

In the same breath, i urge the other sectors — the service providers from the private sector, NGOs, POs and the academe — to continue strengthening their support and cooperation in making the goals of this plan a reality.

And finally, i urge each and every young Filipino to take up their cause and do their part. I enjoin them to share this significant task of building their future and the future of those who will come after them.
CLOSING
Kaya ang pagdiriwang na ito ay ating inaalay sa ating mga kabataan sapagkat sila ang simbolo ng ating kinabukasan — ang pag-asa ng ating inang bayan.

Panatilihin nating masigla ang dugo ng mga bayani na nananalaytay sa kanilang mga ugat, puso at kaisipan upang patuloy nilang maisakatuparan ng buong ningning ang mga tungkuling sa kanila ay inaasahan.

Ngayon ay batid na natin kung saan nagmumula ang kasiglahan ng ating bansa — ito’y walang iba kundi sa makabayang diwa na siyang naghatid ng kalayaang atin ngayong tinatamasa.

Ang diwang ito ang nagsisilbing mayamang lupa na kung saan natin payayabungin ang isang magandang bukas para sa lahat — lalung-lalo na sa mga susunod na henerasyon.

Maraming salamat po at maligayang sentenaryo sa inyong lahat.