Cultural Night, October 12, 2022
General Santos City
Theme: Makig-bisug, Kabatan-unan: Regenerating a youth cenrered Impetus towards Helping
Achieving Sustainable and Inclusive Development Post-pandemic
<Greetings to the VIPs and other dignitaries>
Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahamatullahi wa barakaatuh, and a good evening to all of you.
Speaking in front of a big number of young leaders has always been a privilege. Privilege it is, because I was given an opportunity to influence like-minded people to advance their advocacies, and inspire more people to take needed actions to achieve our common goal.
Seeing you, the youth leaders, with interest and desire to change your communities, I know the future is in good hands.
Your power is our society’s most dynamic driving force – with your courage, idealism, enthusiasm, and a wide array of meaningful potential.
This is true and relevant in the context of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM. With the history of the Moro people, we have seen how the youth took up arms and fight for their rights, to attain justice and claim self-determination. They fought for decades in the jungles, until they were given a seat at the negotiating tables.
These forces bore a sweet fruit that every people in the Bangsamoro region enjoy. We were able to gain recognition of our right to self-determination. The Bangsamoro can now govern and decide for themselves – passing laws and resolution, especially for our people, and initiating programs that will surely benefit its constituents.
There have always been waves of influence of youth in the past that persisted until today to bring about meaningful change for our nation.
In fact, about 20 Members of the Bangsamoro Parliament appointed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. are considered members of “youth”. These youth completed the set of 80 MPs who are mandated to formulate and pass priority codes and important laws that would shape the lives of the Bangsamoro.
In BARMM, more than 40% of our population comes from the youth. Bangsamoro youth, as provided for by the act that created the Bangsamoro Youth Commission, are those within the age bracket of 15 to 40 years old.
With our dedication to make an avenue for the recognition of youth’s right to meaningful participation in decision-making and nation-building, our Bangsamoro legislators passed the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 10, a law that created the BYC. This institution is the BARMM Government’s arm for policy-making and coordinating body on all matters affecting the Bangsamoro Youth.
It has become the beacon to advance youth’s right to participate in regional government, providing platforms for their voices to be amplified and considered, and their concerns addressed and responded. In fact, Policy resolutions were passed by the BYC En Banc to that effect.
Through this En Banc, we were able to pass policies urging the ministries, offices, and other agencies of BARMM to include in their priorities our recommended program that will be beneficial for the Youth. These resolutions have emphasis on education, health, economic empowerment, social inclusion and equity, security, governance, active citizenship, environment, and global mobility. These are the nine centers of youth participation that the BYC and the National Youth Commission advocate.
I am excited to read the 2022 Philippine Youth Agenda for Sustainable Development that you will craft through the course of this convergence. I believe this will define the roles of the youth in achieving the long-term 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
As the Chairperson of the policy-making institution of BARMM for the youth, I will see to it that the BYC would pave way to contextualize, and pass a resolution similar to this agenda. And we will forward this document to the implementing offices in BARMM, to be integrated in their programs. We will also lobby with other young Members of the Parliament for this resolution to be adopted at the regional legislative level.
This effort will be a momentous stride to highlight youth’s significant roles and responsibilities in achieving and creating a better and more developed Bangsamoro Community. In shaa Allah.
Just at look how influential this force can be if we put importance to their craft and empower them — by developing their capacities in the pursuit of their endeavors and advocacies, providing growth opportunities, and polishing and amplifying their potential to its optimum extent — these actions will indeed create significant results.
Like what I repeatedly say in many of my speaking engagements, it will be the voices of the youth that will echo in the present and the future. With the efforts of the government, development partners, and other stakeholders, we can ensure that the youth are equipped, capable, and ready to face the future.
Bangsamoro Youth Commission is always here to help shape the youth, our youth, dahil “Kabataan, Ikaw ang Pagbabago!” thank you very much.
Wa billahi tawfeeq wal hidayah, assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh!”
