By Emmanuel P. Solis
LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 25 (PNA) — At least 200 members of various youth organizations coming from different schools and universities in the Bicol Region attended the two-day Bicol Youth Conference on Poverty Alleviation on Jan. 24-25 at the Ibalong Conference Room at the City Hall compound here.
The gathering was spearheaded by the National Youth Commission (NYC) and had for its theme: “Effective Partnership in Eradicating Poverty.”
Legazpi City Mayor Noel E. Rosal said the gathering would serve as an additional knowledge for the youth on how the government addresses the issues for the good future of all youth organizations not only in Bicol but also in the entire country.
The city chief executive urged the participants to share all the knowledge that they could learn in the conference to other members of their respective organizations so that they may also know their role in the government and how to implement their programs and projects in the community for the benefit of every individual.
Rosal said all the youths have an opportunity to become good leaders of the country as he urged them to always support the important programs of the government for sustainable development of the society and the betterment of the people in the community.
He also asked the support of the youth organizations on the war against illegal drugs in order to prevent the other teenagers from getting involved in dangerous drugs and other illegal substances that destroy the dignity and the future of the youth in the community.
NYC Commissioner Percival V. Cendana, for his part, said every member of a youth organization has an important role in poverty alleviation because the poverty problem in the society affects the development of every individual.
Cendana said that because of the genuine knowledge and accurate information the young people get in the Internet, they can surely participate in issues that affect people’s lives and they have the right to make proposals and suggestions for the solution to the problem of poverty.
“We have an urgent need to invest for quality education, good peace and order situation and the good health of our young individuals in order for them to become good members of a productive society that will give our young generation social mobility that will lead them on how to uplift their standard of living,” he stressed.
The NYC commissioner said that if there will be a Sangguniang Kabataan election, there are many expected recommendations for the community level that the new SK officers should implement and if there is no SK polls, the output from the summit and other conferences will help the Barangay Youth Development Task Force (BYDTF) headed by a village official.
It is better, however, to make a blueprint for the suggestions of the Bicol youth organizations regarding the anti-poverty alleviation program of the government, Cendana added. (PNA)