For the city government of San Pedro, Laguna, the celebration of Youth Week from August 11 to 18 is more than simply a way to extol the vital role of the youth in city-building.
It is also the ideal venue to train and expose the youth - who will, after all, become future leaders - to the challenges and opportunities of local governance.
"Mayroon po silang foundation na maganda which can contribute din naman sa aim ng city government na maging 'Una sa Laguna' ang mga Kabataan," was how Glenn Torrecampo, head of the San Pedro City Youth and Sports Development Office, explained the lineup of this year's Youth Week celebrations in an interview with OpinYon Laguna.
With the theme “Local Youth Actions for the Sustainable Development Goals and Beyond," this year's Youth Week aims to emphasize the active participation of San Pedrense youth in the united goal of transforming San Pedro City into a bulwark of progress and good governance.
Junior youth officers
Of course, one much-anticipated activity for this year's Youth Week is the deputization of Junior City Officers (JCO), led by Junior City Mayor Miel Gabrielle Lacdan.
For Youth Week (and even beyond, Torrecampo emphasized), these Junior City Officers got the chance to actively participate in local governance as Junior City Mayor, Vice Mayor, Councilors and Junior Department Heads.
Many of these junior city officers are active leaders in their own schools and communities, which meant that they already had a "solid foundation" in which to hone their skills in being local officials, the CYSDO head shared.
And their involvement in local governance does not end with Youth Week, Torrecampo added: for instance, the Junior City Mayor will get the opportunity to sit at the local youth development council for a year.
"Ibig sabihin po nito ay may voice po ang mga kabataan na nasa level po nila, na puwedeng magbigay ng inputs o mag contribute sa mga programang bubuuin ng city government," he emphasized.
Other activities prepared by the CYSDO for Youth Week include the Youth Orgs' Fair and Booth Competition; the Youth Festival of Talents; and the Youth Summit on Sustainable Goals, all slated for August 18.
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