YOUTH AS HEROES

Alfred Suarez, head of the Biñan City Youth and Sports Development Office (YASDO), put it perfectly when he told OpinYon Laguna, “Ang pagiging ‘bayani’ ay hindi lamang pagbubuwis ng buhay para sa bayan. Ang kabayanihan ay paginspire sa mga tao na gumawa ng mas maraming kabutihan at makapag-impluwensyia sa iba na maging bayani saan mang larangan.”

And who could be better heroes than the youth?

“Maraming oportunidad na available sa kabataan ngayon. Pero may isang bagay na naniniwala ako ayun isa sa pinakamahalagang salig para maging matagumpay ang isang tao, which is consistency,” Suarez pointed out.

The question is, how do we ensure that our youth is prepared for the challenges of the future?

“Tanggapin natin na ang Generation Z [considered as those who were born from 1997 to 2012] ay lumaki sa pamamaraan at konsepto na basta lahat ng gawin mo, pwedeng mangyari basta gusto mo. And ito ang generation kung saan nauso ang cellphone, ang social media, na-acquire yung fear of missing out, so we have to adapt our intervention programs para sa makabagong panahon,” Suarez explained.

Consistency

As Suarez pointed out last week, one key aspect the YASDO has maintained over the years is consistency in its advocacies.

And this consistency was the driving force behind the Biñan City LGU’s celebration of Youth Week, which was held from August 12 to 17.

Suarez says that while this year’s global theme for Youth Week – “From Clicks to Progress, Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development” – reflects the need to adapt to a “brand-new” perception of today’s youth, the Biñan City YASDO still wanted to maintain Mayor Arman Dimaguila’s vision of a youth that is an active part of the city’s progress.

Aside from the usual lineup of activities that aims to showcase the best talents of Biñan City, this year's activities for Youth Week also highlights the goal of the city government to recognize the youth's role in nation-building.

These include what was considered the highlight of the weeklong activities - the 15th Atty. Arman Dimaguila, Jr. Inter-High School Debate Championships; the Parangal sa Kabataang Biñanense and Sangguniang Kabataan Awards and Recognitions (OSKAR); and the Biñan Youth Forum.

“Ang maganda kasi kay Mayor Arman, hindi lamang theory ang itinuturo niya as a public servant at mentor namin, kundi pati na iyong practical side of politics,” Suarez emphasized.

The debate competitions, which was launched by Mayor Dimaguila in 2008 when he was still the vice-mayor of Biñan City, aims to sharpen the critical thinking skills of Biñanense’s youth – a vital tool in the age of social media, “influencers,” and disinformation, the YASDO head added.

“Aside from critical thinking skills, natututunan rin ng ating mga youth debater kung paano i-handle ang pressure, especially since you have a limited time in which to present your arguments and answer your opponents. And I’m proud to say na may mga debaters tayo na nagwagi na sa iba’t ibang national and international competitions – for instance, yung mga naging judge natin sa ating debate for this year, like our City Accountant Atty. Noel Velasco, ay mga nagwagi na rin sa mga unang debate na inorganisa ni Mayor Arman,” Suarez said.

Youth in politics

Mayor Dimaguila also wanted to see the city’s youth to become an active participant in Biñan City’s socio-political landscape – a prime motivation for the OSKAR (Outstanding Sangguniang Kabataan Awards and Recognitions) and the Parangal sa Kabataang Biñanense.

With the efficiency of the SK recently being called into question due to partisan politics and its alleged failure to rally the youth to become active in their communities, Suarez emphasized that the city government wanted to set an example not only for SKs but for the youth in general.

This sentiment was also echoed by Representative Len Alonte, who recently called on the Sangguniang Kabataan to become pillars of youth empowerment.

“Gusto po nating gawing way of life itong pagiging outstanding ng ating mga Sangguniang Kabataan. Regardless po kung sino ang nakapwesto, nais nating magtagumpay ang SK. At hindi lamang ito tungkol sa mga opisyal, kailangan active din ang katipunan ng kabataan, yung kanilang pinamumununa, sapagkat kahit na pinakamahuhusay ang mga SK officials, kapag hindi suportado ng katipunan ng kabataan, balewala rin yung husay. So kailangan ng participation, mahusay na liderato pero kailangan din ng partisipasyon ng pinamumunuan mong sektor ng kabataan,” he explained.

Youth in sports

This same mindset of an active youth is what drives the city government in holding its “Sports Week” from August 18 to 24.

Suarez is quick to point out that the Biñan City LGU is the only one in the country to conduct regular yearly sports activities, as it believes that sports is also an important asset in building confidence and talents among its youth.

Part of the activities slated for Sports Week this 2024 is the Biñan City Sports Heroes Awards, the first such award initiated by an LGU in the Philippines.

“Naniniwala kami na sports instills discipline in the individual; it instills camaraderie and trust in each team; and it instills sportsmanship and friendship even among competitors,” the YASDO head pointed out

Suarez also emphasized that the support of Vice Mayor Gel Alonte – himself a basketball player who recently played for the local government at the Calabarzon’s LGU Games – was what inspires his office to continue their own advocacies.

“Nakakatuwa na mayroon po tayong vice mayor na may pagmamahal sa sports. You know why? Ibig sabihin po nito, gusto niya na instead nalululong sa masamang bisyo, imbes na lagi nalang nakatutok sa gadgets, kasi doon mo nabibitawan ang cellphone mo pag naglalaro ka. Nauunawan po ni Vice Gel na mas importante pa rin ang personal relationships, yung kasa-kasama mo ang mga kalaro mo, mga kaklase mo, mga katrabaho mo – and that happens when you engage in sports,” he added.

#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonCoverStory #YouthAsHeroes #YASDO #SportsWeek #Youths