“URGES FILIPINO YOUTH TO SEEK HAPPINESS IN SERVING THE COUNTRY”

December 17, 2022 Metro BLISTT

VP Sara turns ‘love counselor’

BAGUIO CITY

Vice President and Education secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio virtually turning as a ‘love counselor’
among Filipino youth urged the young to seek happiness instead in becoming patriots and serving their fellowmen like national hero Jose Rizal. The Vice President gracing the opening of the 3-day
60th National Rizal Youth Leadership Institute by the Order of the Knights of Rizal Thursday at the Baguio Teachers Camp cajoled the youth to overcome personal heartbreaks among the youth is not the end of the world, rather they must seek happiness in patriotic deeds like serving the Filipino people instead.

The romanticism of love must not pre-occupy the Filipino’s mind, Duterte-Carpio urged to a somewhat disagreeing youth crowd as she narrated a local love story of rejection and acceptance. “I
think what should be instilled in the minds of our youth is that, you should first think about service to your fellowmen and service to your country.”

“Hindi niyo kailangan mag-boyfriend o mag-girlfriend para maging masaya, kase sa kahahanap natin ng boyfriend, ng girlfriend, makakalimutan natin na there are bigger things that we can do that can leave a legacy for our country,” the VP said in mixed English and Filipino. “Remember, being heart-broken is not the end of the world,” she profusely urged. “Yung dapat mauna sa
consciousness natin na mga Filipino is mauna muna ang pagtulong, sunod na lang ang love.”

Duterte-Carpio commended the Knights of Rizal “for gathering Filipino youth leaders and providing them invaluable learning experiences. By rediscovering and appreciating the wisdom and genius of our National Hero, we open avenues together for greater civic consciousness and social
environment.” ‘Despite the difficulties of being on exile (in Dapitan), Rizal thought of the welfare of his countrymen and how he could help them overcome,’ the Vice President encouraged in Filipino.

“I believe that every Filipino has a social conscience by design,” VP Duterte-Carpio enthuses as she further exhorted the Filipino youth to become ambassadors “who can influence their fellow youth to resist the lure of drug addiction and see the deceitful rhetoric of recruitment in terrorism and
violence extremism.” While Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, also a member of the KOR, in
welcoming the delegates pushed a shift of how the youth is regarded as “future leaders”.

“If there is a time that they are leaders, it should be now,” he told the delegates who roused in full agreement with a wide applause. “If anyone who could save our country, this city, it is the young people.” Magalong urged, “we need new and fresh ideas”. (You should) always display a culture
of excellence.” He further encouraged, “don’t allow yourself to be manipulated by traditional politicians.”

Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN