Youth need to win back peace

(Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from the oratorical piece by Ma. Jueneza Majahl G. Blasé, the college level champion in the 22nd National Oratorical Contest sponsored by VFP-Sons and Daughters Association Inc. at BTVWWII Museum in celebration of Philippine Veterans Week. Blasé, who represented Region XI, was mentored by Roberto G. Sayman.)

Courage, selflessness, loyalty … these are the very traits our veteran forefathers held.

Today, as our nation is filled with sorrow over the tragic event in Mamasapano, we pay tribute to the 44 young SAF commandos, as well as to the unsung heroes of that tragedy….

The exemplary acts of courage shown by our brave young men … are what our veterans want from us. They fought no matter what the cost might be.

[The youth] may not have the same weapons as our military men. Our enemies may be diverse. We may not even fight in the same arena, but our weapons are well enough suited to our very own abilities in our very own battlefield.

There is no need to be passive, waste time and be despondent. We need to stir up and armor ourselves with the courage and selflessness required to fight our foes and strive to attain justice and win back peace not only within ourselves but also within the society where we dwell.

Selflessness is the enemy of the corrupt. The fight against corruption is waged in a big battlefield for most Filipinos. Rampant corrupt practices in society, as witnessed by the youth, are causing the country serious trouble. This is one big hindrance to progress.

The youth who are witnesses and victims of these abuses—what should they do?

Ahh, we should not remain mute and unreceptive to what is happening in our society. We should act on it!

We ask you not to put the blame on us, if we use our abilities to vent and correct the system. As always, we prepare ourselves to avail of whatever devices we can use against some of the government agencies’ unethical practices and bring them to the attention of responsible and reliable media outlet.

I ask you to close your eyes and think about a country in peace, well-provided for by its government. Just imagine there is food daily on the table of every family and a job for everyone who is capable and willing to work; police and military men have adequate equipment to serve and protect; teachers get appropriate salaries and allowances and more educational materials; there are more schools; government employees are well compensated; doctors and nurses do not want to serve abroad but stay to serve their own countrymen; and there are more hospitals.

Who does not want these things to happen?

We do want these things! We do want a better future for our country. We want these as much as we want our country to have its own self-worth.

The eyes of the Filipino youth are not weak; our ears are not deaf. We know what is happening in our country.

… What our veterans have done for our country is a good example of unity and peacefulness. That is why we honor them for they are the pillars of our future.

So we must give them our respect and appreciation as a sign of gratitude. We salute our veterans who serve as the pillars to achieve a strong foundation to a very successful and productive life that we will pass on to the next generation and the next.