"The evolution of linguistics, from the early 21st century's text language, to the 2nd decade's jejemon language, indicates that there is indeed dynamism amongst our youth today. It is the product of the young's imaginative manner of expression. That energy of innovation and recreation is what drives a generation's motivation to achieve newer things, to rediscover conventions and to reinvent history. The challenge is to channel that energy into something productive, something that will not only benefit their current generation, but the next one as well."In 1986, we achieved something that evaded us for almost 20 years, that is Democracy. We became students, often our predecessors became teachers of what democracy is and what it meant to a country like ours.
24 years ahead, our leaders stand on the same platform of achieving a fully functional democracy, a country hoping to be free from the poverties of the mind, pocket, environment and relationships. We, the youth, no longer have the luxury of statesmen like the old times.
We stand on the forever promise of being the hope of our motherland, expected to provide the fruits of what our forebearers and heroes have fought for.
Our lessons of the past are now part of a large volume of archives- of books, videos, documentaries, thesis.
Today, as we stand here, and as we are gathered here together in this hall, let us write our own history, our own commitment, our own pledge for this nation.
If 24 years ago, we were students of democracy, today, we should be living examples of what democracy can bring to a society- a democracy that has enabled us to style our own language, a democracy that has allowed us to set trends, a democracy that has supported every ounce of our right to self-expression.
We are young, we are vibrant, we are skilled, we are energetic. But gratitude is not a sufficient repayment for what the struggles generations ago had to endure for all of us.
Gone should be the days of us just being students of Women's Studies, Philippine History and Political Science, for today, the new challenges of our democracy have evolved greatly.
It asks of us to become living examples of what we are being taught, it asks of us to become what they were, not to die for another war again, not to risk life for the welfare of the majority, but to be fully functional citizens of our time, and often go the extra mile.
To be fully functional does not only mean that we must pay our dues, that we follow laws, that we abide by the common laws of the State and Church.
We are skilled to re-invent, to re-discover, and so, let us channel our energies from inventing the jejemon language into something that would provide better communication, better understanding not only amongst us, the youth, but more over, between Christians and Muslims, between Manileno's and Cebuanos, between Luzonians, Visayans and Mindanaoans, between all ethinicities and cultures, a communication that would ensure peace and that would support co-existence in a country like ours.
We are skilled to re-discover cultures and norms, and so, let us channel our energies from setting fashion trends into something that would make socio-civic work as cool as going to parties, social events and clubbing, where cooperation, pace and camaraderie between and among the youth can be further solidified. We have that power, and now is not the time to be modest about it, because the youth of today is typically not shy, and has the guts to go for something without restraint.
We cannot right away change the behavior of people in government, but through our endless pursuit for accountability and our indomitable spirit of vigilance, it is more likely that encompassing interests can be achieved, between government and its citizens, that both their mutual interests can be filled.
We have been handed down the gifts of a democratic country, and while we are still far fetched from achieving a Utopian Society, from achieving what everyone was expecting after many revolts, mutinies, we shall forever have the spirit of re-inventing, the spirit of re-discovering, the spirit of a vibrant and vigilant people- something that cannot be taken away from us, because it is the personality that the Youth of today possesses.
And because we choose never to quit on this persona, 20-25 years from now, we would have written our own History of success, according to our own terms. By that time, we would have already re-defined our generation of democracy, not as had been students, but as the lifeblood of a Democratic Philippines.
24 years ahead, our leaders stand on the same platform of achieving a fully functional democracy, a country hoping to be free from the poverties of the mind, pocket, environment and relationships. We, the youth, no longer have the luxury of statesmen like the old times.
We stand on the forever promise of being the hope of our motherland, expected to provide the fruits of what our forebearers and heroes have fought for.
Our lessons of the past are now part of a large volume of archives- of books, videos, documentaries, thesis.
Today, as we stand here, and as we are gathered here together in this hall, let us write our own history, our own commitment, our own pledge for this nation.
If 24 years ago, we were students of democracy, today, we should be living examples of what democracy can bring to a society- a democracy that has enabled us to style our own language, a democracy that has allowed us to set trends, a democracy that has supported every ounce of our right to self-expression.
We are young, we are vibrant, we are skilled, we are energetic. But gratitude is not a sufficient repayment for what the struggles generations ago had to endure for all of us.
Gone should be the days of us just being students of Women's Studies, Philippine History and Political Science, for today, the new challenges of our democracy have evolved greatly.
It asks of us to become living examples of what we are being taught, it asks of us to become what they were, not to die for another war again, not to risk life for the welfare of the majority, but to be fully functional citizens of our time, and often go the extra mile.
To be fully functional does not only mean that we must pay our dues, that we follow laws, that we abide by the common laws of the State and Church.
We are skilled to re-invent, to re-discover, and so, let us channel our energies from inventing the jejemon language into something that would provide better communication, better understanding not only amongst us, the youth, but more over, between Christians and Muslims, between Manileno's and Cebuanos, between Luzonians, Visayans and Mindanaoans, between all ethinicities and cultures, a communication that would ensure peace and that would support co-existence in a country like ours.
We are skilled to re-discover cultures and norms, and so, let us channel our energies from setting fashion trends into something that would make socio-civic work as cool as going to parties, social events and clubbing, where cooperation, pace and camaraderie between and among the youth can be further solidified. We have that power, and now is not the time to be modest about it, because the youth of today is typically not shy, and has the guts to go for something without restraint.
We cannot right away change the behavior of people in government, but through our endless pursuit for accountability and our indomitable spirit of vigilance, it is more likely that encompassing interests can be achieved, between government and its citizens, that both their mutual interests can be filled.
We have been handed down the gifts of a democratic country, and while we are still far fetched from achieving a Utopian Society, from achieving what everyone was expecting after many revolts, mutinies, we shall forever have the spirit of re-inventing, the spirit of re-discovering, the spirit of a vibrant and vigilant people- something that cannot be taken away from us, because it is the personality that the Youth of today possesses.
And because we choose never to quit on this persona, 20-25 years from now, we would have written our own History of success, according to our own terms. By that time, we would have already re-defined our generation of democracy, not as had been students, but as the lifeblood of a Democratic Philippines.
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