Role of Youth
What words leap to your mind when you hear the word “youth”? It’s always been a
prominent topic, but what makes this certain matter special?
A youth is defined as anyone between the ages of 15 and 30, regardless of race or gender.
Youths are the backbone of society which is reasonable to assume that the future is in the hands
of each and every young person. The essence of being a youth is not just about living life to the
fullest, it is also about how and what you can contribute to society while you are still in the stage
of being a youth. Youth have a critical role to play in society. What makes youth so unique? It's
because youth are youthful, energetic, and equipped with rationality as our founding force. The
intrinsic nature of being a youth is to be fruitful and useful to our nation, having the ideals of
patriotism, nationalism, and engagement towards the country’s development and high-yielding
economy. The youth's responsibility is to simply replenish, rejuvenate, and sustain. We, as youths,
have a responsibility to rejuvenate and refresh the existing state of our society, including
leadership, creativity, and skill development, and are expected to progress current technology,
education, politics, and national peace. We are also obliged to maintain our culture, as well as all
excellent ideals in society, development programs, and so on.
But the big question is, are you performing as a youth? Or just holding that title without
knowing the significant purpose behind it? Did all youth act the way they are expected to? Or
acting the way they wanted to, yet leading them to destruction along the way? We always say that
youth is “Ang pag-asa ng bayan”, but how can youth carry out its vital role in nation-building if
the people surrounding them aren’t an epitome to development and success? It is indeed true that
youths are the hope of the country, but it’s the elders that lit up the fire hidden within the heart of
every youth. If a country wants its youth to be productive, bearing its good characteristics as what
they are expected to, then veterans must also behave the way they are expected to. As a famous
saying of Niccolo Machiavellian says, “a weak manager can follow a strong one, but not another
weak one and still maintain authority.” This saying implies that for us to be able to achieve our
goals as one country, we must follow leaders or certain individuals that are worthy to be followed.
Youth is the symbol of a bright future within one’s native land. For us to be able to achieve our
dreams for our country, we must act out to attain them. We have the skills and capabilities to help
our country, so why waste it, if we could make use of it? Others may lead you to the wrong path,
but the final decision and action reside within the individual itself, it’s a matter of what to choose
and whom to follow. Are you gonna live up in accordance with Dr. Jose Rizal’s strong belief and
trust in youth or just live without a deep conviction and fragile foundation in life?