YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

Friends, I am Marc and I belong to the generation people call YOUTH. And just like the other members of my set, I am discovering with eyes filled with wonder these things called life. I delight in its rhythm, I swing at its dances, I laugh at it funny stokes and marvel at its fast-paced technology. But there's another vision of youth I encounter. There's youth huddling in a corner moaning and pleading for drugs; there's youth clinging to a foreign breast, clutching at a foreigner's arm for price, peddling oneself for a decent meal. There's youth setting barricades of protest for tuition fee increases; imperialistic and multinational exploitation for violation of social rights.

There's youth challenging daring in its commitments, as yellow confetti, yellow arm and head bands color the place, a symbolism of Youth's vibrancy and exuberance. There's youth in communal silence, evoking in heartfelt silence, in prayers, its dreams, its fear and its aspirations. And there's youth solemnly voicing its solid, headstrong conviction of its love for nations with affection overflowing with power.

Fellow Filipinos such is the picture of generation we call YOUTH. Admittedly, one sees in youth a criss-cross of personalities. There are those who view life as a lovely rainbow. There are those who seek life at the end of the rainbow. There are those who sees only the flag, but there are also others who freeze flag's colors and touch its stars, its blue offer of peace, its valiant passion of red. Yet in spite these extreme differences one recognizes in youth its potent asset. Youth power. And youth power is power-power to activate, power to decide, power to revolutionize. Power to change the world.

Can the youth promote peace? Can the youth be contributory to appease hunger? Can the youth lift its hands to reach the destitute, the oppressed, the drugs of society? Will the youth be models of values people of all nations want to achieve? Can the youth in a capsule of thought really change the world?

To all these questions, the youth asks back. Will there be hearts committed to help youth change the world? Will there be hands to clasp youth's hands to reach other hands? Will there be voices to support youth's fervent hopes? Will there be men who would guide youth towards a righteous decision?

For like the moth attracted to the lamp fire, the youth has its energy, its vigor, its attraction to life's fire. But the fire shall uphold, shall dignify, not crush. Not tempt. Not burn youth. Life's fire shall create, build, and mold. It should not destroy, not deform.

Friends, fellow Filipinos, the Youth's light and fire are the elders.

Give the youth elders who practice integrity, loyalty and incorruptibility and the youth will respond in two-fold. Present youth elders who value real love of country, concern for economy without touch of self-interest and you will get a full blooded youth committed to its nation's needs over alert to its nations problems. Hand the youth elders with a conscience and you receive a youth who respects too, his dignity, his manhood, his rights.

For the youth means generation to generation struggling together, aspiring together, achieving together. The youth means hoping that if today does not succeed the tomorrow of the next generation will be there-ready to pursue, to continue Youth's goals. Let all imbibe the youth's charism, positivism and love for life. Let all put into their hearts the youth's sense innocence, fair play, courage and heroism.

Then and only then will the youth acclaim with pride, "We are the youth. We can change the world."