Andanar mobilizes youth in digital town hall meeting

CALOOCAN CITY, May 23 (PIA) -- Utilizing emerging technologies, Presidential Communications (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Thursday mobilized youth leaders from across the Philippines to envision and shape a more sustainable future for the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Andanar met with Sanguniang Kabataan (SK) officials and young influencers through a digital town hall meeting where he helped layout the strategies to help them cope with the consequences of “uncertain” development, and at the same time, solicited their wisdom on how their societies are being configured to cope with the new normal.

“The 2020 vision we thought we had at the start of the year now stands uncertain and visually unclear. It is no longer a 2020 vision,” Andanar said, emphasizing that the effects of the COVID-19 health crisis “has drastically shaken” the country.

“We need an apparatus that will aid us in visualizing our dim prospects because of COVID-19. We need a magnifying glass that will help us see the details we, otherwise, wouldn’t see,” he added, saying the short, medium, and long-term plans for the year had to be adjusted.

The PCOO Secretary said their age group is crucial in envisioning and shaping a more sustainable future by bridging the gap among the “delicate ages” between “1-20” and “60 and above.”

“Kayo, mga SK’s, [merong mahalagang responsibilidad. Kayo ang tulay namin [sa mga] nakatatanda at kayo ang tulay ng gobyerno sa mga nakababatang may edad isa hanggang 20,” he said.

“You will bridge the lessons that we have learned, during this time of governance, to the young who will run the country tomorrow,” he added.

Andanar said the young people have the potential to propel sustainable development urgently and with wider reach.

“It rests on your shoulder to prepare the young today to be better leaders than tomorrow, [even] better than us,” he said as he urged them to harness the enormous benefits of current and emerging technological advancements, including social media, not only for learning, but also for networking toward nation-building.

To recall, the regular #LagingHandaPH network briefing hosted by the PCOO Secretary, also features SK chairpersons as guests where they provide updates and current situations in their localities and how they undertake mitigating and response measures against the spread of COVID-19. (PIA NCR)

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