The Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) challenged the youth to honor and respect their parents and avoid joining leftist organizations that are alleged fronts of the New People’s Army.
“Honor your parents, be ambitious, be cautious and be the ambassadors of peace and development in your communities,” Lt. Gen. Felimon T. Santos Jr, commander of Eastern Mindanao Command, said during the closing program of Youth For Peace Movement’s Youth Leaders Summit-Eastern Mindanao in Mt. Moriah Camp, Pagatpat, Malaybalay, Bukidnon on Aug. 11.
Santos related his message to the concerns and stories of parents who appeared recently in the Senate committee hearing as they sought help for their reported missing children. The children reportedly stopped coming home after they joined leftist organizations.
During the workshop, the youth participants handed over their output on how they can contribute to peace and development. There were four themes of the workshop: organizational development, community development, peace communication, and youth development.
The three-day youth activity, which gathers 117 youth leaders coming from Regions X, XI, XII and XIII, includes the conduct of cultural night, lecture on local governance, as well as the government’s peace and development programs.
The closing activity was graced by Marjorie Jalosjos, Department of Interior and Local Government assistant secretary for Mindanao affairs, and National Youth Commission executive director Julius Gutierrez.
