SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) — A total of 50 youth from the Ilocos region participated in “Elevate,” the second phase of the Youth Summit of Region 1 Peace and Order Council – Information and Education Campaign (RPOC-IEC), held from October 16-18, 2024 at the Marand Resort in Bauang, La Union.
The summit primarily discussed the interventions of the government in the ongoing conflicts in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), thus, provided the youth with a deeper understanding of the WPS issue.
As the keynote speaker, LTCOL Melanie Horca, judge advocate general from the Naval Forces Northern Luzon, emphasized the vitality of empowering the youth in understanding the complexities regarding the WPS, creating a generation that advocates for the cause.
“The youth’s role goes beyond just speaking up. It’s about taking meaningful action that contributes to real change, whether through youth-led movements or by supporting government programs,” Horca said.
Horca encourages the youth participants to recognize themselves as future leaders and essential contributors to the present.
“The protection of the WPS is not just a task for the government or military—it’s a responsibility of every Filipino, especially the youth,” Horca added.
Avrille Mira Ramirez, a student council committee member from Urdaneta City University, expressed gratitude for hearing accurate information about the WPS, which contrasts with the disinformation circulating on social media.
“Now that we are capacitated with the right information from credible sources such as the Navy, I believe that this will be a good step for us to let our communities learn the information that we learned today and to let them know that we, youth, can do something,” she said.
The youth summit’s first phase, “Engage,” was held earlier this year. (PIA Region 1)
