04/09/2025
Youth leader Empower's Youth
''๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐ก๐ผ๐": ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฌ๐-๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผโ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ง๐ผ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ผ๐
โWe need to empower our youth now, because this means building a resilient tomorrow.โ
These compelling words were spoken by Hon. Lovell Anne Yu-Castro, Mayor of Alang-Alang, Leyte, and former Executive Vice President of the 4-H Club of the Philippines. Her statement, delivered at a recent youth leadership summit, was not just a passing remark โ it was a powerful call to action, deeply rooted in her commitment to community development, inclusive governance, and sustainable progress.
In an era marked by uncertainty and global challenges, Mayor Yu-Castroโs message resonates far beyond her municipality. It captures the urgency of investing in young people โ not just as beneficiaries of development, but as its architects.
๐ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐
๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
Mayor Yu-Castroโs advocacy for youth empowerment is not new. As a former leader of the 4-H Club โ a national organization that champions youth leadership, agriculture, and entrepreneurship โ she has long understood the transformative power of nurturing young minds.
Her current role as mayor of Alang-Alang, a growing municipality in Leyte, gives her a unique perspective on the real-world impact of empowering youth. In local barangays, she has seen young people step up during crises, lead community cleanups, launch livelihood initiatives, and become voices of hope in places where opportunities are often scarce.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐
โWe need to empower our youth nowโฆโ โ Mayor Yu-Castro emphasizes the importance of acting today. Delaying investments in youth education, leadership, and mental health means risking a generation left behind.
โโฆbecause this means building a resilient tomorrow.โ โ Here, she draws a direct connection between todayโs youth and the long-term resilience of communities. In Leyte, a province that has weathered natural disasters and economic setbacks, resilience isnโt just an abstract ideal โ itโs a daily necessity. Empowered youth can lead disaster response, drive innovation, and rebuild stronger communities.
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ โ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐
The Philippines is a young country: over 30% of its population is under the age of 15, and more than half are under 30. This "youth bulge" presents an incredible opportunity โ but also a looming risk if not properly harnessed.
๐ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐
Mayor Yu-Castroโs statement challenges not just government officials, but educators, parents, NGOs, and private sector leaders to rethink their roles in youth empowerment.
โIf we want strong, safe, and sustainable communities in the next decade, we must give our youth the space to lead today,โ she later added during her address.
Indeed, resilience isn't something built overnight. Itโs cultivated in classrooms, homes, farms, and digital spaces. And it starts when leaders โ like Mayor Yu-Castro โ believe in the potential of their youth and back that belief with action.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ก๐ผ๐
As communities across the Philippines prepare for the challenges of the future โ from climate change to digital transformation โ empowering the youth is no longer optional. It is essential.
Mayor Lovell Anne Yu-Castroโs words serve as both a reminder and a roadmap:
โWe need to empower our youth now, because this means building a resilient tomorrow.โ
๐๐ณ ๐๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป โ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ โ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ, ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ผ๐.