VI. YOUTH AND NATIONAL SECURITY 

Today, the Philippines is tormented by numerous social afflictions – misery, violence, abuse, and indifference. Just as Jose Rizal and others like him exclaimed, young people are burdened with the task of cultivating the motherland. So how can we deal with these social ills that plague the Philippine Society? What role do young people play in addressing these social ills?

Youth, who, by legal definition, includes those between 15 and 30 years of age, make up nearly one-third of the country 's population. With a significant proportion of the Filipino community, young people are rapidly playing a major role in the growth of the Filipino society. Their attitudes, values, attitudes, and priorities will determine the future development of the country. With the crucial role that society has played for young people, it is imperative that the young people of today have a positive outlook that will guide them towards development. With that in mind, how does the youth see and react to this challenge?

The Global Partnership for Youth Development suggested that one way to overcome and better equip young people to develop society is through empowerment of young people. Empowerment could be manifested through greater opportunities for young people. Youth must be granted the chance to engage in civic life and capacity building. The leadership needs to be harnessed.

Young people may, thus, encourage both optimism and fear in community. Fear in the form of apathy, crime, and immorality. Hope in the form of participation, concern, and voluntary action. Solving the social problems of the country is therefore a challenge for young people to bring hope rather than fear into our society.

Youth have a key role to play in shaping the future of our country, about which there is little doubt. They have demonstrated that they can be powerful agents of change. The question is, are they up to the challenge?