XU STUDENT-LEADERS. (From left to right) Clark David Moritcho, Pamela Erika Emano, Jasmine Sweet Naomi Tamala, Andrew Illnois Nillos Catalbas are among the Xavier Ateneo delegates in the Philippine Model Congress 2019. Supplied photo. 

The legacy of redefining the role of the Filipino youth continues: “Lagi’t lagi, para sa Diyos, Kabataan, at Bayan.”

Four students of Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan participated in the 8th session of the Philippine Model Congress held at the Senate of the Philippines.

XU Central Student Government - Office of the Vice President (CSG-OVP) associate legislative secretary Andrew Illnois N Catalbas (BS Nursing-2); CSG-OVP Technical Reference Bureau director and United Arts and Sciences Student Council (UNITASS) legislative secretary Pamela Erika J Emano (BS Psych-1); 2019 Class Valedictorian, cum laude and currently a Law freshman Jasmine Sweet Naomi Tamala; and Ateneo Good Governance and Leadership Academy(AGGLA) fellow and PIChE-JCM XU associate justice Clark David F Moritcho (BS Chem Eng-1) were the official representatives of the university to the largest nationwide youth-led legislative simulation of the Congress of the Philippines which aims to provide an avenue for crafting bills that seeks to resolve relevant issues.

The delegates had the opportunity to debate and discuss the country’s pressing issues.

Catalbas has seen the need for the youth to be involved in service to the country, to help build a sustainable future for Filipinos.

The Philippine Model Congress empowers the youth to participate in nation-building and to promote grassroots representation through legislation. The highlight of the event was the plenary session where over 400 students from different legislative districts of the country voiced out their stances to the country’s pressing issues.

"The experience empowered me to do more in the service of my fellow youth," Catalbas said. Indeed, the youth is the hope of the nation!” 

For Tamala, the experience empowered her to fight for the rights of the Filipino people.

“PMC was a celebration of the Filipino youth that this country needed," she said. "Witnessing different youth representatives from all over the country collectively fighting for social justice was an experience I will hold on to. It was the empowerment I needed to keep pushing for the rights of my fellow Filipinos.”

Moritcho took it as a challenge to encourage and influence his fellow youth to contribute to solving our country's issues through legislative means.

He said: "The event emphasized the importance of legislation in addressing societal problems, and the necessity of the youth to be aware of our legislative processes and rules of procedure. It also provided an avenue in enhancing our problem-solving skills, since legislation requires you to approach and view problems holistically, focusing on the welfare of the masses, so to speak. Overall, it was a very amazing experience and I would like to encourage my fellow youth to take part in our advocacy of redefining our roles  for a better society." 

For Emano, the opportunity made her realize the importance of serving the community and the responsibility that she carries in redefining the role of the youth.

"Although legislation is not foreign to me, engaging in Philippine Model Congress 2019 was an eye-opener and a whole new level of experience," she said.

"I realized that my knowledge of legislation was just diminutive. Discussing national issues in the Senate together with other youth legislators was extreme and highly comprehensive. Everything was backed up by extensive research, a grounding purpose for the benefit of the common good for the Filipinos, and should never be for personal interests. This experience inspired me to never just let my learnings be boxed up in my brain but should also benefit the community that I am representing."

At present, the Xavier Ateneo’s CSG has been conducting local youth-led legislative simulation patterned from the Philippine Model Congress such as The Xavier Parliament and VOX: Cagayan de Oro with plans to expand the project Mindanao wide.

With the skills and practices they have acquired, the Xavier Ateneo student-leaders hope to empower student representation for the development of the country.∎