Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. underscored that the youth being the hope and future of the country should be at the forefront of the development agenda of the provincial government.
Defensor was the guest speaker during the Iloilo Youth Development Officers Summit 2023 organized by the provincial government in partnership with the National Youth Commission-Visayas and the Sangguniang Kabataan Iloilo Provincial Federation on August 19, 2023, at the Casa Real de Iloilo.
The governor said the provincial government wants to engage the youth in all its mainstream programs, particularly on entrepreneurship and education.
The 4th Entrepreneur is an innovation of Governor Defensor which aims to promote an entrepreneurial mindset among the young people. It encourages them to participate in its entrepreneurship programs and engage in agribusiness.
This is in line with the development thrust of the province which is to maximize agricultural production and create a value chain for agricultural products to generate employment and business for the agri-tourism industry.
“We will pursue this direction together with you. We want you to be at the forefront,” Defensor said.
The youth is also at the frontline of Defensor’s Bulig Eskwela sang Probinsya (Bes Probins) Program. Under the program, the provincial government, with the help of partner agencies, is crafting a career guidance module to guide the youth in deciding what career they will pursue in college. A voter’s education manual will also be created to help young people become intelligent members of the electoral process.
Furthermore, the provincial government is constructing teen center buildings in secondary schools which will also serve as youth development centers in the municipalities.
“We don’t only want a strong youth program in the province of Iloilo. We want the youth to be in all of our programs,” Defensor said.
The governor lauded SK Iloilo Provincial Federation President Bianca Requinto for activating the Iloilo Youth Development Council and facilitating the creation of the Iloilo Province Youth Development Office.
The two-day summit aims to cascade and present the pertinent laws concerning the youth to YDOs as well as capacitate them to better serve their roles.
(Capitol News)