NAGA CITY, April 15 (PIA) --- An old adage that says that the youth is the hope of the Fatherland still holds true, at least for the city government of this city as they continue to promote the youth’s ideals and open windows of opportunities to aspiring young leaders.
Last Monday, the new set of City Youth Officials (CYO) took their oath of office as the newly sworn young frontrunners who will take the reign of the city’s governance until May 31. They will be handling the city’s operations except in areas which are policy determining and areas that would require financial disbursements.
This City Youth program is pursuant to SP Ordinance No. 2007-008 as amended by Ordinance No. 2009-017 institutionalizing the celebration of the City Youth month. Under the given term or duration of office, the city youth officials, mainly composed of City Youth Mayors, Vice-Mayors, Youth Councilors and Department Heads will have a hands-on experience on how to run a city government.
Mayor John Bongat lauded the young leader’s persistence and passion to be part of the city’s governance and take part in the promotion of the good practices that the city has been doing for the past decades.
“In this program, we are opening the door of the City to the youth for them to learn what we mean by good governance. We want them to learn transparency. At a young age, we are giving the youth the opportunity to be part of our government. This is what our former Mayor, the late Jesse M. Robredo called “inclusive and participating governance as transparency seal,” Bongat added.
Camarines Sur 3rd District Representative Leni Robredo also graced the oath-taking ceremony and challenged the young leaders to pursue the good deeds that they have started even after their term is over- to retain the good values and keep a humble spirit in spite of the great power under their sleeves.
“My challenge to the CYOs is the maintenance because I think, like me, the Barangay Officials, the City Officials, the Naga City employees, that’s the most difficult thing to do. All of us started in the service with the right intention. But the question is, how many of us ends and still clean? I think, every day we have to look at it, every day we have to pray that in the middle of all the temptations, we can remember the reason why we are in this service.”
Newly-sworn in City Youth Mayor Ruby Jane L. Bandola accepted the challenge.
“Hopefully, our involvement and empowerment will not stop with City Youth Officials alone. Hopefully, it will not stop with the Youth Month alone. It will be a continuous journey, that needs the collected effort of all citizens of Naga, but as for the challenge of being the frontliners for this change, CYO 2015 gladly accepts it.”
City Councilor Ray-An Cydrick Rentoy, the youngest and one of the most active Councilors of the City, also crafted the Naga City Code through Ordinance No. 2012-035. The resolution has been acknowledged by the National Youth Commission (NYC) through a resolution en banc lauding the initiative of the city’s local officials in coming up with such a comprehensive code for the Naga City youth. (LSMacatangay, PIAV/Camarines Sur)