Saturday, February 23, 2008 Aspiring lawyer, education student 'model youths'
A GRADUATING education student and an aspiring lawyer are this year’s outstanding youth leaders of Cebu City.
Among five finalists in each of their category, Irish Amores, a fourth year Bachelor in Elementary Education student of St. Theresa’s College, and Jessa Helene Aco of Cebu City National Science High School (CCNSHS) were the ones who stood out.
Each of them brought home a plaque, a medal and P5,000 cash as awardees of The Outstanding Cebuano Youth Leaders (Tocyl) search.
“I’m challenging the youth. Don’t waste time on activities that will destroy your values. Work with a common purpose, which is to lead and to love,” said Amores, daughter of a public utility jeepney driver and a quality controller at the Mactan Export Processing Zone.
She is the third of Santiago and Maria Servitas’ eight children.
In an interview, Amores said she did not expect to win, and never really cared to be chosen as winner after “learning a lot during the interview.”
She said the insights she gained from the panel of judges were more than enough learning experience for her.
Finalists
Rev. Fr. Socrates Saldua, Dr. Ernesto Gemota, and National Youth Commissioner Michael Francis Lopez, a 2005 Tocyl finalist, composed the board of judges.
She said she loved teaching and being with children, which was why she took elementary education as a degree.
She said she admitted to the judges that she entertained thoughts of going abroad to earn more for the family, but reassessed her priorities after the interview.
And for Aco, CCNSHS supreme student government vice president, the interview with Rev. Saldua, Dr. Gemota, and Commissioner Lopez made her think of becoming an environment lawyer instead of a corporate lawyer.
She said she intends to put up a foundation in her mother Mariflor’s hometown of Alcantara, Cebu later on to help the poor.
Her advice to other students aspiring to be a Tocyl winner like her: Never underestimate your potential, dream big, and never take your eyes off the goal.
Strength
“And always have God at the center of your life. He gives you the strength through the ups and downs,” she said.
Master of ceremony Arthur James Aliazon, himself a Tocyl awardee (1999, high school category), posed an analogy of the Philippines as a ship and the Filipinos as the crew equipped with oars in rowing the country forward.
“As leaders, you are given bigger oars. Will you accept the challenge?” he asked the finalists.
Aco and Amores said they would, and thanked the City Government for the recognition.
City Councilor Eduardo Rama, Cebu City Youth Development Commission (CCYDC) chairman, said the City believes in the youth’s role in nation building, hence the search.
Vice Mayor Michael Rama also urged the youth leaders to seek the truth and what is right.
He said the actions of the winners, and that of the eight finalists, will be judged as years pass if they have stayed true to the promise of helping the country.
CCYDC member and former city councilor Manuel Legaspi said the road to success for the youth is endless, and perseverance is rewarded. RHM
