The Bongbong-Sara UniTeam of presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. and vice-presidential aspirant Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio has called on youth leaders in Quezon Province to assist in the country's post-pandemic recovery.
The formidable tandem met with Quezon Province youth leaders at the jam-packed Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City on Wednesday morning.
The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard-bearer, in his speech, urged the youth leaders to actively participate in their respective community activities and added that their sector will eventually move the country past the pandemic.
"’Pag meron kayong naiisip na maganda na maaring gawin para makatulong, makialam kayo. Sabihin nyo ito ang gawin natin. At ‘yan ang kailangan ng lahat. Hindi na tayo pwedeng business as usual, in many ways it will be the young people who will lead us into the future (If you have any good ideas that we can do to help, then step in. Tell them this is what we have to do. And this is what everybody needs. We cannot allow business as usual, in many ways it will be the young people who will lead us into the future),” the former senator said.
The former Ilocos Norte congressman also reiterated the need to give the youth a voice. He also encouraged them to share their new ideas with the government with the country moving towards a post-pandemic era.
He also cited the youth's ability to adapt to fast-changing technologies and considered it a means to help others.
"We need your new ideas, we need your energy, and we need your ideology. The fresh ideas that you can bring to the government is so necessary now especially that technology is moving so quickly at kung minsan kami, sabihin na lang natin na nakakatanda sa inyo ng kaunti ay hindi kasing sanay at hindi kasing bilis na makaunawa sa mga bagong sitwasyon, sa mga bagong teknolohiya at kung papaano nating magagamit ang teknolohiya na ‘yan para tulungan ang taumbayan (and sometimes we who are older than you are not that skillful and fast enough to understand new situations, new technologies and how to use technology to help the people)," the former Ilocos Norte governor stated.
Marcos, who was able to identify the pressing concerns and needs affecting the youth sector, was instrumental in the creation of the National Youth Commission (NYC) which recognizes the importance of giving a voice to the youth.
"’Yung teenage pregnancy, ‘yung drug abuse, ‘yung bullying ngayon. May cyber-bullying pa at marami pang iba na hindi namin nakikita kaya’t kailangan natin marinig ang boses ng kabataan, kaya ako itinaguyod natin ang ating National Youth Commission (The teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, bullying today. There is also cyber-bullying and a lot of other things that we cannot see that's why we need to hear the voice of the youth and that's the reason why we need to establish the National Youth Commission)," the former lawmaker said.
Marcos, during the event, added that he considers himself the luckiest Presidential aspirant for having the incumbent Davao City Mayor as his running mate in the 2022 May national elections.
"Nakita po ninyo sa salita ng ating kandidato bilang bise-presidente na ako ang pinakamapalad na presidential aspirant dahil ang naging running-mate ko ay napakagaling, napakarunong, nakapahaba ng karanasan at napakalaki ang pagmamahal sa ating mga kababayan (We can see in the words of our candidate for vice-president that I am the luckiest presidential aspirant because my running-mate is excellent, intelligent, experienced and very loving to our countrymen)," the former legislator said.
Joining the Bongbong-Sara UniTeam sortie were former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, House Majority Floor Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, former senator Jinggoy Estrada, Pampanga Rep. Mikee Arroyo, Quezon Province Rep. Jay-Jay Suarez, Quezon Province Governor Danilo Suarez, and other local officials from Quezon Province.
The Quezon Province tour followed the successful visit of the duo in Samar and Leyte, where throngs of followers went out to show their support.
The UniTeam also led the 'Salubong' event which was a symbolic gesture of the merger between the North led by Marcos and the South headed by Duterte-Carpio which was done at the historic San Juanico Bridge.