Para sa Lahat ng Patuloy na Lumalaban

For a long time, the youth have been underestimated.

We are often told that we are too young, too idealistic, too loud, too impatient. That we should wait our turn, fall in line, or learn how the world works first before trying to change it. Our intentions are questioned, our actions scrutinized, our passion mistaken for recklessness.

And yet, time and again, it is the youth who choose to stand up when it matters most.

The youth of today refuse to be sidelined, they choose service over silence, and understand that volunteerism is not something you grow into someday, but something you live out now.

Across the country, young volunteers are proving that nation-building does not begin with age, title, or authority—it begins with action. They show up in evacuation centers during disasters. They organize relief drives, tutor younger students, protect our environment, and mobilize communities. They give their time after school, after work, and even on weekends, not because it is convenient, but because it is necessary.

Within the 2030 Youth Force in the Philippines, we see this every day. Many of our volunteers began serving while they were still in high school, teenagers who chose to act instead of wait. Today, they are young professionals who carry with them a deeper sense of purpose, empathy, and responsibility. Their years of volunteering have shaped how they see the world: not as passive observers, but as active participants in shaping its future.

Volunteerism is never romantic. It is demanding. It asks young people to give energy they barely have, to face systems that are slow to change, and to continue serving even when their efforts are dismissed or overlooked. Too often, volunteerism—especially youth-led volunteerism—is shrugged off as performative or temporary.

But the truth is this: our country is being held together by volunteers, and the youth are at the heart of it.

They are the fearless NDRRMC volunteers who run toward danger when disasters strike. They are student-teachers and youth mentors who wake up early, go to schools and communities going beyond what is required to make sure no learner is left behind. They are community health volunteers, environmental advocates, organizers, and leaders who quietly give what they can—because someone needs to.

There is a difference between standing on the sidewalk and watching things unfold, and stepping into the work of change. Today’s youth understand this deeply. 

We are no longer content to simply observe or wait for permission. We claim our seat at the table, and when there is no seat, we bring our own chair. We let our voices be heard, not out of defiance, but out of responsibility.

The youth of today are bold. They are present. They are unafraid to get their hands dirty, to learn as they go, and to lead with conviction. They understand that service takes many forms: sometimes loud, often quiet, but always rooted in compassion.

Simple acts of volunteerism create the biggest impact when done collectively: packing relief goods late into the night, checking in on a neighbor, mentoring a child, planting trees, organizing communities, or choosing to show up consistently. These acts may seem small, but together, they hold our nation together.

This National Volunteers Month, we honor the youth who continue to serve despite being underestimated. You remind us that hope is not something we wait for—it is something we build.

Maraming salamat sa lahat ng kabataang patuloy na lumalaban. 

Sa inyong tapang, malasakit, at pagkilos, patuloy na umaangat ang ating bayan.