I greet you at this juncture with pride and honor as I stand before you today to deliver a speech

coming from the bottom of my heart. I challenge you then to bear closely with my words as I give you
a picture of what is happening to the young generation of the present time.
Our great national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, once said that we, the youth, are the hopes of our
fatherland. It is always a responsibility for all of us to prove that he is not wrong with his aspiration for
we believe that Filipino youth are responsible, clever, and talented. But as we get closer to the
modernity of the time, this hopes seem to be vague and unknown because of our actions that are
already outside the limits. The youths who are said to be the hope of the nation seem to be the crucial
tool towards indifference. Indifference in the sense that they already disregard the principles and values
that Rizal wanted them to be. I can say that it is really timely for every Filipino especially the youths to
already reflect on his achievements and ideals that are being smoothly destroyed and forgotten as years
go by.
Rizal was really the image of a skillfully productive individual having mastered diverse skills and
subjects. At present, some also of the present youth have mastered various skills. But unfortunately,
these are skills of crime and immorality. Some youths are becoming snatchers, rapists, thieves,
carnappers and even murderers. A research survey in 2002 revealed that Philippines was already
number 6 in the world when it counts to the number of murder cases done by the youth.
Rizal was very zealous in reading books and novels and even writing sincerely as his ways of
widening his horizon and expressing his own self which was likely brought him to know 22 languages
including Latin, German and Catalan. Comparing the present generation, some are also passionate in
playing computer games, texting and pampering in vices which result to addiction that also causes the
youth to get away from their real passion to education.
Rizal is also one of the few familiar Renaissance man in the world who was known to be the
men of academic excellence and uniqueness. Education has been his primary key in achieving his goals
in life. But sadly, another research survey in 2009 revealed that 15 million Filipinos are already
considered illiterate which also exposed a notion that more than 11.6 million Filipinos are out of school
youth. Instead of following the real path of education, the youths are really guided to take the wrong
way. Because of exposure to negligence, vices and corruption, they become totally irresponsible and
somehow lose their interest in learning.
Thinking all of these activities we are doing presently, can we still find for hope? A hope that is
not only for our own sake but for our country as well?
Rizal said that we are the hopes of our fatherland. But he never told us that he leaves all the
heavy burdens of the society for us to change. Rather, he encourages us to positively interact with one
another; to bear unity that will cause respect; a respect that will lead to love and peace; and love and
peace that will be our primary weapon in achieving progress and development.
We are each others hope. Rizal wanted us the best that we could be. He wanted us not to follow
his steps for our own sake but to consider it as the heartbeat of the whole nation. Let us form
convergence and concordance as a nation and establish the unity and peace across all nations. Let us
make our voice and identity. Let us prove to the world that the youth of today are indeed the hopes of
the fatherland.
Thank you and Mabuhay!