Student leaders 'like', 'share' nation building in Youth Hours 2011

MANILA, Philippines - These days, a simple click is all it takes to spark a revolution — especially in one of the social-networking capitals of the world, the Philippines. Spawning digital movements for a cause, social-media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have also become agents of social change in the country.

Now on its fifth year, The Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) Alumni Community-NCR Chapter or TOSPAC-NCR believes it’s high time to spread the message of nation building among the Filipino youth via social media. Last Nov. 19 at PLDT Innolab in Mandaluyong City, over a hundred student leaders and school administrators from 37 colleges and universities in NCR gathered for “Youth Hours”, an annual youth-formation workshop anchored on the three pillars of the TOSP program: academic excellence, leadership, and social responsibility. Each participant underwent one of four different workshops: academic and professional excellence track, leadership track, social responsibility track, and school administrators’ track.

This year’s theme was inspired by the social-media boom in the country, @YouthHours 2011: Like the Vision, Share the Mission of NationBuilding. Youth Hours 2011 aimed to help the participants create a vision for themselves and the nation (like the vision); to promote the exchange of ideas on how to contribute to the nation’s progress (share the mission); and to build a network of young leaders and school officials to spread the passion for nation building in their own schools and communities (“trend” nation building).

Distinguished speakers also shared their thoughts on nation building with the participants. The corporate affairs head of GMA Network, Teresa Pacis (photo above), delivered the keynote address about the potentials and the influence of digital media on youth leadership. Former DTI secretary and NAMFREL founder Jose Concepcion Jr. who also founded the TOSP program 50 years ago based on the exemplary qualities of Jose Rizal talked about sharing the vision of nation building.

Youth Hours 2011 also served a launch pad for other TOSP Alumni Community initiatives, including the debut of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines 2012; the iTAYO NA school-build challenge benefiting public schools in San Luis, Pampanga; and the BAYANiBOLUSYON digital movement aiming to bring out the hero in every Filipino.

Youth Hours 2011 was made possible through the combined efforts of TOSPAC-NCR, PLDT KaAsenso, RFM Foundation, and the Commission on Higher Education-NCR.