BAGUIO CITY — Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday expressed she hopes that more Filipino youth will be inspired by Dr. Jose Rizal’s patriotism and courage and become the government’s partner in promoting education.

Duterte was guest speaker for Knights of Rizal and the National Rizal Youth Leadership Institute’s 60th Anniversary held here.

The ceremony, attended by some members of the Sangguniang Kabataan, students, members of the Knights of Rizal, National Rizal Youth Leadership Institute delegates, teachers, and members of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, featured the life of Rizal in Dapitan where he was exiled.

“But despite being exiled in Dapitan, our national hero refused to be defeated,” she said.

“He made sure that his four-year stay in exile was productive and worthwhile – he was not only a visionary or a writer of stirring stories that inspired people to revolt, but he was also a brilliant systems thinker,” she added.

Among Rizal’s active community engagement was building his own house, a school, a clinic, and homes for his learners and patients, when he won in a Spanish lottery and bought a parcel of land.

“He also created a farm system that allowed the community self-sustainable by producing their crops and earning from regular harvests. From such a simple initiative was born the Association of Dapitan Farmers,” Duterte shared.

Duterte, who is also Education Secretary, also related how the national hero put premium emphasis on education.

“He valued knowledge and generously took in students to learn from him the basic academic teachings that were otherwise not accessible to the intelligent but marginalized people in his community,” she said.

“In Dapitan, even in isolation, Rizal would continue to liberate the Filipinos,” she added.

Duterte recognised the civic organization for convening Filipino youth leaders, which “open avenues towards greater civic consciousness and social empowerment.”

Acknowledging that youth are a strong contributors to nation-building, Duterte also said that “the government needs partners like the Filipino youth to help us spread the importance of education.”

“We need ambassadors who can influence fellow youth to resist the lure of drug addiction or see through the deceitful rhetoric of recruitment to terrorism and violent extremism,” she espoused. Just like Rizal who fought in bloodless battles for Filipinos and the country, Duterte said she was hopeful that many would get inspired and uphold the hero’s values in protecting the country and the people.

“I trust that as you finish this learning experience, you will go home to your families, schools, and communities eager to share Rizal’s values - patriotism, social discipline, civic virtues, and love of justice,” the Vice President said.

OVP MEDIA