30 May 2012
As enthusiastic they are as voters, young people should begin developing the zeal to join politics themselves to effect the change they want.
Secretary Joel Villanueva, Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), gave this message to some 15,000 at The Youth Summit 2012 as he rallied them to come forward and take an active role in politics.
“'Every election is important just like this 2013 where we hope to see more KKB members participating in the noble task of nation-building by seeking public office,” Villanueva said.
KKB stands for Kristiyanong Kabataan para sa Bayan, a faith-based group of about a million members, which was behind the two-day summit held from May 28 to 29 at the Smart Araneta Center in Quezon City.
President Benigno Aquino III was the guest speaker of the event.
To date, there are 279 KKB members elected in various posts at the barangay, municipality, city levels and in Congress.
“If we say we need dirty politics must change, then we ask, who is going to change that? We just can’t pray and ask God to please clean this up, it is not just realistic. Young people should get in and address this themselves," Villanueva told the audience of 15,000 youth.
This year's summit was the first that was attended by a President since the KKB held its annual gathering in 2004.
“One of KKB Movement’s major thrusts is nation building. President Aquino’s extreme commitment to treading the 'matuwid na landas' (the right path) toward a blessed Philippines is a very inspiring leadership value which I believe the youth generation should imbibe and emulate,” Villanueva said.
To prep them up for politics, Villanueva said young people should be empowered through education.
With the implementation of the K to 12 program starting this school year, Villanueva said students will have an option to either pursue college or develop skills-based specialization through courses offered by TESDA.
TESDA will also offer livelihood trainings to communities adopted by the KKB to help them find earn, Villanueva added.
The KKB Movement was founded in 1989 as the youth arm of Jesus is Lord (JIL) Movement, the biggest independent born-again evangelical church in the country. It has chapters all over the Philippines and over 40 countries worldwide.
At present, KKB has 185 central chapters, 932 national chapters and 17 Christian Youth for Nation or CYN (international chapters). From 130 youth services in 2010, KKB has grown to 170 youth services in 2011.
Villanueva rallied its members to focus on four major thrusts relevant to the youth: campus missions, community missions, media missions and nation-building.
To popularize its missions, KBB maintains an active presence in public by use of the mainstream media. It currently maintains a web-based radio called KKB Web Radio; a television station, a publishing house and a production outfit.
Villanueva is the incumbent national chairman of KKB. He joined politics at a young age of 25 when he became representative of the partylist Citizens Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) at the House of Representatives.
After serving three terms in Congress, he was appointed to TESDA in July 2010 under the Aquino administration.
The President has recently endorsed Villanueva as one of the administration party's senatorial bets in 2013.
Share this page
