Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday encouraged young Filipino leaders to have a clear purpose in their lives, saying this is the best way to resist temptation as public servants.
“I want to warn you na now na pumasok kayo sa mundo ng pulitika, lahat ng temptations nandyan sa inyo. Let your purpose guide you,” Cayetano told hundreds of young officials who attended the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Iloilo Chapter Provincial Congress on July 8, 2024.
The senator, who began his own career in the government as an SK official, said peer pressure is a common struggle among young leaders.
He said this can be overcome by keeping in mind one’s “higher purpose.”
“‘Yun ang mahirap sa pulitika, kasi you need everyone,” he said. “[Pero] kung y’ung leader mismo ay mawawalan ng purpose, sama-sama [kayong walang mararating] at barka-barkada na lang [ang mangyayari].”
He challenged the SK officials present to be united by one vision for their province.
“Twenty years from now, ano ang itsura ng Iloilo? Ano ang [magiging legacy] ng batch niyo?” Cayetano challenged them.
“The future of Iloilo is bright because ang SK na batch niyo has a good sense of purpose,” he added.
