Tuesday, 17 May 2011 09:14
Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III and U.S. Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. participated in the closing ceremony held at the House of Representatives for the 29 graduates of the 11th Cycle of the Congressional Internship Program for Young Mindanao Leaders (CIPYML).
CIPYML, a partnership project of the Philippines and U.S. governments, provided potential young leaders from the conflict affected areas of Mindanao to experience a three months internship in Congress where they were exposed to the rudiments of legislative research, bill making, attending committee hearings, drafting committee reports, and organizing round table discussions.
Tañada, who represented Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. during the occasion, told the graduates that their participation in the program has earned them the opportunity of immersing in national government that they may further develop and hone their leadership skills.
"The potential you exhibited as leaders in your locality earned you a spot in the program. In the past few months you were given not only a bird’s eye view of how your national government functions but you were also provided with supplemental instructions that enhanced your knowledge and expertise. You were exposed to the workings of your national government that you may identify and replicate its admirable processes and characteristics and disregard and alter that which are inefficient or unwanted," Tañada said.
"It is our hope that you can see that given proper support, the government can and will work for the people. I enlist your help and commitment to help bring peace in Mindanao and persist in our effort to disperse progress in the region. By doing so you commit not only to solve the problem in the region but also help give birth to a more peaceful and prosperous future for our nation and the generations who will succeed us," Tañada stressed.
Thomas for his part said both the Philippine House of Representatives and the United States' lower house share a belief in the importance of providing first-hand experiences that help young citizens understand better in a way that textbooks and university classes cannot, how the institution of democratic governance really work, how policies are formulated, how laws are crafted and enacted and how compromises must be made among and between people with differing points of view.
Thomas emphasized that the program, which has spanned the tenure of three Speakers of the House of Representatives and three US Ambassadors, is valuable in making concrete contributions to strengthening awareness of and respect for democratic procedures.
"All of you, the best and the brightest of the Philippines, your province, your nation need your talent -- your education, your work and your devotion to duty. And I know that each and every one of you will serve as role models to other young people in Mindanao and throughout the nation. Sa inyo nakasalalay ang kinabukasan ng bayan," Thomas said.
CIPYML's valedictorian Cedrick Mastura from Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao told his fellow graduates that the ceremony is not an end, but just the beginning towards a greater adventure in the real world, a bigger field to conquer and an opportunity to triumph over problems and challenges that mar them from realizing their aspirations in life and prove themselves worthy of being called young Mindanao leaders.
Also present during the occasion were officials and professors from the University of the Philippines - the National College of Public Administration and Good Governance (UP-NCPAG), the Mindanao State University, former Rep. Lualhati Antonino, Chairperson of the Mindanao Development Authority and other House officials.
The Muslim scholars came from the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Marawi City, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, General Santos City, Iligan City, Sarangani, Maguindanao and Cotabato City.
source: http://www.congress.gov.ph
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