NMI Youth Summit hopes to tear down stereotypes

CNMI Youth Congress Speaker Thomas Manglona II addresses the members of the Youth Summit after Sen. Sixto Igisomar’s talk on the government’s war on ‘ice’ campaign in yesterday’s 15th CNMI Youth Congress Youth Summit at the Napu room of the Pacific Islands Club. (Jon Perez)

To tear down the stereotypes of today’s youth is one of the goals of yesterday’s whole-day Youth Summit, where members of the 15th CNMI Youth Congress and students from the other schools listened to different speakers discuss various issues that affect the Commonwealth. The Youth Summit was held at the Pacific Islands Club’s Napu Room.

CNMI Youth Congress Speaker Thomas Manglona II said the stereotypes that kids these days are lazy, just play video games, and are no longer interested in issues that affect them are not true.

“I’ve mentioned that there’s an opportunity for us to learn. We are focused on creating and finding solutions. We gather suggestions from our peers and from our speakers today and present a resolution,” said Manglona.

“That’s why everything that we gathered in the summit will be used as part for creating a resolution when the Youth Congress resumes our session in April,” he added.

The CNMI Youth senators and 40 students from different public and private schools listened as U.S. Attorney General for the Districts of Guam and CNMI Alicia Limtiaco, Commonwealth Advocates for Recovery Efforts director Jenny Hegland, Commonwealth Utilities Corp. public information officer Brad Ruszala, and Sen. Sixto Igisomar (R-Saipan) spoke on topics that affect them.

Limtiaco talked about cyber-bullying and effects of social media and domestic violence; Hegland and Ruszala discussed the ongoing recovery efforts for Typhoon Soudelor relief, and Igisomar, who is part of the policy committee on the interagency “ice” task force, spoke about the ongoing war against methamphetamine or “ice.’

Manglona said he and the seven youth senators would meet before the session starts in April to discuss the information that they gathered in the Youth Summit.

“Yes, we’re still students and not that experienced as policymakers, but we too have a part in finding solutions with our present problems. We have an entire day to discuss the issues and we would come up with a resolution in April,” Manglona said.

He added that members of the 15th CNMI Youth Congress are also hoping that the other private schools would be represented in the future. Kagman, Marianas, Saipan Southern, Tinian, and Dr. Rita H. Inos junior and senior high schools, Grace Christian Academy, Marianas Baptist Academy, and Mt. Carmel School are currently represented in the Youth Congress.

“Four of us members of the Youth Congress are graduating after this school year so there will be an election in a few months,” said Manglona.

“We want to recruit more Youth Congress members. We want students and youths from Agape Christian School, Eucon, Saipan International School, and other schools to have representatives in the Youth Congress,” he added.

Vice Speaker Roselyn B. Tangal (MHS), Floor Leader Kayjon Bradley T. Boadi (KHS), Legislative Secretary Reynafe N. Aniga (SSHS), Sens. Catherine C. Manglona (DRHIJSHS), William P. Hinson (GCA), Henry Kyle B. Hofschneider (MBA), Gerald K. Crisostomo (TJSHS) are the other Youth Congress members.