DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Saturday, July 7, called on various sectors in the country to support his administration’s goal to educate and empower more Filipinos, particularly the youth.
“As we set ourselves to the task of building our nation, I invite everyone to become agents of hope and catalysts of progress,” President Duterte said in his speech during the inauguration of the Malayan Colleges Mindanao (MCM) here.
“I also encourage all sectors of our society to keep supporting this administration’s development agenda, especially in pursuits that would educate our youth and empower more Filipinos,” he added.
The President stressed the importance of the citizens’ participation as his administration continues to implement its campaigns against illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption.
“This will be helpful in ridding ourselves of the social ills that have shackled our growth and hindered our country from achieving its full potential,” he said.
“Indeed, every citizen’s participation will be crucial as we set ourselves to the great but rewarding task of effecting meaningful and lasting transformation for our country and our countrymen,” he added.
“Let us all work together to realize our dream of a truly stable, peaceful, orderly, and prosperous Philippines,” he said.
Malayan Colleges Mindanao (MCM), a campus of the Mapua University (formerly known as the Mapua Institute of Technology), is a subsidiary of Malayan Colleges Inc. (MCI) under the Yuchengco Group of Companies. Mapua is known for its courses in the fields of engineering, architecture, and sciences.
The Malayan Colleges Mindanao officially opened on July 2 with at least 1,233 students enrolled in various courses such as Engineering and Architecture, Arts and Sciences, Business, and Computer Studies.
Meanwhile, President Duterte stressed that there is no need for a law to enable him to order the clearing of the streets.
“If I say, ‘arrest and take into custody the young people,’ that is well within my parens patriae [power] —as the father of the nation— to protect them from crime,” Duterte said, noting that some youths are being used as couriers for illegal activities and take part in street riots and crimes.
“Because of their tender age, we have to take them out of the streets and place them overnight ‘yung [sa] mga barangay and safe places. After that, they are returned to their parents,” Duterte said.
“Nothing is wrong with that. You can bring me to the Supreme Court and we will see each other there. Do not deprive the government to reduce us to inutility,” he said.
The President stressed that his order is not unconstitutional.
“If that is the only argument that you have (that it’s unconstitutional), of course, it is not,” he said.
“That’s parens patriae. It is a very sacred obligation of the government to help the helpless,” he said. (PND)
