KB gathers youth leaders in Catanduanes

By Jinky Tabor VIRAC, Catanduanes — Some 400 youth leaders from this island province and the five other provinces in Bicol gathered in this capital town last Saturday for an experience that will empower them further as the country’s future leaders. Kusog Bikolandia (KB), a new regional political party founded by businessman Noel N. de Luna, said the event was a convergence aimed at delivering the organization’s goal of developing a new breed of leaders. De Luna, a former mediaman who is now the president of Wellconstruct Inc., said one of the objectives of the KB “is to institutionalize political reforms by developing and training potential regional and sectoral leaders, with emphasis on youth.” “We expect to nurture good Bicolano traits and values, and morality in public office,” said De Luna, KB chairman, in explaining why his group has targeted youth leaders. KB President Jorge V. Sarmiento who hails from Catanduanes said he invited the core group of the organization to come to his place and see what they can do to help bring change and progress in this island province and that the wisest thing to start with is to talk with the future leaders of the country. He said Kusog Bikolandia’s tagline, “Bikolanong Burunyog, Rehiyong Makusog!,” means uniting Bicolanos as a stronger region. “Our mission in life is not to change the world – it is actually to change ourselves so that we can bring change to others, and finally the world,” De Luna said. He stressed: “Indeed, a new dawn rises in our region with Kusog Bikolandia, a regional party that seeks to define our identity and push for the full potential of Bicolandia. We need to explore our resources to our people’s welfare and advantage and guide them to be men and women for others.” He exhorted the young leaders that, at the end of the convergence, each one of them would come out as a new, different and improved person with “a wider perspective and great promise because there are people who are waiting for leadership, and clear vision to become instrumental in making Catanduanes a better place to live in.”