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They Need To Know the Changes They
Are Going Through
As we recall and compare our thoughts, our
attitudes and our behavior between the ages 15 to 24 with
the attitudes and behavior of our youth today, we could say
that our behavior then is similar to their behavior now.
Let us remember that we also tried to look like the celebrities
of those days, that we wanted to be with our “barkadas”
most of the time, some even cut classes to go bowling or to
see movies. We frequented disco houses where a few of us smoked
pot and tried liquor. We also thought that going to church
was not the “in” thing to do and we used a kind
of language different from the language of our elders.
During our teens we also felt attracted to and we had fun
with the opposite sex. We dated, we kissed, we petted and
the more reckless adventurous among us, went all the way.
We could say, indeed, that our adolescent years were adventurous
years.
In various Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)15
held among adolescents and youth in 2001 and 2002, physical,
mental and emotional changes were noted.
The males said that they started to develop their own view
of life, they also became more dependable, decided on and
solved problems and exercised their independence (sarili mo
nang desisyon). They also became more receptive to greater
social and economic involvements. For females, in addition
to validating menstruation as a marker, also noticed other
physical, emotional and mental transformations, behavioral
change (mahinhin, maayos, malinis at dina puwedeng maglaro),
as well as changes in how others treat them. They said that
they also would like to start acquiring things through their
own efforts (gusto nang pagpaguran ang ikaliligaya). Greater
self-consciousness was commonly perceived for both sexes (males:
pumoporma, females: using cosmetics).
The Out-of-School Youth (OSY) and In-School-Youth (ISY) perceived
fellow youth differently: Rural ISYs viewed their peers as
God fearing, obedient, humble, aware of current events, and
concerned with their future (matutong mangarap para sa kanilang
kinabukasan). The OSYs on the other hand, perceived their
peers to be indifferent, irresponsible, materialistic and
undisciplined (lahat ng nakikita sa tv akala masarap). They
also identifed respect for self (respeto sa sarili muna para
respetohin ka ng iba), self discipline (disiplina sa sarili)
as areas to be improved among youth.
The FGD conducted by the University Center for Women’s
Studies (2003)16
revealed that the common aspiration among our adolescents
and youth is to finish their education. Education is seen
as the key to all the other things aspired for — a successful
career and financial stability. Almost everybody mentioned
wanting to have all the material benefits so they and their
families could live comfortably. Dreams and aspirations are
often shared with friends (mas naiintindihan) and family,
especially parents (matutulungan nila).
Several male groups, both in the younger and older age groups,
discussed wanting to get married and having a family (syempre,
pangarap ng lalaki talaga ay yung mag-asawa…makapag-asawa
agad…makapag-asawa ng mayaman or magaling humawak ng
negosyo para makapag-focus ako sa office work) although they
said they wanted to be financially secure first before getting
married.
The idea of marriage and settling down did not appear as the
most salient aspiration among the females who were more concerned
about self-fulfillment and contributing to society (gusto
ko magsilbi sa bayan…sa bansa). Many female respondents
also talked about wanting to graduate and succeed in their
career to repay or to help their parents and families. 
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