VICE PRESIDENT and Education Secretary Sara Duterte expressed hope that more Filipino youth will be inspired by the courage and patriotism of Dr. Jose Rizal and become the government’s partner in promoting education.

Duterte was the guest speaker at the Knights of Rizal and the National Rizal Youth Leadership Institute’s 60th Anniversary in Baguio City on Thursday.

The ceremony, attended by students, members of the Sangguniang Kabataan, members of the Knights of Rizal, National Rizal Youth Leadership Institute delegates, teachers and members of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines featured the life of Rizal in Dapitan where he was exiled.

“But despite being exiled in Dapitan, our national hero refused to be defeated,” Duterte said.

“He made sure that his four-year stay in exile was productive and worthwhile – he was not only a visionary or a writer of stirring stories that inspired people to revolt, but he was also a brilliant systems thinker,” the Vice President added.

Among Rizal’s accomplishments were building his own house, a school, a clinic, and homes for his learners and patients.

“He also created a farm system that allowed the community self-sustainable by producing their crops and earning from regular harvests. From such a simple initiative was born the Association of Dapitan Farmers,” Duterte shared.

She also related how the national hero put premium emphasis on education.

“He valued knowledge and generously took in students to learn from him the basic academic teachings that were otherwise not accessible to the intelligent but marginalized people in his community,” she said.

“In Dapitan, even in isolation, Rizal would continue to liberate the Filipinos,” she added.

Duterte said that the government needs partners like the Filipino youth to help spread the importance of education.

“We need ambassadors who can influence fellow youth to resist the lure of drug addiction or see through the deceitful rhetoric of recruitment to terrorism and violent extremism,” she said.

“I trust that as you finish this learning experience, you will go home to your families, schools, and communities eager to share Rizal’s values – patriotism, social discipline, civic virtues, and love of justice,” the Vice President added.