Chapter 1
The Problem

Introduction Youth Apostolate is a group of young people that submit themselves willingly and responsibly to the on-going formation, to give hope by living and sharing the gospel values, helping the young people become better Christians and upright citizens in the society and exist for spreading of religious doctrine. It is not an organization but a community of young people helping other youth to become a good citizen of the country. Youth comprises those who are 13 to 29 years old, comprises almost one-third of the country’s population. The youth increasingly play a large role in the development of society particularly in the Diocese of Malaybalay. According to a Social Weather Station (SWS-2001) survey, the youth acknowledge economics, crime, and governance as the country’s main problem. However, despite the fact that they acknowledged the severity of these problems, most of them respond with either helplessness or apathy when asked what they can do to help solve them. This is reflected in the youth behavior towards involvement and participation in organization and activities. Accordingly, Filipinos are not joiners. Only one out of eight Filipino youth are involved in religious organizations and only one out of ten youth joins organizations. Furthermore, the Filipino youth was found to have unexpectedly high incidences of involvement in illegal activities such as illegal drug use, criminality, and illicit sex. Given these disturbing facts about Filipino youth, will they have the ability to address the various social ills of the country? As observed today, the major problem of the youth include pregnancy, rudeness like (cutting in lines, passing through traffic intersections out of turn, running red lights, and using entire green lights for passage of their vehicle alone while they spoke on the cell phone, sifted through their packages, discussed the day’s events with their passengers, lit a smoke, or fixed their makeup or hair), abortion, problems with parents and so many others. Youth have the right to express its own opinions and practice to deem the possible solution to a problem. They are determined and well dedicated to a certain task for a better perspective of today. As we look at those who are active youth, they took an effort just to serve people. They tried to handle and hold the society which prepares young people to meet also the challenges. On the other side, there is certain situation in which it follows the different issues about them like the recent problems; youth are not internalizing the word themselves before they teach it to others, and thus a disconnect between real life and faith is unintentionally communicated, parents are not being the spiritual role models to their teenagers desperately need and youth don’t pray enough. If we truly believed in the power of prayer, spend more time in prayer than anything else. That is why the youth of today cannot be understood why they are still doing these things that are why the youth of today is not the same with the youth few years ago. Attitude was totally changed. Even the choice of music is very different and as well as the new looks they called, “Emo”, and “Punks”. There are non-government organizations and government agencies trying to resolve the problems regarding the involvement of the youth to these issues, they exercises its authority, controls and administers public policy, and directs and controls the actions of its members or subjects. Unfortunately today we find the youth those who are more interested in other places which are not useful to. They choose to spend their days doing drugs and playing video games. They spend their nights partying and living it up, so to speak. More and more youth of this age group are sitting at home in front of their televisions playing games instead of going to work. They have no vision and if they do have dreams they do not have the drive to make any attempt at achieving them. (Giddens, 1991).
The role of the Youth Apostolate is to promote what would be the possible way to be an active youth in the church and in the society without attending those things which can ruin the lives of an individual. They mold and guide the young people to be a better person in a way that they could help the community to be a better place to live in. They can change the future of the society with their well being and courageous behavior. The Diocese of Malaybalay used to have strong values of Christianity. But as noticed nowadays it has a big change which affects the lives of its people. According to Pope John Paul II. “The young people are a special treasure of the church and of the society.” There are people also like Jose P. Rizal exclaimed that the task of cultivating the motherland is burdened upon the youth. Hence, how can we address these social ills plaguing Philippines society? What role does the Active Youth Apostolate play in addressing these social ills? The environment for Filipino youth is defined by enabling laws, policies, plans, programmes and organizations that promote the development and welfare of youth, as well as their participation in development efforts. The number and diversity of enabling instruments developed in recent year’s points to a widening avenue for youth participation in development processes. (NYC 1994). As local observations, there are principles of youth development as to what is to fulfill with their vital role in nation building. Promotion and protection of the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being of youth to the end that youth realize their potential for improving the quality of life; inculcation in youth of patriotism, nationalism and other basic desirable values to infuse in them faith in the Creator, belief in the sanctity of life and dignity of the human person, conviction for the strength and unity of the family and adherence to truth and justice; encouragement of youth involvement in character-building and development activities for civic efficiency, stewardship of natural resources, agricultural and industrial productivity, and an understanding of world economic commitments on tariffs and trade and participation in structures for policy-making and programmed implementation to reduce the incidence of poverty and accelerate socioeconomic development; and mobilization of youth’s abilities, talents and skills and redirecting their creativity, inventive genius and wellspring of enthusiasm and hope for the freedom of our people from fear, hunger and injustice.
The researchers study is considered important to know the level of importance of participating in the Youth Apostolate in the Diocese of Malaybalay and the aspect of human life is considered by the youth an important with regard to the participation of the Active Youth in the religious activities in the Diocese of Malaybalay.