Through the Local Youth Development Office (LYDO)’s initiative, the City Government of Valenzuela officially conducted its youth training and workshop activity titled “YOUTH Got This!: Back-to-School Leadership Training and Workshop” on July 4, 2026, at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela (PLV) — Maysan Campus, COED Assembly Hall. It’s a joint event bringing the LGU and the youth of Valenzuela together to embrace, strengthen, and empower their leadership skills aimed to serve the future.

With the theme “Nurturing Leadership, Influence, And Impact In The Next Generation”, the event took place with student councils and journalists participating with full energy. Multiple schools brought pride to their names, kicking it off with energetic roll calls and fun icebreakers.

But beyond representing their own schools, the symposium served as a vital leadership exercise to nurture the awareness, civic engagement, and critical thinking of the new generation. YOUTH Got This included a series of meaningful speeches where Mr. Lui Joshua N. Cuadra, College Secretary of Public Administration and Governance from PLV, stressed that the youth share accountability for societal problems in this current society. “We all have an option — kung magiging part ng problema o ng solusyon”, he added.

IBC 13 News Anchor, prominent youth leader, and elected Chairman of Barangay Santolan in Pasig City, Honorable Gabriel “Gab” G. Bayan, followed a talk about his experiences from being a youth leader to leading his hometown. Bayan also reminded attendees of the qualities a leader and a journalist must share: to be transparent, participative, and inclusive — “Change the Campus, Change the World”.

The program concluded with a promising discussion about the city’s upcoming programs. Valenzuela City Mayor, Wes Gatchalian, featured the top projects for Valenzuelano’s this 2026, including health care services, flood control resilience initiatives, educational development programs, and infrastructure. He also connected with the students in an open forum. Participants had the chance to address their thoughts and questions regarding the projects as well as the Mayor’s firsthand experience in leading, demonstrating his saying from the middle of the talk: “A criterion of a successful leader is your willingness to listen”.

The organization’s unified event reflects how providing a space for youth collaboration and insight-sharing is crucial to fostering a well-informed, empowered, and responsible community. Other than being the hope of tomorrow, the Kabataang Valenzuelanos are truly capable of fostering real progress and change, where mindful thinking and genuine service take precedence over repeating systemic issues.