To achieve a “miracle” popularity among young Filipinos, PBBM must prioritize tangible economic results — specifically lowering inflation and creating high-quality jobs. A key action includes expanding affordable food programs (Kadiwa centers) for young breadwinners.

PBBM must move beyond symbolic communication and deliver tangible, long-term results focusing on economic stability, education and jobs creation. Key actions include managing the high inflation, creating quality employment, prioritizing digital upskilling and genuinely involving the youth in governance.

Key to improve youth ratings:

1. Education and Skills Development: Focus on upgrading the quality of education, ensuring international competitiveness, and supporting training programs, as noted by the President when he emphasized a skills-based education.

2. Economic Stability and Employment: Young Filipinos prioritize financial security, with many becoming primary earners. The administration must address high inflation and create jobs to lower poverty.

3. Genuine Political Participation: Actively engaging the youth in political discourse and governance as highlighted in reports on youth engagement initiatives.

4. Addressing Key Issues: The administration must deliver results in key areas like climate change and flood control and reduce the administrative burden on teachers in the education sector.

In August 2025, PBBM told the ASEAN youth: True success depends on skills, knowledge, emphasizing technical-vocational training and education to make young Filipinos internationally competitive.

“Skills are more valuable than oil, more enduring than gold and more transformative than any technology,” he stressed.

At the opening of the 14th Worldskills ASEAN Manila that August, Marcos urged the youth to continue honing their skills, knowledge and creativity.

“We often say skills are now the new global currency. They are the foundation of innovation and the engine of industry,” he said. “In a heavily interconnected and changing world, success depends on the skills, knowledge and creativity of the people.”

PBBM said the youth play a crucial role in attaining a green transition, investing in green skills and digital infrastructure, which the UN highlights as crucial for future-ready youth.

The President emphasized the vital role of the youth in accelerating the green transition.

The young population, he said, who serve as “both trailblazers for the modern world and the hope of the future,” have an important part to play in attaining a more sustainable economy.

“It is in this realization where I consistently draw inspiration from the encouraging visions of young Filipinos who exude eagerness to evoke transformational movements that positively impact the current and coming generations,” he said.

Marcos added, “May our love for the youth and Mother Earth be the guidepost as we commit to our collective desire to embark on a green transition.”

“Together, let us embrace the social contract and move towards a future that efficiently, inclusively and sustainably works for all. Green skills such as knowledge, abilities, values, and attitudes are needed to live in, develop and support a sustainable resource efficient society,” the President said.

According to data released by the International Labor Organization, a green transition could yield 8.4-million jobs for young people by 2040. If current trends continue, however, more than 60 percent of the young people may lack the skills required to thrive in a green society.

Email: arturobesana2@gmail.com