Demapan seeks anew Youth Congress speakership
Incumbent Youth Congress Speaker Angel A. Demapan is not about to say good-bye to his year-long stint as head of the youth group after all, expressing the need to settle some “unfinished business” on behalf of CNMI’s youth.
“After much consultation with my constituents and because I believe that there is still unfinished business to take care of, I have made this decision,” said the 18-year-old youth senator whose speakership term concludes this month.
Mr. Demapan’s latest victory was swiping the highest number of votes during the 3rd CNMI Youth Congress elections last Sept. 18, running under precinct no. 1.
“As speaker and presiding officer of the 2nd Youth Congress, I have familiarized myself with the operations and functions of the Youth Congress. Furthermore, I am fully aware of the duties and responsibilities of being speaker. During my term, I foresaw many accomplishments and presented a productive body of young policy-making leaders,” said Mr. Demapan.
The youth leader further cited the need to carry on what he has started as senator under the first two Youth Congress years.
As speaker, Mr. Demapan’s first action was for leadership call, initiating the creation of a committee to spearhead the 2nd Kidcare Photo ID event co-sponsored by Power 99 last May.
Representing the CNMI, Mr. Demapan also took the lead, along with three other youth senators, to a Character Counts conference in Lombard, Illinois last April for a three-day character development workshop designed for the youth.
The youth speaker, with some senators and members of the Legislative Bureau also succeeded in arranging a discussion visit with Guam’s Youth Congress speaker Jason Tedtaotao where they tackled common issues besetting the youths in the Pacific.
Mr. Demapan is one of a few youth senators to author and introduce the most number of bills and resolutions during the 1st and 2nd Youth Congress to include youth-empowering initiatives such as the “General Education Act of 2000” and a proposed legislation to amend and/or clarify the functions of the Youth Congress.
The proposed amendments aim to increase the terms of youth senators from one to two years and likewise conduct sessions every month instead of once every three months.
“I believe I have exemplified true leadership, dedication, commitment, and responsibility. I have demonstrated a coordinated collaboration with staff members of the Youth Congress and the Legislative Bureau,” he said.
Meanwhile, a new set of Youth Congress senators will try their hands at policy-making after they are officially sworn into office sometime this month. (MM)
