The Moral Crisis We Can’t Ignore: A Call to Save Today’s Youth

On Point Opinion by | Philippine People's Press 

Every time I hear of another young life lost to suicide, or another crime involving a teenager in our Country, my heart breaks and I know I’m not alone. These are not just statistics or headlines. These are real lives, real families, real futures shattered.

As a young person myself and a concerned citizen, I cannot help but ask: What is happening to the youth of today? What went wrong and more importantly, what can we do to make it right?

Let’s start with one undeniable truth: Discipline starts at home. Long before a child learns about rules in school or laws in society, the first teacher of discipline is the home, and the first role models are the parents. I firmly believe that good manners and right conduct are not merely taught they are shown. When a child sees respect, love, humility, and integrity practiced at home, they are more likely to mirror those same values in the outside world.

I’ve often heard people complain that the youth today are “too stubborn,” “too sensitive,” or “too addicted to gadgets.” But maybe it’s not just about what today’s generation is doing it’s about what the previous generation forgot to pass down.

We are in a Moral crisis, and this isn’t just about behavior. It’s about identity, purpose, and connection. Teenagers between the ages of 16 to 21 are at a crucial developmental stage, according to psychologists like Erik Erikson, who called it the “Identity vs. Role Confusion” stage. This is the time when young people search for meaning, direction, and self-worth. And when they can’t find it in healthy environments, they turn to dangerous ones substance , abuse, risky relationships, self-harm, and even suicide.

The City of Pagadian is not exempted In fact, the growing number of suicide cases and juvenile crimes here should alarm all of us. These are signs of a deeper societal issue that we can’t ignore. While our schools are doing their best to implement GMRC (Good Manners and Right Conduct) and values education, I feel it’s not enough. We need a whole-of-community approach. The church, the barangay, the media, the schools, the parents we all need to take part.

But beyond systems and structures, I believe this generation needs something more: A Relationship with God. I say this not just as a Journalist, but as someone who has witnessed how faith can transform a person from the inside out. Our youth are lost because they’re trying to fill a void and no amount of social media likes, temporary pleasure, or peer approval can satisfy a soul that longs for meaning.

I’m not a perfect person. I struggle, I question, and I make mistakes. But I am trying. And if I want change in the world, I know I must start with myself. My attitude. My choices. My discipline. I hope every reader, especially every parent and young people, reflects on that.

If we want a better society, we must raise better children. And to raise better children, we must become better homes.

The call is loud and clear: It’s time we go back to our roots, faith, family, discipline, and love. Because if we do not act now, we may lose an entire Generation not just to a crime or suicide, but to hopelessness.

Let’s not wait for another tragedy. Let’s build homes, schools, and communities that give life not just lectures.

By Mr. Sherman Reve F. Calotes