- Former YSpeak host Bianca Gonzalez gave some sisterly advice to the younger generation
- Bianca, who started hosting the show at the age of 21, told the youth that their opinion matters that is why they must always be responsible for it and never stop learning
- The youth-oriented debate show was launched in 2003 and had been on air for seven years
Do you still remember the youth-oriented debate show YSpeak?
Television personality and author Bianca Gonzalez, who started hosting the show at the age of 21, told the youth that their opinion matters; that is why they must always be responsible for it and never stop learning.
Through her Facebook page, Bianca gave a bunch of sisterly advice to the younger generation.
“I’d like to tell you a little about YSpeak. It was a youth-oriented debate show that launched in 2003 and was on air for seven years. I remember being 21 years old, thinking, ‘How am I supposed to share my opinion alongside Karen Davila and Ryan Agoncillo?’ — then already an esteemed journalist and TV host respectively — and, ‘Who is going to care what I have to say?’ As an ‘ate’ to the younger generation, allow me to share a few things I learned from my YSpeak journey,” she began her lengthy yet inspiring post.
Your opinion matters, she told them.
“Whether you have 10,000 followers or active ka lang sa barkada chat groups, your opinion holds weight. At the end of each YSpeak taping, kahit grabe kaba kong mag-share ng opinyon, I realized that the more I practiced forming my own opinion, the more I discovered, ‘Ah, ito pala ang values, beliefs, at issues na importante sa akin.’ I learned that I couldn’t ‘fight’ every battle, but I would step forward for issues that mattered to me the most,” she said.
“Opinions are not facts, but your opinions must be based on facts. Kaya scary ang false news. Not only do you get the wrong information, you also form a misinformed opinion,” she continued. “I am sure my YSpeak opinion wasn’t always on point but I always did my best to prepare. In the context of social media, let us try not to react after reading just the headline—read the full story. If there is something we’re not sure about, read up on the issue or ask someone who might know.”
Bianca also highlighted the importance of learning, which is a never-ending process.
“There aren’t just ‘two sides’ to an issue, it is a spectrum, and you deserve to take time to figure out where you are on that spectrum. Dati sa YSpeak, laging may ‘two sides’ na nagde-debate, but we all knew that things were not black and white. Don’t pressure yourself that just because those closest to you stand *here* on this issue, that you should stand in that same spot, too. Only you can decide where you are on that spectrum,” she explained.
“Keep on learning. Whether it’s learning the ‘other side of an issue, or getting hurt by a negative comment about something you posted, there is always something to learn,” the celebrity further noted.
