The Province of Bataan held the Tobacco Free Generation (TFG) Leadership Summit at the Bataan People’s Center in Balanga City, Bataan, on 22 October 2025.

With the theme “Protect the future generation,” the TFG Leadership Summit gathered student leaders and youth civic officials from across the province, including Sangguniang Kabataan representatives.

The TFG Leadership Summit 2025 was a partnership between Tobacco-Free Generation International, the provincial government of Bataan, and local schools. Around 800 youth leaders, student officials, and health ambassadors attended the event.

The summit aimed to empower young people to advocate for a tobacco-free future by equipping them with leadership skills, promoting mental health awareness, and encouraging self-care.

According to Governor Joet Garcia, the Youth Health Ambassadors (YHA) were given insights on how to become effective leaders, discussing both leadership and mental health as essential foundations for responsible youth.

During the second part of the program, the Balanga YHA, Mariveles YHA, and the mother organization Bataan YHA presented their accomplishment reports, highlighting each group’s progress in serving fellow youth and their communities.

The YHAs emphasized the importance of having representatives in every school and community to pave the way for a healthier and more responsible generation.

Garcia said that through collaboration between the 1Bataan Health Promotion Board and the Schools Division Offices of Bataan and Balanga City, the discussions became meaningful in promoting leadership values, mental health, and self-care.

“Ating nasaksihan kung gaano kahanda ang ating mga kabataan na maging instrumento ng positibong pagbabago sa kani-kanilang mga komunidad,” Garcia said.