US Embassy honors Filipino youth groups

The US Embassy in Manila acknowledged Filipino youth achievers who have positively made a difference during natural disasters and especially amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The recognition was held at the YOUnified Awards Night on 19 December.

As part of the US government’s flagship program to strengthen youth leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia, the consulate cited eight youth organizations that led projects promoting environmental sustainability and food security, good governance, volunteerism and community mobilization and economic development.

They received a plaque and P50,000 from the US Embassy to support their community initiatives.

Among them are Sulong Kabataan Youth Organization, which mobilized 112 youth to raise P2.3 million to provide food, hygiene kits, and personal protective equipment for 1,112 families displaced by the recent typhoons; Sakai.QC, which developed a Facebook and Viber bot that provided reliable driving routes and directions and COVID-19 updates to almost 20,000 commuters in Quezon City; GoodGov PH, Keep Hope Alive, Accessible Assistance Alliance, Light In Giving Hope for Tomorrow Inc., Global Shapers Iloilo and the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation.

“Our young people’s appetite for change and reform is quite large, and they are looking forward to some rapid changes in society, in politics, and life in general.

Hopefully, you can all play your roles in being instruments of change — good change — and reforms,” Se nator Juan Edgardo said.

Since 2013, the consulate has provided Southeast Asian youth leaders with educational and cultural exchanges to the US and Southeast Asian countries, seed funding for innovative project ideas, and training programs on civic engagement, sustainable development, education, and economic growth.