47 youth participants gathered for a youth summit to commit to “Act as one and speak with one voice” towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a Smoke-Free Philippines.
Entitled “Be Heard: Youth on SDGs for a Smoke-Free Philippines,” the said Youth Summit was held on August 26, 2019, at the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement Penthouse.
This was made possible by Social Watch Philippines (SWP), a non-government organization that aims to put forward a strategy of advocacy, awareness building, monitoring, organizational development and networking by monitoring and asserting social development for people’s rights and empowerment.
The 47 youth participants were members of the Sangguniang Kabataan, community and school-based youth groups, non-government organizations, and various civil society groups.
Elijah San Fernando of SWP Youth emphasized the importance of youth participation in policy-making processes.
“Makilahok tayo sa mga batas, makipag-usap tayo kina mayor, sa mga gumagawa ng batas. Pwede tayo makipag-usap. That’s the beautiful thing about engaging with policy. We can be pro-active para paganahin ang sistema natin. Tayong mga tao ang bumubuo sa gobyerno at dahilan kung bakit may gobyerno,” he said.
Dr. Ma.Victoria Raquiza, Co-convenor of SWP emphasized that youth is the hope and solution that our country direly needs.
“When the youth act as one, speak with one voice, it is your way of telling us and the political and business leaders of this country, that you, the youth has arrived. And that you care and you are doing your share in making a difference in our country and in our world. It is about time the decision-makers in this country and the world–the adults–take your lead,” she explained.
Social Watch Philippines (SWP) is a network of over a hundred civil society organizations and individuals engaged in research and lobby efforts in holding the government accountable for the fulfillment of national, regional and international commitments to eradicate poverty and carry out social, economic, and gender justice.
SWP promotes people-centered sustainable development by proactively monitoring the progress and delivery of social commitments forged by the government and influencing the outcomes of policy decisions through citizen participation in public finance.
