Kabataan party-list Representative Sarah Elago was named as one of 2020’s Politicians of the Year by United Kingdom-based organization One Young World.
One Young World’s “Politician of the Year” is an annual award given to five of “the world's most impactful politicians using their positions to create change for young people in their communities and countries.”
Elago was recognized by the organization for her efforts in the education and health sectors, and her fight for gender equality.
“As the principal author of Comprehensive Free Public Higher Education Bill in 2017, she worked alongside R4E (Rise for Education Alliance) in pushing for passage of a landmark law benefiting around two million college students each year since 2018,” One Your World stated.
The organization also recognized Elago for being the “youngest of the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, a member of the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights.”
Elago, for her part, said she is “humbled” by the recognition.
“We are obliged to persevere in bringing in politics of hope, action, and change because our future is at stake,” Elago tweeted Wednesday night.
“Mabuhay, #OYWPOTY2020! To fellow young public servants around the globe, serve the people,” she added.
Aside from Elago, other awardees are Erik Marquardt from Germany, Joanah Mamombe from Zimbabwe, Michael Tubbs from the United States, and Zarifa Ghafari from Afghanistan.
The five young politicians were selected by six “respected judges with substantial experience in the field of politics,” including Tokyo, Japan’s current and first female governor, Yuriko Koike, and Sherry Rehman, the first female leader of the Opposition in Pakistan.
The award for “Politician of the Year” will be given to the winners during the One Young World Summit in Munich in April 2021.