Recognizing their initiatives to help ward off poverty amid several challenges, Senator Cynthia A. Villar awarded during a simple ceremony at Villar SIPAG the 11 empowered youth group winners in the Sixth Villar SIPAG Youth Poverty Reduction Challenge.
The senator was joined by former Senate President Manny Villar, Senator Mark Villar, Deputy Speaker Camille Villar and Vistaland President Paolo Villar, in handing over the cash rewards and trophy to the youth representatives.
Each of the 10 Most Outstanding Youth Social Enterprises got P150,000 cash while the Special Awardee received P100,000 cash.
Villar said “this is a friendly competition among the Filipino youth whose social enterprises contribute in alleviating the poverty situation in their respective communities.”
"Eliminating poverty requires that young people must be recognized as a resource for change in society, " she pointed out.
She said the Villar SIPAG Youth Awards is a step in the right direction as it strengthens youth organizations by giving them more space for participation, influence and power.
Furthermore, she said this year's winning groups champion the promotion and preservation of the Filipino arts and culture, entrepreneurship in agriculture, environment preservation, leadership development, health and wellness, together with the promotion of their advocacy via social media.
The youth organizations awarded this year were:
1. Banda San Jose Las Piñas City. They take pride in molding its members to be competitive musicians, prize-winners of good character and responsible individuals. It is a community based, self-sustaining organization. BSJ is proud of the numerous achievements it has garnered over the years, having been a perennial winner in marching and concert band competitions in different parts of the country.
2. Phil. Chamber of Commerce & Industry(PCCI) –Youth Ambassadors. They are behind the W.O.W. Munti M.A.L.L. with the theme “Trust Local, Shop Local for a Cause,”an E-commerce initiative to influence demand in local products through digital technology. They cater to jobless, repatriated OFWs, displaced workers, PWD, Marawi refugees, fisher folks, indigents for wealth creation, employment generation, and sustainable livelihood.
3. I-Saved (Saving Vulnerable, Education & Dreams). I-Saved is a Sagip-bata para sa Edukasyon Program in the province of Cagayan and Kalinga. Their programs include volunteerism, training, relief operations for the community, radio program guesting, attendance to webinar and training for local and international seminars. They also give awards for volunteer work.
4. 4-H Club Yogad Kan Balada of Divinan, Jones, Isabela. They give scholarships to IPs to become effective leaders and productive citizens. Their programs include “Baboy para makapagtapos Program,” Project Berde, Project Patubo, teaching organic farming, showcase organic and integrated farming.They promote relationship of IPs with the society under RA8731.
5. Eden (Empowering Dairy Enterprises Network) Youth Association, San Francisco, Tarlac City. Established on February 22, 2020,the members are aspiring young farmers, many of whom are still students. The association is helping its members in their carabao milk enterprise. This includes marketing strategy for their raw milk harvest, training in proper hygiene and post-harvest of milk handling. Today, they are serving other barangays of Tarlac City and in Pampanga.
6. White Light Creative Productions, Inc. of Dasmarinas, Cavite. Established in 2013, they reach out to students, out-of-school youth and people from all walks of life, by inviting them to watch for FREE theatrical performances which depict prevailing domestic and social issues like drug abuse, violence and poverty. They believe that theater is one of the psychological activities that can offer a powerful support for mental health, well-being, enhance cognitive development, encourage positive attitude to release stress.
7. Ubojan Young Dreamers 4H-Club, Ubojan, Sagbayan, Bohol. Established in June 2017, their programs and projects include livelihood development via chicken dispersal, selling of food or agricultural products, selling of banana chips, papaya pickles, vegetables growing, fruits and root crops. They do coastal clean-up and tree planting. They are also promoting organic farming by training other young people to engage and improve their farming skills and with the help of the Agricultural Training Institute.
8. Cassava Growers & Processors Association (CAGAPA) - 4H Club of San Pedro, Dapitan City. Basically, they produce and process cassava. They also do organic fertilizer, concoction making and urban gardening. They use idle areas from their production zones. They teach other young people value-adding practices, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.They conduct experiential tourism and showcase urban gardening, as well as pick and pay.
9. Luyungan Kauyagan, Inc., of Nasuli Bangcud, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. They promote and preserve their culture and tradition.They are indigenous people. Their beads makers of 30 pax have an average income of P900 per month; their 10 handicraft makers earn on the average P750 per month; their 10 mat weavers earn P600 pesos per month, which are directly bought by the LGU for its local tourism promotion, while their communal garden with 123 members receive their steady supply of fresh vegetables.
10.Surigao Youth Convergence, Inc. of Luna, Surigao City. Stated in September 2016, they are a proponent of the prohibition of using single use plastic in their city. They provided training to Mamanwa Tribe on craft-making in Barangay Mat-I, Surigao City. Their previously aired raido program,“Tingog Kabataan-onan, ” tackled health and wellness, the preservation of the environment and peace and order.
A special award was given to Gintong Tamaraw Artists Association of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. It is an arts-related association, honing artist talents, creativity and promoting them to enrich the visual and cultural arts in the town at the same time help the artist gain art-based income. They are tasked to share their art knowledge to others. The LGU buys their products which are used as tokens for their guests to showcase their town.
Villar related there were 79 entries coming from different parts of the country, but only 15 were shortlisted and 10 emerged the winners, with one special award.
The Villar SIPAG Youth Poverty Reduction Challenge is a competition which aims to encourage and empower youth organizations to embark on social enterprises that made significant impact in reducing poverty in their respective communities.
"This is an annual search for empowered youth organizations trying to make a significant impact in society through their advocacies, and it is now on its 6th year," she said.
She cited the United Nations which said that "any development objective particularly in poverty reduction needs young people’s perspective given that 2/3 of the population in developing countries are under 25 years old."
"A Youth Perspective in poverty reduction is built on the understanding that young people are not merely a target group but also initiators, participants, decision-makers and leaders," she added.