The Youth Call to Action: HAPI-Bacolod Teams Up with Local Youth Orgs
By Eldemar R. Sabete
HAPI-Bacolod / HAPI Scholar
The Bacolod Chapter of Humanist Alliance Philippines, International recently allied with Bacolod Youth Coalition for Democracy (BaCoD) as the latter crafted a Local Youth Agenda involving young people across different sectors in Negros Occidental. BaCoD is a coalition of Bacolod-based youth organizations. Convening with Sangguniang Kabataan Federation of Bacolod City, they seek to unify the organization’s campaign for voter registration and empowerment in the grassroots-level communities of the city.
HAPI-Bacolod is one with Negrosanon Young Leaders Institute, Philippine Youth Network for Interfaith Dialogue, Youth for Climate Hope, and Youth Empowering Youth Initiative in their bid to actively take part in making the local youth agenda possible.
“Part of my work is [immersing] myself among different youth organizations and civil society,” said Joshua Eusebio, the Secretariat Head of BaCoD. “Working with HAPI-Bacolod is a working development experience where I have been able to learn different perspectives in approaching the community. Despite the differences in practices, we have come up with an efficient mechanism that led to the success of the youth agenda.”
“The main mindset that I was able to retrieve from HAPI is the logic and reason that should arise whenever we do community exposures,” Eusebio continued. “The straightforward approach of HAPI makes all of the exposures smooth sailing without any draggy instances.”
There are ten Youth Agendas that represent different issues, advocacy-based foci, and the current situation of the sectors. It was based on the Bacolod Local Youth Assembly called “Paglaum: Pagtipon sang Pamatan-on” (a partnership of We the Future PH with various local organizations including HAPI-Bacolod last July 2021).
The agenda raised in the event involved the following:
- Education – Free, Accessible, Quality Education
- Health – Accessible Health Care
- Young Fisherfolks and Coastal Youth – Solid Waste Management
- Agriculture – Engagement of the Youth in Farming
- Climate Justice
- SOGIE
- Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
The Coalition invited seven youth organizations campaigning for different advocacies in order to hear about their situation (specifically how they proactively respond to it) and their call to action.
Dyrick Dormis of the Philippine Youth Network for Interfaith Dialogue had this to say about HAPI-Bacolod’s cooperation: “The support of HAPI-Bacolod is essential in the success of the local youth agenda. Through its convenor, Eldemar Sabete, we were able to reach communities at the grassroots, especially the youth in the agriculture and fisherfolk sector. The will and perseverance to give the youth a platform to raise their concerns enabled us to further our cause of crafting the youth agenda through effective and efficient consultations supported by HAPI-Bacolod.”
In order to gather data, the groups use scheduled focus group discussions or FGD sessions. The goal of a focus group is to empower and encourage members to talk freely through open discussions and to provide safe spaces for them to express their worries, resentments, and calls to action.
The youth from different sectors took part in the consultation actively and sincerely because they know the situation not only speaks to the communities they live in but also to the country’s current state. The numerous agendas tackled different issues, and real-life situations as well as provided valid recommendations for calls to action.
After the election, the Local Youth Development Council of Bacolod will adopt the Agenda to study how to help make proposals in response to the youth call for action. HAPI, together with other local organizations, will ensure that the Local Government Unit of Bacolod must be held accountable no matter what.
