Promoting Youth Involvement in Social Development

The Social Development Celebration 2011 opened with several forums organized by some CODE-NGO member networks in their respective localities – CORDNET in Baguio City, MINCODE in Davao City and NCSD in Quezon City – to harness the energies of the youth for good governance. To further incite social awareness among the youth in a fun and exciting way, CODE-NGO also launched two youth contests for the SDC2011 – D’BEST KA! Celebration of Talents and Photography Contest – which interpreted this year’s celebration theme through various art forms. 

Youth Development Forums – Nov. 21 to 25, 2011
The Social Development Celebration 2011 started with several forums organized by some CODE-NGO member networks in their respective localities to harness the energies of the youth for good governance: 
* National Council for Social Development (NCSD) mobilized its Youth Sector for the “Forum on Youth Involvement in Good Governance: Kabataan, Kaagapay Laban sa Katiwalian – Para sa Kaunlaran” held at Trinity University of Asia, Quezon City last November 21;

* Mindanao Coalition of Development NGO Networks (MINCODE) discussed the principles of good governance in its “Forum on Good Governance” with leaders of student councils and Sangguniang Kabataan all over Davao City at the Holy Cross College of Davao last November 22; and

* Cordillera Network of Development NGOs and POs (CORDNET) informed the youth scholars of Iyaman Foundation about opportunities for the youth to get involved in community social enterprises and other development projects in the forum “Promoting IP Youth Involvement in Participatory Local Governance to Address Poverty”, at AKAP Training Center, Baguio City last November 25.  

To further incite social awareness among the youth in a fun and exciting way, CODE-NGO launched two youth contests for the SDC2011:
 
* D’BEST KA! Celebration of Talents – Nov. 29, 2011

This talent contest invited amateur youth performing arts groups from the National Capital Region (NCR) to interpret this year’s SDC theme through dance, music or any form of performing arts. The Preliminary Competition was held last October 22, 2011, which pre-screened five (5) of the nine (9) contestants to qualify for the Final Competition.  The Final Competition was then held on November 29, 2011 at the Social Enterprise Exhibit, Megatrade Hall 3, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

The following were declared winners: o First Prize – Tanghalang Bagong Sibol Theater and Dance Group of Malabon City o Second Prize – Awit Maralita of Caloocan City, and o Third Prize – Technological University of the Philippines Food and Apparel Technology (TUP FAT) Dancers of TUP-Manila. The First Prize Winner received PhP 25,000 from the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) and the Second and Third Prize Winners received PhP10,000 and PhP5,000, respectively, from the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

The two other finalists – St. Philomena Foundation for Children and Aging of Navotas City and Sining Kabataan Alay sa Pamayanan (SIKAP) of Quezon City also received special prizes from CODE-NGO.   

Guest judges who screened the contestants at the Preliminary Competition were performing arts enthusiasts Bryant Cruz, Smile Indias and Mags Catindig. Distinguished judges composed the panel which determined the winners at the Final Competition: playwright and theater director Prof. Joey Vargas, Commissioner Percival Cendena of the National Youth Commission, events manager and stylist John Lettler Celeridad and PEF knowledge management head Oscar Gomez.  

* SDC2011 Photography Contest – Nov. 28 to 30, 2011
Fifty-four (54) photo entries from young people aged 15 to 30 were received from all over Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao for this contest.  From these entries, ten (10) finalists were selected and featured on the contest facebook page and in a Photo Exhibit at the Social Enterprise Exhibit from November 28 to 30, 2011 at Megatrade Hall 3, SM Megamall.  The following were named winners of the SDC2011 Photo Contest:

o First Prize Winner – “Kariton ng Pag-asa” by April Ginacia Montellano, 18 years old, Manila o Second Prize Winner – “Bridging Little Dreams” by Jerome Torres, 28 years old, Cagayan de Oro City o Third Prize Winner – “Sama-Samang Pagbuo, Sama-Samang Pag-ahon” by Mark Joseph Solis, Las Pinas City. First Prize Winner April Ginacia Montellano’s entry also received the special prizes for the “Most Liked Photo”, having been voted the most popular photo, both on facebook and at the photo exhibit.

Photography professionals and hobbyists Sheena Pena, Jun Virola, Yanee Aguirre, Richard Eusebio and Garrie David composed the committees which helped screen the finalists and winners of the Photo Contest.  

To promote both contests, visits were made to schools and colleges in the areas of Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City and University Belt, Manila, as well as announcements to community-based youth groups, which are partners of CODE-NGO and its member networks.  Information on both contests was also disseminated through various social media from October to November 2011.