The youth which comprises 16% of the global population represent a critical demographic and strong potential in shaping the future. In the Philippines, this sector holds significant power as they constitute 56% which equates to 36.9 million voters during the 2022 National Elections. However, despite big representation, numerous challenges still hinder their full participation in civic and political life.
The State of Filipino Youth
The Filipino youth face marginalization from political processes, struggle with discrimination, and lack access to opportunities in decision-making. Further, their barriers are multifaceted such as high rates of poverty, educational disparities, and socio-political environment among others. Issues of red-tagging and repression of dissent led to a climate of fear and disempowerment of the youth. More so, the value of respecting the elders silences the youth in conveying dissenting points as they’ll be perceived as disrespectful and subversive when they did it so. These constrained them to meaningful public participation and engagement in human rights advocacies and initiatives.
Despite these challenges, the potential of Filipino youth in nation-building should not be overlooked. This is because several researchers have cited the positive effects of youth civic engagement both at the individual and community levels. Particularly, it fosters improved emotional regulation and a greater sense of empowerment in individuals; and enhances civic engagements and political activities or affiliations. With these, questions on steps that will help youth reclaim their space, voice their concerns, and engage actively on social issues arise.
Lessons from Taiwanese Youth
Interestingly, Taiwan has a separate approach and it is worth noting. An article from the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) 2022 highlighted how civic education is embedded in their academic system and produces promising results. This was proven when their eighth-graders outperformed the international average by a large margin with 583 points compared to an international average of 508. This shows that through its policy emphasis on education, Taiwan has indeed made its young people highly civic-minded and participatory.
The Taiwanese government's seriousness and initiative toward incorporating youth into political participation are impressive. Some of the formal mechanisms in Taiwan that encourage youth participation include youth councils and advisory boards— a program through which young people can contribute their opinions on policymaking in general. Non-government organizations and even civil society organizations provide free transportation services to ensure their exercise of suffrage. Lasty, one of the main thrusts of Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy for people-to-people connectivity covers educational programs and scholarship exchanges aimed at creating better understanding between Southeast Asian youth.
Leveraging Civic Education in Youth Empowerment
It is the experience of Taiwanese youth that underlines the vital importance of civic education in enabling young persons to become involved citizens. In the Philippines, there is more to youth civic engagement than just participation. It entails a situation where younger voices can be honored, listened to and esteemed. This involves making substantial investments in educational programs that encourage civic literacy, sound thinking, and moral leadership.
Schools come in handy on this issue. It is critical for the curriculum to have a touch of civics education because this will help learners know their rights and their obligations as members of society and feel their oneness and belongingness in the nation. As such, this kind of instruction should move above simple memorization whereby students get an opportunity to examine political subjects critically, engage peers respectfully through dialogues, and actively take part in civil lives. By doing so, institutions will be playing their part in producing a generation of young Filipinos who are not only aware of their country’s problems but also have the capacities and skills necessary to address them.
Additionally, it is very important that we develop links between the schools, communities, and government institutions which will enable meaningful youth participation in policy-making and governance. School Governance Councils and other student-led and youth-led organizations should then be regulated and supported at all times. Leadership fora and capacity development training are also ideal as training grounds for these next-generation leaders.
Bridging Gaps to Youth Participation
Though education is a powerful tool of empowerment, it is not enough alone. Addressing the problems that hinder the full participation of youths in civic life is what matters most. In the Philippines, this covers issues like unequal access to education and economic opportunities; and bureaucratic barriers.
Out-of-school youth (OSYs) for instance are among the most challenging problems confronting young Filipinos with approximately 11 million estimated to exist in the country. These young people often come from poor families who do not even know about their rights and therefore are highly prone to disenfranchisement and exclusion from society at large. Enhancement of the process that encourages them to enroll in Alternative Learning System Education to Technical-Vocational Education, and Training or formal schools should be done. Engagement with these institutions will ensure their acquisition of the necessary skills and experiences needed in the labor force.
Another critical concern has to do with mental health. The mental health of the youth is damaged by poverty, social injustices, and political unrest which can result in indifference or detachment. Thus, to promote empowerment and a sense of belonging, we must empower each other to break the stigma of mental health, provide early mental health interventions, and even ensure a referral system that the youth can access.
Lastly, as the Philippines ranked second to the lowest percentage of learners aged 15 with creative thinking skills; it is necessary for schools to integrate information and media literacy to improve their ability to discern the country’s present predication. They should learn to think outside of the box and reimagine a better system that will enable youth to achieve the status quo.
Hopes for Taiwanese-Filipino Youth Collaboration
Shared challenges and opportunities make it possible for the Philippines and Taiwan to work together in promoting youth empowerment and active citizenship. Some of these forms may include, among others; education exchanges, joint civic education programs, as well as youth leadership programs.
For example, the New Southbound Policy (NSP) shifted from a profit-centered focus to a people-centered one providing a framework for such collaboration. This NSP emphasizes long-term commitments toward developing talents and enhancing institutional capacities by offering scholarships for undergraduate and graduate degrees and enriching scholarships for language training to foreign students. Filipino students can use these opportunities to supplement their knowledge in civic matters and leadership capabilities that they can further use back at home in their respective communities.
Additionally, inter-country collaboration could involve undertaking joint research projects on youth civic engagement, enabling both countries to share best practices as well as learn from each other’s experiences. For instance, workshops or conferences bringing together Filipino and Taiwanese educators, policymakers or youths could encourage dialogue or exchange of ideas about important aspects like digital literacy, youth participation in governance, and civic education.
Youth exchange programs, on the other hand, can provide Filipino youth with first-hand experience of Taiwan’s civic culture and political processes that can motivate them to participate more actively within their communities. Furthermore, Taiwanese young people could become more sensitive to the problems faced by their counterparts in the Philippines enhancing empathy and solidarity across borders.
To conclude, empowering Filipino youth towards active citizenship is not just a national but a regional necessity. Through the adoption of best practices from Taiwan and partnerships with other neighboring countries with active youth participation and high civic education, we’ll be able to cultivate inclusive and participatory participation for Filipino youth. These require contextualized, up-to-date, and creative resources on civic education and a long rally toward spaces for youth in policy-making platforms.
Ultimately, the aim is to convert young people from being passive witnesses into active contributors who mold their destiny and that of their nation. Through education and collaboration, Filipino youth will be empowered to reclaim their space, voice out what they believe in, and contribute effectively towards a more equal society in the Philippines.
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About the Author
Hamiñia Charlothe Garcia De Leon is a Program Manager of AHA Learning Center and an Associate of WeSolve Foundation. Her passion lies in co-developing communities where members are empowered to act collectively towards a just and equitable society. She has four years of experience in leading empowerment sessions, producing tele-radio shows, crafting monitoring and evaluation tools, and writing academic content, research, and policies. She graduated from the University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. For inquiries of support and collaboration, you can message her at [email protected] or [email protected].