SHE felt humiliated when a barangay councilor called her out and questioned her morality after she was elected Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) councilor while pregnant.
But Cielo Pagonzaga, 23, of Barangay Apas, Cebu City, believes her pregnancy cannot affect how effectively she can serve the youth in her barangay.
She graduated in college with flying colors and even got a job before being elected as youth official. Her family is also supportive of her endeavors.
Pagonzaga was one of more than 250 youth participants of the National Youth Commission’s (NYC) event in celebration of International Youth Day 2018 held at the Cebu Grand Hotel last Aug. 12.
With the theme “Safe Spaces for Youth,” the event had the young leaders participating in the activities in groups.
In one of the activities, the organizers from the NYC showed photos depicting the home, school, a work place and a community.
The participants were asked if these spaces are safe for them or not.
During the workshop, most of the participants said their home and school are safe spaces. They were divided, though, on whether or not their work place is safe.
Majority of the participants said their community is unsafe.
After answering that her community is unsafe, Pagonzaga volunteered to share with her peers her answer.
Though it depends on the community you belong to, she said the community should not question one’s dignity.
“Let’s make a change,” she said, challenging her fellow youth to make every community a safer space for the youth.
‘Safe Spaces’
According to Conrado Rigor Jr. of the NYC, safe spaces do not only pertain to physical space.
He said that according to the United Nations (UN), safe spaces also relates to civic spaces, public and digital spaces.
“Safe space ensures the dignity and safety of the youth,” said Rigor.
He added that if a safe space isn’t provided, the youth may feel uncomfortable, unwelcomed and cannot fully express themselves. Worse yet, they may feel intimidated and may not freely contribute to the community.
In a safe space, Rigor said “the youth can effectively contribute to the development, including peace and social cohesion.”
NYAS 2015
During the event, the highlights of the National Youth Assessment Study (NYAS) 2015 were also shown to the participants.
The NYAS will be incorporated in the Philippine Youth Development Plan 2017- 2022.
More than 2,700 youths aged 15 to 30 years old from all over the country participated in the study, which was done through interviews and folded questionnaires, among others.
The study revealed the current situation of the Filipino youth in terms of access to education, employment, health including mental health, organizational and political participation.
While the study has shownsome good results on the youth’s perception of certain issues, the NYAS also revealed some red flags that need major intervention.
About 26 percent of the youth have thought at least once that life is not worth living.
Although 78 percent of the respondents agreed there is nothing wrong with seeking professional counselling for mental health, still, an alarming 14 percent have considered taking their lives and took steps to commit suicide.
“You have to contribute to reduce the 26 percent to zero. Our youth should feel that they have a purpose in life, that they can contribute to nation building, and we can only do that if we ensure that there are safe spaces for them—that it’s okay to be gay, to be a lesbian, to be a PWD, because you’re still able to maximize your potential,” NYC Commissioner and Assistant Secretary Rhea Piñaflor in her speech.
She also encouraged all the youth participants to be a “safe space” to their fellow Filipinos.
“Let us be sensitive to give safe spaces to our fellow youth and to our fellow Filipinos. Let’s be very mindful of what we do every day. Always think before you speak or comment, and let’s spread positivity,” added Piñaflor.
During the event, Piñaflor hoped the youth participants will share in their respective homes, schools, community and workplaces what they learned during the activity.
She even asked the youth leaders help NYC by making any platform, from online or even small ones, to provide safe spaces to all.
For 22-year-old digital billing representative Darden Blaire Suycano, having a safe space means empowering youth leaders in helping and inspiring other youth in the community.
Having a safe space is important to remove fear in expressing oneself, according to 21-year-old paralegal Raniel Orale Llauderes of Cebu for Human Rights,
“Nowadays, the youth is aware of political issues, about social issues in our society and sometimes, whenever we try to call out something wrong in our society, we end up being attacked,” Llauderes shared with Zup.
He added that there is nothing wrong with expressing one’s opinion “as long as you maintain respect and proper decorum.”
“I’m happy NYC is organizing events like this as it is relevant to our time. We can be safe space ourselves,” he said.
Suycano also agreed that such an event helps “enlighten” the youth and lets them gain new ideas on issues that matter to them.
The IYD, which was the culminating activity of the NYC’s Linggo ng Kabataan this year, was held simultaneously in six other venues in Laguna, Iloilo, Dagupan, Zamboanga and Iligan.
The IYD is celebrated on Aug. 12 every year based on the UN Resolution 54/120 adopted on Dec 17, 1999.