For their outstanding contributions to the promotion of the welfare of the youth and in nation building as a whole, the Senate today commended the winners of the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards for 2022.
Senate Resolution 548 sponsored by Senator Sonny Angara, recognized TAYO Awards for giving due recognition to youth organizations who have made significant contributions in the fields of culture, arts and heritage; education and technology; environment, disaster risk reduction, and climate change adaptation; health, well-being and human development; and livelihood and entrepreneurship.
Started in 2002 by former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, the search for the awardees of the initial TAYO Awards was conducted by the National Youth Commission (NYC) under then chairperson Mabel Mamba and former Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino, who was commissioner of the NYC.
As Chairman of the Committee on Youth, Angara said that “Even in their young age, our youth can make an outsized contribution to the nation. There is no minimum age requirement to being a good citizen.”
A total of 380 youth organizations have received the TAYO Awards in the past 20 years while the TAYO Network has over 5,000 organizations across the country.
For the 20th TAYO Awards, the following youth organizations were selected as winners:
(a) Albay Young Farmers Organization; (b) The BAKA; (c) Iligan Safe Space (d) Leaders’ Council; (e) Open Arms Organization; (f) PINTAKASI; (g) Project TALA Organization; (h) Sangguniang Kabataan ng Barangay Talomo River; (i) Shafaat Agriculture Cooperative (Mushroom for Change project); and (j) Youth Empowering Youth Initiative, Inc.
The Albay Young Farmers Organization engages the youth to actively participate in new farming technologies, specifically in edible landscaping, which is an innovative approach to organic farming.
Based on Misamis Oriental, The BAKA (Bayanihan sa Agrikultura para sa Kabatan-onan, Kaumahan, ug Katubigan) is composed of 15 members from the Oro Youth, City Agriculture and the private sector in Cagayan de Oro who launched a year-long program called Agricultural Leadership Incubation for the Kagay-anon youth that aims to capacitate them on the whole value chain approach in farming and agri-business.
Iligan Safe Space is a community that celebrates and embraces diversity in Mindanao. Through their Safe Space Session project, they aim to provide a non-hostile environment and a safe space for LGBTQIA+ youths of different cultures and backgrounds in Iligan City.
Leaders’ Council is a scouting officers organization of the Sacred Heart School of Ateneo de Cebu whose Love to Learn: Learn to Earn community program seeks to help in the holistic reformation and development of children in conflict with the law.
From Batangas City, the Open Arms Organization seeks to create a platform to help people from the marginalized sectors, one child or family at a time, as its contribution to the development of a society where every person is included, heard and loved.
Based in Alabat Island, Quezon Province, PINTAKASI nurtures and hones the skills of artists from all walks of life.
Project TALA (Teatro para sa Aktibong Layunin at Adhikain) Organization is a group of young volunteers from Isabela province that utilizes theater as an artistic medium to raise awareness and advocate for acceptance and understanding of those who struggle with HIV and AIDS.
SK ng Barangay Talomo River of Davao del Sur introduced Project Descartes as a free, comprehensive online enrichment program for senior high school and college freshmen in Davao City, which covers five pre-calculus subjects and contributes to localizing the Sustainable Development Goals No. 4 (Quality Education) and No. 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
The Shafaat Agriculture Cooperative of Ditsa-an, Lanao del Sur originated from the social enterprise project Mushroom for Change that aims to achieve poverty reduction among low-income farmers in the province through the cultivation and sale of fresh mushrooms and mushroom products. They also provide alternative sources of income for farmers, women internally-displaced persons from Marawi and out-of-school youths.
Based in Bacolod City, the Youth Empowering Youth (YEY) Initiative, Inc. facilitates active citizenship through youth-led initiatives in education, environment, culture and the arts. YEY Initiative Inc. manages the social enterprise Sagup Negros whose focus is on food waste mitigation.
Each of the winners of the TAYO Awards will receive a seed grant of P50,000 to fund their ongoing projects or start new ones and a trophy from renowned sculptor Toym De Leon Imao.
“The groups that we pay tribute to today demonstrate that if the youth are provided the opportunity, they can make huge contributions towards the betterment of their respective communities and shape Philippine society according to their values and aspirations. Indeed, not just a nation for our children, but of our children,” Angara said.
