UNYAP expands to Bicol, empowering youth to contribute to local SDG action.
ALBAY – The United Nations Youth Association of the Philippines (UNYAP) formally launched its Bicol Chapter during the 2025 UN World Youth Skills Day and International Youth Day celebration in Legazpi City. The event gathered over 200 youth delegates from across the region, empowering them to take the lead in localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With the theme “From Where YOUth Stand: Youth Groundbreaking the SDGs,” the conference emphasized the urgency of local action, noting that over 65 percent of SDG targets rely on local governance. The SDGs aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and promote equality and prosperity by 2030, starting at the community level.
The newly formed Bicol Chapter places youth at the forefront of regional SDG efforts, empowering them to drive action on climate change, inequality, and the digital divide. The event underscored that lasting solutions must be rooted in young people’s creativity, lived experiences, and grassroots perspectives.
Keynote speaker Amielyn “Asliyah” Maleda Limbona, founder of the Marawi-based Arkat Lawanen Women Empowerment Producers Cooperative, called on youth to confront gender-related issues and champion inclusive development. Her message resonated with the event’s goal: to build a future shaped by empowered, locally grounded youth leadership.
Youth delegates also shared personal reflections that highlighted the diversity of perspectives across the region.
Jimuel Ciego, a representative from Catanduanes, emphasized the importance of discussing gender mismanagement and LGBTQIA+ rights. “As a Sangguniang Kabataan official, I’m excited to share the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with our youth during Linggo ng Kabataan. I’d love to present them in an engaging and interactive way that’s both fun and informative.”
Princess Althea Hebres, a first-time attendee from Sorsogon, shared her appreciation for the experience. “This [event] has been a great experience because I got to meet and hear the perspectives of college students. In a way, I also learned something.”
Newly elected UNYAP–Bicol Chapter President Marc Lester Esto, also the Lead Youth Convenor (LYC) of IYD 2025, shared his personal motivation: “At the back of my mind, I have so much love, passion, and commitment within me. I’ve been praying for a platform where I can pour all of that.”
The UNYAP is the official youth arm of the United Nations Association of the Philippines (UNAP). It is run by young people (both students and professionals) and works to promote the values and goals of the United Nations among Filipino youth.
Of the 212 official participants, 121 came from Albay, 34 from Sorsogon, 32 from Camarines Sur: 13 from Masbate, 7 from Camarines Norte, and 5 from Catanduanes. This turnout marks the highest attendance recorded among all previous regional events, which are held biennially. | Jay-R Nabor