BALANGA CITY, Bataan – Five youth organizations in the province made it to the final list of new UNESCO Clubs in the Philippines, all of which will work toward poverty reduction, sustainable development goals, and for the highly touted ASEAN integration.
Four of the groups are accredited student organizations in Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU), a first feat for the tertiary state academe in the province. These are Balangay Bayani, BPSU English Language and Literature Advocates, BPSU College of Education Student Council, and Samahan ng Nag-iisang Lahing Filipino. The fifth group from the province to be accredited is the University of the Philippines-Tangway (Bataan).
“It came as a surprise because, actually, we were losing hope as the deadline neared. When I got to know about it, I felt amazed on how youth volunteerism can bring students to a high level like the UNESCO,” Balangay Bayani President Aries Nazareno Panaligan said.
The said youth volunteerism group has conducted a series of climate change forums in various schools, Bayanihan para sa Kalikasan fun run, Balangayan Camps, mangrove plantings, leadership trainings, and assistance to university activities.
Governor Albert Garcia and Balanga City Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III, both advocates of youth empowerment, sponsored the attendance of Balangay Bayani officers to the 2015 International Assembly of Youth for UNESCO on September 21-23 in University of Sto. Tomas, Manila.
The clubs will promote “UNESCO’s areas of work”—education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture and communication—as a strong force in individual and social transformation in concordance with national, regional, local and international development efforts.
“The UNESCO Clubs are cognizant of their vital work in the grassroots, sharing the role in educating and fast-tracking the international efforts in a localized manner,” UNESCO said in its website.
UNESCO stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization which encourages international peace and universal respect for human rights by promoting collaboration among nations.
