Taguig holds virtual youth convention 

Taguig's local government and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation held a five-day virtual Taguig Youthcon 2020 as part of the city’s commitment to develop and empower the youth despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

“Over the pandemic, we’ve pushed ourselves to explore possibilities in the new normal scenario. This annual convention going to the virtual world is us pushing the envelope once more, for the welfare of a sector that has always been dear to Taguig,” Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano said on Sunday.

The virtual youth convention, held from Aug. 24 to 29, failed to match some 1,500 Taguigeños aged 15-30 who attended the inaugural Youthcon in 2019 due to health protocols that ban large gatherings.

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“In this trailblazing event, Taguig organized a massive digital youth convention. It is an expression of the city’s inclusive governance — a leadership that listens to, cares for and trains young people,” SK Federation Beng Maximo said.

Like last year’s convention, the 2020 edition featured a powerhouse of leaders, celebrities and influencers discussing various issues under theme “Youth Engagement for Global Action”.

Taguig SK leaders launched on Aug. 24 the “Infodemic” campaign, which raised media literacy in response to the proliferation of mis- and disinformation during the pandemic.

Team Ebs duo Angel Yap and Flow G led the Vlogging 101 webinar on Aug. 25. The next day, athlete Rachel Daquis discussed fitness and confidence while Lazada’s Petrus Carbonell followed with a discussion on e-commerce.

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Senator Pia Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sustainable Development, led the “Futures Thinking for Future Leaders” discussion on Aug. 27. Earlier in the day, Mind Museum resident scientists Mikee Estorga and Pecier Decierdo discussed climate change followed by Solenn Heussaff and husband Nico Bolzico who discussed relationships.

On Aug. 28, Rocco Nacino and Melissa Gohing zeroed in on relationship goals and fitness while Bianca King tackled responsible citizenship. On the last day, Bubbles Paraiso met young people for self-care tips.

Taguig 2nd District Rep. Lani Cayetano also showed her support for Taguigeño youth during the Taguig Youthcon 2020 by paying CICLs or Children In Conflict with the Law a visit at Bahay Pag-asa, a city-funded shelter established in 2015. This provides formation and education to children in conflict with the law.

In one of the highlights of this year’s Youthcon, students thought up ingenious solutions to “new normal” issues with Youth Hackathon held on August 26-28.

Hackathons gather people for a limited time to collaborate and come up with solutions to specific problems, that can range from information technology to development projects.

In Taguig’s iteration, teams from different Department of Education schools discussed solutions to concerns in education, mental health, environment and sustainability, and transportation.

Meanwhile, this year Youthcon also hosted "Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Tournament" on August 26-29, inspired by the success of e-sports at the 30th South East Asian Games hosted by the Philippines last year.

“Investing in the youth is investing in the future, which is why we should continue to develop and empower the youth of the city. Let this be evidence that Taguig sincerely believes in young people, and that we are ready to train them and give them opportunities for growth whether or not a pandemic exists. Our commitment is timeless and resilient.” Cayetano added.