‘Dagyaw’ sheds light on untold stories of the youth
By Niña Jonalyn Gambe-Diamante
BUTUAN CITY (PIA)—Now on its seventh year, the “Dagyaw: Open Government Townhall Meeting,” captured the hearts of the audience—both onsite and online—as stories of survival and second chances shared by the youth themselves—whose identities were kept confidential—took center stage for everyone to hear.
Representatives from the youth sector flocked the Provincial Convention Center of Surigao City on August 28 to be part of the conversation with this year’s Dagyaw guided by the theme, “Kabataan 360: Kalusugan, Karapatan, Katarungan,” putting a spotlight on the emerging issues on health, rights, and justice faced by the youth of today.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Caraga Regional Director Maria Loisella E. Lucino, described how the Dagyaw serves several functions such as: promoting meaningful dialogue among the government agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the general public to tackle on emerging issues; encourages citizen empowerment and participatory governance; and pushes for accountability among public officials and other government workers through promoting an open government aimed at improving service delivery.
“This year, we are pleased to include the voice of the youth in our significant discussions. In this dialogue, government officials, youth leaders, subject experts, and community members come together to share their experiences, identify root causes, and propose practical solutions to the concerns of our youth,” said Lucino.
She also encouraged the attendees from the youth sector to speak out and let their voices be heard as their questions, insights, and recommendations could help the concerned agencies and stakeholders in making strategic decisions and resolutions.
A health check on today’s youth
On the topic of “Kalusugan” or “Health,” a youth representative bravely volunteered to share his story out in the open with his goal of opening the minds of his fellow youth, and even to possibly save lives.
As a young person living with HIV (PLHIV) he narrated his health journey from the time he experienced his first HIV symptom—to his diagnosis—to his battle against the stigma surrounding the infection.
His story was an inspiration not only for his fellow youth, but also to the parents of young PLHIVs as the support of his family became his strength during his fight with HIV. However, not all are blessed with the same support system as he had, which is why the young sharer called on everyone—young and old—to open their minds and stop the stigma.
“Please don’t discriminate against us,” said the sharer. “Discrimination is the biggest weakness for people struggling with HIV, like me. This is also the main reason why many PLHIVs feel ostracized and tend to distance themselves from the public.”
The sharer further encouraged the youth to educate and protect themselves against HIV, and to seek medical help if they experience the early symptoms of the disease. He also urged all the PLHIVs—especially the young ones—to accept the reality of their illness and to always look after their health by following the advice of medical professionals, and to ensure the religious intake of their prescribed medicines.
The youth and their rights
The second topic dwells on the rights of the youth entitled “Karapatan,” particularly the youth’s right to education. Jomar R. Pescanie, a former out-of-school youth (OSY) turned college professor, shared his story of resilience and determination to the young students of Surigao.
“I didn’t have the means to continue my studies especially when my father died. I carried the burden of being the family’s breadwinner at such a young age,” said Pescanie.
“With the inception of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Alternative Learning System (ALS), my life changed—and I was given the opportunity to finish my degree. Who would have thought that an OSY like me would become a registered criminologist and a college instructor,” he gladly expressed.
Dr. Violeta C. Nuñez, chief education program supervisor of DepEd Caraga, optimistically shared that the ALS program has already opened doors to many—OSYs, working students, and even persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
“We are very happy to share with you that just recently, we had 300 PDL ALS graduates in the region. This goes to show that the government is determined to make education accessible to each and every one of us—even those who are unable to go through formal education,” she said.
The youth and their path to justice
The third topic of the Dagyaw entitled “Katarungan” or justice, took a heartbreaking turn, as it revealed the story of a young girl who has been a victim of both physical and sexual abuse.
Being an orphan at a very young age, the sharer lived with one relative to another. But her fate took a devastating turn the moment she started living with her uncle’s family where she experienced the nightmare of being molested by her own flesh and blood.
“I first confided my struggle with my friends who, despite me begging them not to tell anyone, disclosed my situation to their parents. And as soon as their parents found out about it, they called me and encouraged me to seek the help of authorities,” recounted the female sharer.
It was then that she finally mustered the courage to report her uncle to the police and to file a case against him. However, the traumatic violence that she endured left an indelible mark on her which she is still constantly battling with.
The sharer ended her disclosure with an advice to other young people going through the same turmoil: “Do not be afraid to ask for help. May it be from your parents, relatives, friends, or to the government such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).”
PLt. Cheryl Q. Saldo from the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) – Surigao del Norte, acknowledged the challenge of dealing with child abuse cases especially since most of the victims are afraid to come forward driven by their fear of retribution from the offender. However, she also stressed the importance of filing a complaint since the PNP cannot take the necessary steps to resolve the problem absent this formal document.
“Once we receive a complaint, we immediately act on it, especially for cases involving minors. The timeliness of the case-filing is very much important since we have a prescriptive period to follow,” shared Saldo.
She also relayed to the audience that WCPD safeguards the welfare of victims by providing them with temporary shelters to distance them from the alleged perpetrators which could likely cause further harm to the victims.
“We also coordinate with other government agencies such as the tapping of social workers from the DSWD and its local counterparts to provide psychosocial support to the victims especially since these are very traumatic cases to deal with,” she added.
Hearing the youth and giving them a platform to express themselves—especially through initiatives like the Dagyaw—is not just a gesture of inclusion, but a commitment to shaping a future that reflects their hopes, ideas, and lived realities. By opening spaces where they can speak, question, and collaborate, the democratic fabric of our society is strengthened and the government becomes a partner in their journey—not a distant institution. (NJGD/PIA Caraga)
