The immortalised words of Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, “kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan,” rang true on Monday, August 11, as around 200 young people gathered at De La Salle University to celebrate International Youth Day 2025. The event highlighted the crucial role of the youth in addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainable development.
Titled “Mobilise & Ignite Youth Action: Advancing Sustainable Solutions for the Triple Planetary Crisis Through Innovation and Partnership,” the event was organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Country Office in the Philippines, together with environmental groups Clean Air Asia and BAN Toxics.
“Young people are experiencing firsthand the impacts of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Now, more than ever, we need the younger generation, as both inheritors and architects of the future, to be aware and take a decisive position in steering the world toward a more sustainable path through innovative solutions to decouple environmental degradation from economic growth,” said Teddy Monroy, UNIDO Country Representative.
Several activities filled the event, including interactive social media action zones where participants created content to share their stories, commitments, and calls to action with a wider online audience. Short videos produced during the event were also entered into an online contest titled Your Reel, Your Role: Be the Solution!
One of the main highlights is “Youth Talks”, which showcased inspiring stories of youth-led initiatives creating positive change in their communities. The session featured two speakers: Mr. Ramyr Angeles, co-founder of Mobility Vision+, a digital solution for smart and sustainable urban mobility; and John Sherwin Felix, a food heritage photographer and researcher who uses social media to raise awareness on food biodiversity and environmental issues. Participants engaged with the speakers through “Voices Unplugged”, a segment that used digital tools to collect questions and feedback.
Another major component of the event was a set of two workshops called “Solutions Lab”, which centred on UNIDO projects funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF): Accelerating the Adoption and Scale-Up of Electric Mobility for Low-Carbon City Development in the Philippines (e-mobility ASAP), a project that promotes electric mobility as a key solution for sustainable urban transport, with Clean Air Asia as one of its implementing partners; and the Philippine Healthcare and Mercury Wastes Management Project, implemented by the DENR–Environmental Management Bureau (DENR–EMB), with BAN Toxics serving as the executing partner.
“Solutions Lab 1: Harnessing the Potential of Youth in Promoting and Advancing E-mobility” explored how the youth can enter and shape the electric mobility sector through education, research, and career-building opportunities. Featuring inputs from both industry and academe, the workshop highlighted diverse pathways into the sector to equip the participants with the insights and inspiration to take an active role in shaping the future of sustainable transport.
“The e-mobility ASAP Project is helping build the country’s workforce for the future, harnessing the potential of electric vehicles to create opportunities for skills development, new professions, and thriving industries. We recognise the leadership and ingenuity of young people as the engineers, technicians, designers, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and innovators who will shape a cleaner and more sustainable transport future,” said Atty. Glynda Bathan-Baterina, Deputy Executive Director of Clean Air Asia.
“Solutions Lab 2: Mobilising Youth for Healthcare Waste Awareness” empowered participants to dive into the pressing issue of healthcare waste and its impact on both human health and the environment. The workshop challenged them to think creatively about how to spark public awareness. By the end of the session, participants developed their own key messages and campaign calls, and brought them to life through TikTok-style short videos that reflected their voice, creativity, and commitment to advocacy.
“Healthcare waste management is a growing concern in the country, as improper handling can release hazardous substances that threaten both the environment and public health. Burning healthcare waste, for instance, can release dangerous pollutants like dioxins and furans. The youth, with their creativity and energy, can help raise awareness by informing the public that simple actions like waste segregation and reducing single-use plastics in healthcare facilities, among others, can make a real difference,” said Reynaldo San Juan Jr., BAN Toxics Executive Director.
The Solutions Labs also marked the launch of two new youth-focused initiatives: the “E-Mobility Idea Competition” and “#GenZeroPh”.
The E-Mobility Idea Competition invites youth aged 18–24 to pitch innovative solutions to accelerate electric mobility in the Philippines. Top entries will be featured at the 2025 Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit, with the grand winner earning a study tour and a presentation slot at the 2026 Better Air Quality Conference in Bangkok, Thailand.
“With the Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy paving the way for a robust local EV industry, we count on our youth to bring the innovation and drive that will sustain this transformation. They are not just future beneficiaries of e-mobility, they are its present-day builders,” said Corazon Halili-Dichosa, Executive Director, Board of Investments.
Meanwhile, #GenZeroPh, is a campaign initiative aimed at engaging youth organisations and institutions in leading awareness campaigns and community-based actions that promote environmental responsibility and nurture a generation of informed, empowered advocates for a toxics-free and waste-free future.
The celebration concluded with a youth pact ceremony where participants selected ribbons with corresponding Sustainable Development Goals and tied them to an SDG tree—a symbolic installation representing collective commitment. They then placed their pre-written pledges into a jar, symbolizing a capsule of commitment.
“The 2025 UN Sustainable Development Goals Report reveals that only 35% of targets are on track or making moderate progress, while nearly half are moving too slowly. To address the triple planetary crisis, accelerating action on key goals such as SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 14: Life Below Water, and SDG 15: Life on Land, , and SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals is essential. Young people must be at the forefront of these efforts as leaders, innovators, and partners in driving the systemic changes needed to secure a sustainable future,” Monroy concluded.