“I Wanted to Address Real Problems”: Filipino Youth Ambassador Helps Youth Respond to Calamities

Guiane started to look for gaps in the local emergency response and came up with the “Youth Emergency Task Force” initiative, which looks to mobilize youth as first responders, equipping them with the skills to assist during calamities. He says his initiative struck a chord with the pitch contest’s judges due to its practicality and cost-effectiveness, making it easy to implement and replicate not only in his hometown but in any city vulnerable to disasters.

I started to think about what is lacking, and what needs to be done in emergency response. And I realized that the youth are usually the ones present when disasters occur, but oftentimes they can’t do anything except record videos.” — Guiane Paul Pena, high school student and UNITAR Youth Ambassador Asia Pacific 2023

He believes that youth can play a more constructive role when disasters strike, rather than just sharing photos or videos. The initiative would run hands-on emergency response training workshops for youth, teaching them vital skills such as first aid, search and rescue, and fire safety. This training would let the youth not only get themselves to safety in a disaster but also help evacuate those around them, particularly people who are less capable of doing so, such as the elderly, injured or very young.

Guiane wants to engage the mayor of his city and other decision-makers from across the Philippines to explore how his initiative can be supported, implemented and sustained. If successful, he hopes the model can be replicated further, first in cities that are most vulnerable to calamities in the Philippines and then extended to other cities across the region. He also dreams of expanding it on a global stage.

Winning the pitch contest was an emotional high point for Guiane, his family and friends, filling him with tears, pride and motivation. It reinforced his belief that youth initiatives can effect real change, fuelling his passion for developing further life-saving projects.

Don’t keep your ideas in your head and wait for someone else to act on them. Be the change, or be the reason for it. Never say ‘I’m only a kid’ because you are the future of the world.” — Guiane Paul Pena, high school student and UNITAR Youth Ambassador Asia Pacific 2023