PLDT and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) recently celebrated the youth of Tagum City in the Davao region, during the month-long Tagum City Youth Festival. Symbolizing new chapters and fresh beginnings for the youth, the colorful festival was organized by the Tagum Youth Development Office, and culminated with a conference called Youth Connect (YouthCon) 2023.
The hybrid conference brought together around 250 youth leaders from diverse, community-based organizations, including volunteers from Tagum City’s I AM SINAG group. Held to encourage collaboration and empowerment, YouthCon 2023 also featured PLDT and Smart’s longtime Better Today advocates Dr. Gia Sison and Riyan Portuguez, more popularly known as ‘Your Millennial Psychologist’, who shared about stress and fatigue management, burnout, and the effects of social media on mental health.
“With digital wellness as one of the key advocacies of PLDT and Smart, we have been working with like-minded organizations to create activities that will encourage a culture of kindness and empathy – both online and offline. We are happy to partner with the Tagum Youth Development Office in helping empower and inspire the youth to become better today,” said Judee Chaves, PLDT and Smart Mindanao Relations Head.
YouthCon delegate Megan Millan shared some of her learnings from the conference. “As a young leader and a proud mental health advocate, I am very grateful for this opportunity to discuss topics that are highly relevant to our generation. We do spend a lot of time on social media, so the talks were eye-opening and inspiring. As a youth leader, I am hopeful that I can apply these learnings in my journey,” said Millan.
PLDT and Smart also partnered with the Tagum LGU in staging a number of fun activities, including contests, a cosplay convention for a cause, and a runway competition, all designed to showcase the skills and talents of the youth of Tagum City.
“We are immensely grateful to PLDT and Smart for their unwavering support in this year’s Tagum City Youth Festival. Our partnership has elevated the success of the festival, and we look forward to more collaborative endeavors that will shape a healthier and more vibrant community,” said Janice Clarion, Tagum City Youth Development Officer.
PLDT and Smart seek to uplift and improve the overall wellness of Filipinos through initiatives that promote digital wellness and create awareness on the importance of mental health. These initiatives emphasize the commitment of PLDT and Smart to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG #3: Good Health and Well-Being.
