Davao City – About two-hundred fifty (250) students and out-of-school youth from Davao Region’s provinces and cities gathered at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex on March 8 to learn about the AmBisyon Natin 2040, Philippine Development Plan and Davao Regional Development Plan (DRDP), 2017-2022 and to compete for the production of advocacy materials for the Plan’s continuing promotion.

“This is the first in the history of RDC XI that we are conducting a Plan advocacy event for the youth,” said RDC 11 Chair and Davao del Norte Governor Anthony del Rosario in his opening message. “The government recognizes your vital role in nation building and needs you at this time of positive change.”

The event began with an overview of the DRDP presented by NEDA 11 Assistant Regional Director Priscilla Sonido that emphasized what the Plan has in store for the youth of Davao Region. She exhorted the participants not to be passive beneficiaries of the development process, but active players for the realization of the Plan.

In response, the participants wrote on paper their personal commitments to contribute to positive change, which they read in plenary and posted on a pledge wall.

Other event highlights were the on-the-spot poster-making contest and briefing on the competitions for the production of radio/TV skits and videos for Invocation Prayer and Pambansang Awit.

There were 20 contenders from various schools for the on-the spot poster-making contest (traditional and computer-aided categories), showing great talent and depicting the DRDP slogan ‘Committing to Sustain Change’.  Three winners for each category were chosen and awarded after the contest.  The deadline of submission of the entries for the TV/radio skits and Pambansang Awit and Invocation Prayer videos shall be on April 16.

The Youth Advocacy and Competition Event is the fourth in a series of advocacy activities on the Davao Regional Development Plan, 2017-2022 that began in December 2017.  This event was conducted in partnership with the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Communications for Development Network, the RDC 11’s communication and advocacy arm. (Felicidad M. Rabe – DRD, NEDA XI)