MANILA, PHILIPPINES – After a rigorous screening process, TAYO Awards Foundation has announced the Top 20 National Finalists for this year’s search for the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations in the Philippines. The announcement was made during the “Siklab” launch on February 04 in Acceler8, Legazpi, Makati City.
The Foundation initially launched the search late last year, with the application period running from September 27 to October 26, 2022. The search was open to all interested youth organizations.
From the 491 entries, 67 Validation Interview Qualifiers, and 41 Experts Screening Qualifiers, the Foundation was able to select five organizations from the National Capital Region (NCR), Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao respectively, bringing the list of aspiring accomplished youth organizations down to 20 national finalists.
The Experts Panel, composed of government and non-government representatives from Luzon & NCR and Visayas & Mindanao, screened the participants based on the criteria set by TAYO Awards Foundation such as Impact of project entry on stakeholders; Harnessing the spirit of volunteerism and citizenship; Creativity and innovation; and Sustainability and Effective use of Resources.
According to TAYO Executive Director Rhyn Esolana, the experts’ panel was particularly interested in the positive impact that the organizations were able to contribute to their communities, the sustainability of the youth group’s projects, and how it will survive beyond their leadership.
“The National Finalists have strong impact stories, niche advocacies, and innovative programs that gave them an extra nudge to becoming part of the National Finalists,” Rhyn shared.
The 20 youth organizations who made the cut will be joining TAYO Week in Manila on the second week of March where they will be participating in a jam-packed week of activities including meetings with stakeholders, capacity-building programs, and institutional visits.
The National Awarding of this year’s Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations is set to take place on March 12 and will be streamed on TAYO’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel. The event will be attended by representatives from the Top 20 organizations, sponsors, partners, TAYO alumni, and guests from government and non-government organizations.
TAYO Awards Foundation is the Philippines’ premier award-giving body that has recognized and awarded youth groups that have been instrumental in nation-building, with the goal to inspire other young people to also take part in creating meaningful impact. The Search for TAYO Awards is co-presented by Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines and San Miguel Corporation, and supported by the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, The Asia Foundation, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Australian Government.
