The 21-year-old Pinoy Pride in the recently concluded 6th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Youth Video Making Contest was recognized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through a courtesy meeting with DSWD officials on October 18 at the Central Office.
Prince Jairo Paglinawan, born and raised in the province of Bulacan, was the representative of the Philippines and came out second place in the video-making contest which was participated in by other nine ASEAN countries.
Prior to the meeting, DSWD Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo met the Pinoy Pride during his attendance at the gala dinner of the 28th ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Council Meeting at Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia on October 12 to 14, 2022. The Secretary, then, initiated to set a meeting with Paglinawan to honor his achievement for the country.
“Sobrang unexpected para sa akin… Sobrang grateful para sa akin na pinatawag ako,” (It is indeed unexpected… I am grateful that the Secretary has reached out to me), Paglinawan said as he accepted the cash incentives from the Department.
Paglinawan’s Journey
Through an audition, Paglinawan was chosen to represent the Philippines in the video-making contest. He was one of the shortlisted from over a hundred applicants for this year’s competition.
As a finalist, he joined a four-day video training workshop jointly organized by the ASEAN Foundation, ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Youth (SOMY), and Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, and supported by the U.S. Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
During the activity, the youth representatives from nine ASEAN countries were able to learn new sets of skills related to filmmaking, including photography, videography, and editing
After the professional video-making training in August, Paglinawan had the opportunity to refine his outputs and shared it with the world through the ASEAN YouTube Channel.
Award-winning video produced by Filipino Youth
With this year’s theme, “Youth Addressing Challenges Together – Stay Dynamic in the Time of Pandemic: ACT Now!” the contest aimed to empower the youth from the region to channel their creative talents, skills, and energy to express their own perception and understanding of being part of the ASEAN community and the role of youth in community-building.
By using interactive media, the participants, including Paglinawan, have shared their reflections on youth experiences and involvement in responding to the challenges posed by the global pandemic and post-pandemic recovery.
The Pinoy Pride’s output entitled Y.A.N.A (You Are Not Alone) featured the story of how a teenage girl faced her vulnerability and battle against anxiety and depression amid Covid-19 pandemic.
The video conveys a message that we can achieve a safe space for our mental health and a better community to live in if we will learn to be responsible users of technology.
Paglinawan’s award-winning video can be watched on ASEAN Foundation YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/aJZEF2RPkvA.
The DSWD is one with the whole ASEAN community in providing platforms for the youth, one of the sectors being served by the Department, to enhance their leadership and civic engagement. ###
