Manila, Aug. 13 -- Aug. 12 is International Youth Day. It is an awareness day designated by the United Nations (UN) to draw attention to the prevailing issues surrounding youth and to celebrate the potential of our youth as "partners in today's global society." By virtue of a UN resolution, the world body recognized the urgent need to engage the youth and the various local governments in collaborative efforts in forming fruitful partnerships in nation building.

According to several relevant studies, youths all over the world in general have certain common issues. These are limited access to opportunities for education, healthcare and decent work alongside the presence of stumbling blocks to political participation and representation. Mor...