HPFPI National Youth Summit
HPFPI National Youth Summit
Empowering Youth, Elevating Communities
On June 13, 2025, youth leaders from various regions of the Philippines gathered at Antay's Inland Resort in Santa Barbara, Iloilo, to participate in the HPFPI National Youth Summit. This assembly was organized by HPFPI Youth Iloilo in formal partnership with several organizations, including PACSII, SDI, TAMPEI, HPFPI, and DIInsider. The summit was titled "Pagsiplat," a Hiligaynon term meaning "to take a glance," which served as a metaphor for the initial steps of the youth toward proactive engagement in community transformation. The morning proceedings began with interactive networking activities followed by opening remarks from Mrs. Sonia Cardonigara, the HPFPI Iloilo Regional Coordinator, and PACSII organizers Mr. Miguelangelo Gaddi and Ms. Ericka Nava. Their address established the foundational theme that information is a primary instrument of empowerment and literacy. This was expanded upon by Ms. Gladys Llanes, Co-founder and Head of Media at Diinsider, who delivered a session regarding the vital role of communication in the success of community storytelling. The curriculum then shifted toward the technical analysis of media, where participants examined how photography, video production, and written journalism collectively contribute to documenting social realities. This segment of the program concluded with a specialized workshop on scriptwriting and interview protocols, providing the youth with the necessary skills to prepare for field interviews and the capture of documentary filler clips.
The afternoon sessions integrated these technical skills with broader social issues, beginning with a presentation by Mr. Arjay Rubinos, the National President of TAMPEI, regarding Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation. His lecture emphasized the essential responsibility of the youth in developing resilient and secure communities in the face of environmental challenges. Following this, Mr. TJ Biasong, a Senior Content Producer, provided a comprehensive introduction to professional camera configurations, including a detailed exploration of framing and various angles to enhance creative visual storytelling. To ensure a complete understanding of the media production cycle, the workshop also included instruction on digital editing using accessible software tools. The summit culminated in a practical application phase, during which the participants utilized their acquired knowledge to create short video projects. This final exercise served as a demonstration of their ability to synthesize technical media proficiency with community advocacy, marking a successful conclusion to the collaborative event.