International Youth Day 2025: Empowering the Future of Cooperatives!

The celebration of the International Youth Day was held last August 12, 2025 at Max’s Restaurant, 21 Sct. Tuazon, Brgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City. It was a powerful and inspiring event focused on the vital role of young people in the cooperative movement with this year’s global theme, “Youth Empowerment for a Sustainable Future”. The gathering brought together leaders, experts, and young cooperators to discuss key issues and chart a course for a more sustainable and inclusive future.

Usec. Alexander B. Raquepo, Chairperson of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), emphasized the importance of financial literacy for youth in cooperatives and the need for a united and strong youth sector in the Philippines. He highlighted his full support for the youth members, underscoring the importance of succession planning, and urged everyone to embrace cooperativism with pride for sustainability and continuity. This was followed by a testament to the Local Government Unit’s (LGU) full support for the cooperative sector which was given by the Honorable Maria Josefina “Joy” Belmonte, Mayor of Quezon City. She shared her message of commitment, detailing the many programs and laboratory cooperatives initiated by the LGU to empower the youth and ensure a sustainable future. Next was Asec. Abdulsalam A. Guinomla, CDA Board of Director, who delivered a compelling message on climate change and the fight against disinformation. He challenged the youth not to wait for the future but to actively create it. He called on young cooperative leaders to be responsible, innovative, and focused on solutions that will help their communities. He promised unwavering support to empower cooperative youth leaders for a sustainable future. Additionally, Father Anton shared profound insights, explaining the 10 C’s of Cooperative Unity, a guiding principle for fostering harmony and collaboration within the movement. Topics such as climate change, gender and development, mental health, social entrepreneurship, education for skills development, and the Kooptrepreneurship Program was discussed by Dr. Hilda F. San Gabriel who provided a comprehensive overview of how to engage youth in Cooperative Social Responsibility. Finally, Regional Director of CDA-NCR, Mr. Pedro T. Defensor, Jr., delivered a significant announcement about a new Memorandum Circular titled “Strengthening Youth Representation in Every Cooperative.” This circular mandates the creation of a Youth Committee in every cooperative, with the chairperson of this committee serving as an ex-officio member of the Cooperative’s Board of Directors. This is a monumental step forward in ensuring that the voice and concerns of the youth are heard at the highest level of cooperative governance.

The event was a resounding success, filled with insightful discussions, promising new initiatives, and a shared commitment to building a more resilient, inclusive, and youth-led cooperative movement.