In order to disseminate this information to the youth and to support their teen pregnancy prevention campaign the Advocates for Youth Philippines Foundation (A4Y) created programs and activities that include the recently concluded Second Essay Writing Contest in partnership with the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) and Meg Magazine. The awarding ceremony was held recently at the National Sports Grill in Greenbelt 3.

"This contest is a collaboration of different industries, the A4Y, UNFPA and Meg, this year we received more entries compared to last year, " A4Y Founder and president Cyndy Tan-Jarabata explains.

A4Y was created to serve the purpose, to disseminate information that encourages healthy and responsible decisions among the youth. It also aims at establishing a national youth network called Club K (Kabataan, Kalusugan, Karapatan) of young leaders and members who make, encourage and support the foundation’s campaign.

It works in collaboration with private corporations, schools, other non-profit organizations and international institutions to integrate efforts and develop alliances to address sexual health issues that concerns the youth.

From the hundreds of entries sent to the foundation one work stood out from the rest, the essay entitled, "The Creed" of Joanna Paula Cailas, 19 years old. During the awarding ceremony everyone was surprised to discover that Joanna is deaf. But this exceptional young lady definitely proved that her disability is not a deterrent in doing what she is good at and believe in.

She was forced to stop her schooling because of her disability. But it didn’t stop her from learning, and she became optimistic about her condition. "I think God has good reason in making me deaf or else, I’ll have no friends as I do now, friends who say I’m so sweet. Because of my condition, I appear mum and even dumb, but I like meeting people and making friends with them. Thank the Lord for mobile phones and whiteboards and magic slates," she giddily shares.

Contests like these are always keeping Joanna in her toes and joining them is a way to express herself. "I joined because I could and I should. I’m sure every youth has a say on the subject, they just didn’t have the time or the words to express it, or maybe they didn’t know about the contest!" she explains.

"I made it out to be a sort of summary of what I think should be the principles and beliefs every youth should have while surfing along in our no-longer-a-child, not-yet-an-adult years. I put in it everything we should remember and hammer in heart and mind, so that when that speeding car named temptation comes along threatening to hit or even sideswipe us, we could just look inside us and be safe in the time it takes to step backward from the line of collision," she explains her winning piece.

"Unless you’re afflicted with some malady that will kill you before you reach your thirties, do all you can to avoid teen pregnancy, which means not engaging in sex. We have our lives before us, and getting pregnant should only come after getting married, which should only come after getting a degree or getting a job promotion. Think of your poor baby if he/she spends his or her babyhood not in your care because you had to study just so he/she could study as well when time comes. Think of your parents. Think of yourself. Your dreams and ambitions. What’s at stake are these," she concludes.

The other winners include second place winner Anthony Bueno with his essay entitled "Responsible Sexuality: Everyone’s Responsibility". While the "One Way Ticket" of Jose Paolo dela Cruz won him the third place. The winners received R20, 000, R15, 000 and R10, 000 cash prizes consecutively.

The evening also included the appointment of four Club K Officers – Armand Aguado Mapua Institute of Technology, Michelle Ancheta of Ateneo de Manila University, Edmund Grey and Mary Louise Viernes both from De La Salle University. The appointed officers took the oath to uphold values that will enhance and promote the health, well-being, responsibility and social commitment of the Filipino youth in the multifaceted period of adolescence to adulthood.