The challenge of being the "hope of the future" can't be more real and harder than for the youth from marginalized, isolated communities. Planning for the future is not easy as daily concerns on basic needs, including food, health, and education, must be urgently addressed first.

This is very true for the Upper Pulangi youth whose homes are hours away from the city proper. Upper Pulangi is located along the Pulangi River within the mountain range called Pantadon in Bukidnon, northern Mindanao, Philippines. Here, education is very precious and more often a privilege, opportunities to learn outside of school through seminars and trainings are rare, and occasions to engage and learn from other youth outside their community are unusual.

So when the Upper Pulangi youth were invited to gather with other youth from neighboring communities, the students welcomed this opportunity without hesitation.

In an effort to provide time and space for the youth to speak and discuss issues that affect them and the world as a whole, the Bridging Leadership in Mindanao project of ESSC invited students from four public and private high schools in Upper Pulangi. Ninety-one students from Fr. Leoni Memorial School (in Cabanglasan, Bukidnon), Silae National High School, St. Isidore High School, and Silae National High School - St. Peter Annex, gathered last 29 to 30 January 2011 for the first Tapok Kabatan-onan, or Youth Gathering.

Environment and peace conerns in Upper Pulangi

The communities in Upper Pulangi are often confronted with environment and security concerns. And while the youth are affected and drawn into the problems, their thoughts and aspirations are not sought in community discussions.

The Tapok aims to provide the youth a broader context about situations and concerns that affect them both as young persons and as part of their community, and their country as well.

The history of Upper Pulangi speaks much of the relationship of the people to the land and their environment. When a recent security concern troubled their communities, to the point where their area was perceived as a "dangerous" area in Bukidnon, this concern was reflected in the selecting the theme for the youth gathering, Tapok Kabatan-onan: Kinaiyahan ug Kalinaw Barogan or youth gathering for the environment and for peace.

Youth and ecological services

It was expected that the youth's knowledge on how to be stewards of the environment would be limited due to their age and experience. The science of ecological services is not thoroughly discussed in class.

But the youth know the fundamentals of ecological services. They know that the forest and water that surround them are natural resources that people need to live. They spoke of how the thick forest helps bring about clean and cool air and provides water and electricity. They know about soil erosion and the dangers of pollution and logging. They can identify most of the trees in their forest and have basic knowledge of biodiversity. They actively participated during small group discussions and listened intently to speakers who shared a deeper understanding of ecological services and threats to the environment. And as expected from any youth, they were curious and inquisitive, asking questions and clarifications.

Learning from Pulangi's history of peace

They are also aware what the elders, from their communities and from the outside, speak about in terms of the dangers, fears, and threats of violence in their homelands. They partly believe but are uncertain of the details and facts. They know of the 2009 armed conflict that took the lives of rebels and military in the area. However, they are not aware of the reason for the violence that happened and how they can help in restoring the sense of security in their communities.

The Tapok was a rare opportunity for the youth to learn about their history, the Pulangi's history. It is a history that speaks of Pulangi as a land of peace where other tribes sought reconciliation and harmony. Pulangi is the name of the river, but the root word is pulang that means to stay awake and not sleep until a conflict is resolved. It was a peaceful means of solving problems and disagreements and very different from the current peace struggle in Upper Pulangi.

Speaking with and getting to know each other, listening to different viewpoints, and peacefully resolving conflicts are traditions their ancestors did in the past. Through the Tapok, they were re-acquainted with these practices. The youth found out that the ways of the past were simpler, more reasonable, and more appropriate to use in life and in their search for real and lasting peace in their land.

Broadening the youth engagement

The bigger and international gatherings on climate change and globalization discuss the future of the next generations and leaders all over the world are exploring ways by which the youth's tomorrow can be secured.

It is only appropriate that the youth are also asked to take part in the work as early as they can, even in simple ways. But the youth must be provided opportunities to learn more and discuss, not only with the experts and their teachers, but also with their peers. Opportunities for engagements must be broadened beyond the youth in urban centers and those who can afford, and involve the youth who live within the forests and the land that people depend on.

That is what the Tapok was about and the 91 students knew it and maximized the rare opportunity to learn and engage. They had fun and periods of "joking around," but it was evident in the Tapok activities of discussions, writings, performances, and artworks, that they knew their responsibilities and were willing to do their share in the work with the guidance and support of their elders.