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Older generations often misunderstand the youth as an apathetic group. The younger generation is often stereotyped as individuals who do nothing except play video games and waste their time on social media sites.

Mirus Ponon (fifth from left) led the Youth Advocates for the Philippines when they became an exhibitor for a bootcamp at Tanghalang Pasigueno in March 2020, where Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto was one of the guests.

And when they try to actually do good and socially-relevant things, they are often silenced for their lack of experience.

This attitude toward the youth is quite problematic. For one, the behavior of a few doesn't represent the whole group.

The National Youth Commission of the Philippines defines the youth sector as members of the population aged 15 to 30 years old.

The youth sector is one of the most active groups in volunteer work. This can easily be seen online. As frequent users of the internet, the sector mobilize quicker.

In fact, many non-profit and non-government organizations accept youth as volunteers. But since they are only volunteers, their voice is limited.

This exact issue inspired 19-year-old Filipino college student, Mirus Ponon, to establish the organization Youth Advocates for the Philippines.

"Talagang ang dami kong sinalihang organizations. Nung senior high ako, naging officer ako sa mga organizations na 'to," Mirus recalls in GMA Lifestyle's exclusive interview with him.

"'Yung mga sina-suggest ko laging hindi tinatanggap kasi nga bata raw ako.

"At the time na nasa org ako, that time I was 15, 16, tingin nila bata ako and sila graduate na.

"Hindi nila tinetake ['yung suggestions ko.]"

Ogranization made by the youth, for the youth

According to Mirus, the objective of the Youth Advocates for the Philippines (YAP) is to give a safe space for the youth who wants to know what advocacy they would like to be involved in.

The ASEAN Youth Advocates Network launched ASEAN Youth Cares, the only youth-led organization that provided aid to more than 1500 families.

"Kaya siya Youth Advocates for the Philippines kasi 'pag tinatanong kami kung ano ang advocacy namin, walang specific advocacy," he noted.

"Ang advocacy namin, magka-advocacy ka. Gawin mong lifestyle 'yung advocacy mo.

"If we were to have a mantra na ginagawa namin ngayon, it's educating, advocating, and inspiring you and the youth."

YAP was established in October 2019 and in just a few months, the youth organization expanded to 17 chapters nationwide with over 40,000 volunteers.

Because of the success of YAP, Mirus decided to expand it to the ASEAN Youth Advocates Network (AYAN) that has presence in almost all countries in Southeast Asia, except Thailand and Laos.

"Wala masyadong sa Southeast Asia, so 'yun 'yung nakita namin variable sa opportunity on why AYAN got to grow quickly," Mirus explained.

Because of his work, Mirus was recently recognized as one of the Global Teen Leaders by the New York City-based We Are Family Foundation, founded by three-time Grammy Award-winner Nile Rodgers.

The recognition fueled Mirus and 30 youth leaders worldwide to establish the Global Youth Advocates Network (GYAN) in August 2020.

"Because of this award and because of the networks that we were able to built, now, I believe na we are confident to go global," he confidently shared.

"We don't have a secret formula. We just have that simple formula of wanting to be inclusive."

In the end, Mirus proved the famous quote of Dr. Jose Rizal: "Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan."

"Like I would always say every time I'm given a chance to speak. If our world is changing for the better or worst, what can we do about that?

"We're tired of waiting for the world to change for us.

"Now, we're given a chance for us to change the world.

"We are not just the future; we are the present.

"And we have the power to right the wrong of the past generation and to build that sustainable future that we want."

Meanwhile, here are some celebrities and their chosen advocacies.