YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

CLD Advances More Liberal Future With Youth Power Project

From July 1 to September 20, the Center for Liberalism and Democracy (CLD), in partnership with KALAYAAN, Young Thinkers for Freedom, and Novaliches Youth, organized the Youth Power project in Quezon City. The two-month-long program aimed to encourage informed participation and empower critical thinking among Filipino youth through interactive programs focused on relevant social and political themes, strengthening shared values of democracy and liberalism in an engaging environment. The main events of the project culminated through the Quiz Night on August 15, 2025, which was part of the Linggo ng Kabataan celebration, as well as Kapihang Malaya on September 20, 2025. 

Participants immersed themselves in the Quiz Night by focusing on various quizzes with themes covering general knowledge, governance, democracy, and community. The challenging format of the questions prompted the young participants to think deeper than a typical trivia format, creating an engaging atmosphere that fostered teamwork and critical thinking while encouraging productive discussion.

Subsequently, Kapihang Malaya was conducted to continue the momentum created by the attendees during the Quiz Night. The informal roundtable setting provided a platform where they shared their perspectives on current community and national concerns, connecting similar experiences within a broader developmental and societal context. 

A total of 58 participants attended both events, creating a safe space for the youth to openly discuss current issues, notably related to government transparency and accountability, and channel their frustrations into constructive action that strengthened their commitment to upholding democratic values. 

The project highlighted the creation of inclusive and interactive spaces as a platform for productive dialogue among young leaders, where common struggles and aspirations drive shared efforts to promote liberal reforms. CLD aims to build on this initiative by including more vulnerable groups, such as the urban poor, workers, and women, in future iterations of the Quiz Night to promote sectoral issues they face and further support grassroots participation in democracy. Through civic education and collaborative engagement, these outlets empower young people to transform personal dissatisfaction into a collective drive for democratic progress.

Louise Arrabe is serving as an intern at FNF Philippines from October to December 2025.