09/08/2025
𝗕𝗔𝗦𝗜𝗟𝗔𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛 𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗟 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗦 | The Basilan Youth Festival officially opened led by Board Member District 1 Ahmed Ibn Djaliv Hataman together with the Tagima Youth Alliance Core Team, August 9, at Plaza Misericordia. The event brought together youth from different parts of the province for a day of learning, activities, and fellowship.
The first session featured talks on important topics. Mojahed Cosain discussed “Mind Matters: Understanding Mental Health and Well-Being,” highlighting the need to take care of one’s mental health. Anwar Kolong followed with a session on “Science and Technology and the Responsible Use of AI,” focusing on how young people can use technology wisely.
Various activities were also held at the venue, including basketball games, a charades contest, and the “Touch Me Not” challenge. Free services such as blood pressure checks, face painting, and mentoring at the HAPIsabela Youth Space were made available to participants.
Several youth groups joined the festival, including the Indigenous Youth Alliance of Marang-Marang, Pag-asa Youth Association of the Philippines (PYAP), WERPA, Kaya Natin! Youth Basilan, and the Supreme Secondary Learner Government (SSLG) of Tuburan National High School, each setting up their own booths to showcase their programs, activities, and advocacies.
The event aimed to strengthen unity among the youth—not only in Isabela City, but across the entire province of Basilan—while creating a platform for learning, sharing, and collaboration. At a time when communities can easily be divided, the Basilan Youth Festival served as a powerful reminder that our young people are stronger when they stand together. It proved that the youth are not just tomorrow’s leaders, but leaders of today. With their passion, creativity, and solidarity, Basilan’s future is already in capable hands—and indeed, it is a future already being built today.
Although the opening day program was cut short due to heavy rain, the TYA Core Team assured that the festival will continue in the coming days. (Words by KJ Lim/Photos by K Galano, IsaTV)
