The Philippines survived the years of darkness during Martial Law in the ‘70s till the early ‘80s. Today, the country faces the same narrative – abuse of power and blatant disregard of human rights and rule of law, and the use of state agencies to intimidate and persecute critics. Moreover, the Philippines is confronted by an ineffective government and an inadequate leadership that has resulted in a poor COVID-19 response marred by corruption and misuse of public funds.

Janina Vela, an actress, social media influencer and vlogger, joins us in this episode to talk about the power of youth—those who call for genuine change through education and the power of one’s vote. Here are some of the questions she will be answering: How can social media be used for the common good? How does a young person continue to start believing in the political process again and take the difficult path forward knowing that there could always be backlash along the way? How can the youth change the current narrative of the country? What are the difficulties encountered in mobilizing the youth? What mobilization strategies work in the Philippine context?

Moderated by: Marites Vitug