On July 19, 2025, more than 200 youth from different schools, organizations, and formations around Davao City gathered for the “WAT HAFEN, EDUK RAYT?: State of the Youth Address 2025,” an annual event led by Rise for Education – Davao (R4E), alongside local chapters of the National Union Students of the Philippines and the College Editors Guild of the Philippines.
The event gathered youth and students to discuss current issues with regard to the current state of education and is dedicated to explaining the state of education within the city.
Roziel Saguin, coordinator of Rise for Education-Matina, discussed the findings of Nescience II: Evaluating the Accessibility, Quality, and Democratic Principles in Davao City’s Education System, the second year of the study launched by R4E in 2024. The study results revealed that the youth of Davao City experience an education crisis.
“We’ve presented you statistics, but behind every statistic are youth molded by poverty, toxic resiliency and a state that continues to neglect our basic right to education that is accessible, quality, and democratic.” Saguin emphasized.
Further, Kabataan Partylist Representative Atty. Renee Co provided a discussion on the youth’s demands for an alternative people’s education.
“Ang challenge sa kabataan is to change the education system, to change the culture. To create an education system that is no longer repressive, no longer as if it is a privilege. We need to dedicate our struggle to the entirety of the masses. Focus our energies sa pagdemand ng pagbabago,” the congresswoman highlighted.
The youth solon also put to light the partylist’s priority bills in the 20th congress. The Delivery of Accessible Services in Universities (DASURV) Bill, the Students’ Rights and Welfare (STRAW) Bill, and the Education as Priority in the National Appropriations (EDNA) Act target essential legislative measures to ensure a nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented education.
R4E Davao calls on the youth and the young at heart to champion the calls for accessible, quality, and democratic education and to take up the role as a catalyst for change in the country’s education system.
