Official Website of Philippine Senator Pia Cayetano

Category: Youth

  • Stay vigilant following Luzon, Visayas quakes

    House Deputy Speaker Pia S. Cayetano is urging all Filipino families to remain vigilant amid the strong earthquakes that hit several parts of the country this week.

    Following the 6.1-magnitude earthquake that hit parts of Luzon on Monday, another magnitude 6.3 earthquake rattled the Visayas region on Tuesday.
    Amid fears of aftershocks, Cayetano reminded the public to always remain calm and prepared whenever calamities strike.

    “Ang reminder ko sa karamihan, baka hindi kayo sa lindol masaktan kung hindi sa after-effect, which are panic and stampede,” she noted.

    “That’s why we have to be very careful and calm. More importantly, let’s prepare ourselves for calamities. There’s so much information out there that we can access through technology,” she added.

    The congresswoman further stressed the need to prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable sectors, including children, pregnant women, the sick, the elderly, and the differently abled, during times of disasters.

    Cayetano said local government units (LGUs) should integrate these sectors’ welfare in their disaster risk reduction and management programs. This way, incidents of maternal and infant sickness, deaths, as well as cases of rape, trafficking, and prostitution could be prevented.

    Cayetano said Taguig City has set a good example with its timely disaster response efforts during the earthquake on Monday. 

    “Ang maganda sa Taguig, agad agad may first responders na nasa labas. Meron na kaagad kaming command post na nakatayo within a matter of minutes. Sana ay lahat ng LGUs ay ganito rin kabilis ang pagresponde,” she stressed.

    The Taguig representative, who is running for re-election in the upcoming senatorial polls, authored Republic Act No. 10821 or the Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act.

    The measure provides emergency relief and protection for children before, during, and after disasters.#

    Senatoriable Pia Cayetano discussing with student leaders from Pangasinan State University.

  • Pia wants year-round sports programs in schools

    Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano is urging local government officials and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) leaders to promote year-round sports programs in their respective communities, to encourage Filipino students to stay in school.

    In a radio interview in the “Home of the Champions” General Santos City on Tuesday, Cayetano stressed the importance of sports in providing more opportunities for the youth to be productive and to develop their discipline. 

    “Having year-round sports programs for the youth can really help our kids stay and excel in school. For me, the kind of discipline that they learn from sports is beneficial to their growth and development,” she said. 

    The congresswoman added that sports activities are a good way to motivate young Filipinos to keep coming to school, which would in turn reduce the number of out-of-school youths and student dropouts in the country.

    She then called on Filipino parents and teachers to keep encouraging their kids to harness their energy in sports and apply the same in their studies. 

    Cayetano was a varsity volleyball player during her college days, and was even recruited to play for the Philippine Women’s Volleyball Team. When she became a senator, she authored laws that provide benefits to young athletes, one of which is the Student-Athlete Protection Act (Republic Act 10676). 
    Meanwhile, Cayetano also urged local officials and SK leaders to give assistance to the families of out-of-school youths in order to ensure that the kids are properly guided to continue their studies and have a better future.

    “One of the most common causes of children dropping out from schools is usually problems in their homes. Kaya nananawagan ako sa mga leaders natin on the ground na tulungan ang mga pamilyang ito para matuloy sa pag-aaral ang mga anak nila and make something of their lives,” Cayetano stressed. #

    Senatoriable Pia S. Cayetano speaks at the International Youth Forum’s World Youth Camp held on Monday (April 15) in Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos City.

  • Pia calls on youth volunteers to help prep for SEA Games

    LAKESHORE, TAGUIG CITY – House Deputy Speaker and sports advocate Pia S. Cayetano is encouraging young Filipinos from different provinces to volunteer and take part in the Philippines’ hosting of the 30th South East Asian (SEA) Games. 

    The Philippine South East Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), in cooperation with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), launched its Volunteers Program on Friday (April 11) to mobilize youth volunteers for the region’s premiere multi-sport event.

    Cayetano said local communities play an important role in ensuring the success of the country’s hosting of the SEA Games from November 30 to December 10 2019.

    “Once the organizing committees finalize all the venues for the games, we need each community within that area to volunteer, especially the youth,” she stressed.

    “On a macro scale, the Philippines will be the host; but on a micro scale, we need to harness our local communities so that we can really win as one,” she added.
    The Taguig congresswoman said engaging local communities for the 30th SEA Games could also boost local tourism in their respective areas.
    Moreover, she said it opens opportunities to showcase what the Philippines has to offer to the region and the world, apart from being the home of talented athletes.

    “There’s a lot of time for us to invite and really organize local volunteers. Regardless of your background, there is a role for you to play in this year’s SEA Games,” Cayetano said.

    ”On my part, I’d like to lead by example because as a former student-athlete, I know how it feels to win, to lose, to wake up early, and to put in my best efforts in making my country proud,” she added.

    Cayetano, who is running for re-election in the coming Senatorial polls, played for the Philippine Women’s Volleyball Team when she was in college. 
    At the launch of the volunteers program, Cayetano was seen interacting with volleyball stars Alyssa Valdez and Fille Cainglet Cayetano, as well as national athletes and sports personalities. 

    Cayetano is a known advocate of sports and the youth sector in Congress, having passed laws that give benefits to young Filipino athletes like the Student-Athletes Protection Act (Republic Act 10676). #

    Senatoriable Pia S. Cayetano and volleyball players Fille Cainglet-Cayetano and Alyssa Valdez pose “as one” during this Friday’s launching of the Volunteers Program for the 30th South East Asain (SEA) Games, which will be hosted by the country from November 30 to December 10 2019.

  • Pia lauds DepED initiative to revive “Larong Pinoy”

    Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano welcomed the reintroduction of the country’s  indigenous sports in this year’s Palarong Pambansa, which will be held in Davao starting April 27.

    The Department of Education (DepEd) announced that the 2019 Palarong Pambansa will showcase “Larong Pinoy” as a side activity in the national sporting event.

    It aims to strengthen and revive traditional Pinoy games like kadang-kadang, patintero, hilahang lubid, and karera ng sako. 

    “Natutuwa ako na mapo-promote natin ang larong Pinoy sa Palarong Pambansa. This is a good stepping stone to encourage the youth to be into sports,” Cayetano stressed.

    “Ang interes ng kabataang Pilipino sa sports ay kadalasang nag-uumpisa naman talaga sa mga larong Pinoy,” she added.

    The former student-athlete shared that her interest in sports also started with playing Pinoy games at a young age. She said such activities developed her fundamental sports skills.

    “Once you start to develop skills like hand-eye coordination, you will also begin to develop advanced skills in other sports,” she said.

    The congresswoman also encouraged Filipino parents to continue supporting their children to play sports in order to teach them the importance of discipline and teamwork.

    Cayetano, who is running for re-election in the upcoming Senatorial polls, competed at the Palarong Pambansa as a student, where she played for the National Capital Region girls volleyball team.

    She is a known advocate of sports and the youth sector in Congress, having passed laws that give benefits to young Filipino athletes like the Student-Athlete Protection Act (Republic Act 10676). #

  • Pia seeks new tack to reduce school dropout rate

    Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano believes that it is possible to effectively reduce the number of school dropouts throughout the country by giving educators the means to support students with learning disabilities. 

    Cayetano, in a radio interview in Cebu City on Thursday, stressed that students who drop out of elementary and high school usually have special needs early on that were not given proper attention. 

    “The reality is, many out of school youths dropped out because they had learning disabilities. They had no access to support systems in their school. It’s very possible that their own parents, perhaps due to poverty, also had no ability to support them,” she said.

    A 2018 study conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) showed that undiagnosed learning disabilities are among the most common causes of risk for dropping out among Grades 1-6 students.

    “These children simply could not cope with the pressure. So we need to identify and assist these kids before they drop out. We need schools, especially during the first three grades, to have assistant teachers who can give additional attention to them,” Cayetano noted. 

    The congresswoman said she plans to discuss with the Department of Education a proposal to establish volunteer programs for parents who are willing to assist teachers in responding to specific needs of students in the classrooms.

    Cayetano also called on Sangguniang Kabataan leaders in the country to help encourage out-of-school youths to return to school by taking advantage of programs available to them, such as Alternative Learning Systems or ALS. 

    “Let’s find a way for them to excel and then bring them back in alternative learning systems,” she added, while citing the Open High School Program, a system of education that uses multimedia technologies and flexible class schedules to allow students to continue their studies beyond the conventional classroom setup.

    The author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 10665 or the Open High School System Act, Cayetano vowed to push for the law’s proper implementation by ensuring that every school district in the country offers ALS programs for high school students. #

    Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano discusses her proposed programs on education and employment in a local radio interview in Cebu City on Thursday.

  • Pia vows to champion pro-youth measures

    Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano on Monday vowed to fight for a ‘package’ of education laws in Congress that will cater to all the needs and concerns of Filipino students. 

    In a radio interview in Dumaguete City, the congresswoman said she plans to file bills that will complement the pro-education measures that she authored in previous Congresses. 

    “I want to file continuing laws or a series of interrelated measures that will really contribute to the welfare of our students. It’s not enough to have only one idea. We need to cover all the concerns of each sector,” she stressed. 

    For one, Cayetano said she wants to strengthen the implementation of Republic Act 10647 or the Ladderized Education Act, which she authored and sponsored in the Senate. It institutionalizes the ladderized interface between technical-vocational education and training (TVET) and higher education.

    “Under the law, students have the option to find work after finishing a short course on technical-vocation and then study an advanced course afterwards, with all their experience credited,” Cayetano explained.

    On the other hand, she cited that ladderized programs are not yet available in many schools in the country. Hence, she wants more educational institutions to develop such programs.

    “What I am planning to do if I get back to the Senate is to check how many schools are already offering this program. Not all students have the means to continue studying, some have to work after they graduate,” Cayetano said. 

    Furthermore, the Taguig representative said she wants to introduce an amendment in Republic Act 10648 or the Iskolar ng Bayan Law, to provide additional educational assistance to deserving students. 

    “Without the support in terms of allowances for transportation, board and lodging, and other school supplies, free tuition will not be enough for many students,” noted Cayetano, who also authored RA 10648.

    “One of the work that I really need to do is to bring back my original proposal under the Iskolar ng Bayan Law. I will amend that to include allowances for deserving students,” she added, stressing that the welfare of Filipino students should be a public concern.#

    Senatorial aspirant Pia Cayetano consults SK leaders at the ‘Painitan sa Tiangge’ in Dumaguete City about her proposed measures for the youth.

  • Pia seeks bigger budget to boost PH education

    Pushes for measures beyond free tuition

    In time for this year’s graduation season, Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano reiterated her commitment to champion measures that will improve the quality of education for Filipino students and provide them with more assistance.

    Cayetano was in Bacolod City on Sunday, where she met with members of the city’s Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation to discuss how she will push for programs to help the youth. The congresswoman said she intends to lobby for increased budget allocation for education to institutionalize measures that will complement the law on free tuition in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).

    “Our education budget should not stop at free tuition. It should include investments in the quality of education. We should rank our universities and even the private schools based on this kind of quality,” she said in a mix of Ilonggo and English.

    Cayetano said more funds should be allotted for the improvement of schools’ infrastructure, training programs for Filipino teachers, as well as additional assistance for poor and deserving students. She noted that, despite the free tuition for college students, parents still have to shoulder expenses required to take their children to school, including costs for food, transportation, board and lodging, books, and other school supplies, among others.

    “There are many more benefits for our students that I plan to institutionalize if I return to the Senate,” Cayetano said in a radio interview also in the city. She said she plans to adopt the best practices of local governments in promoting better access to quality education, such as Taguig City’s Lifeline Assistance for Neighbors In-need (L.A.N.I.), a comprehensive scholarship program intended for the city’s constituents.

    The LANI Program offers different scholarship types, including scholarships for students enrolling in premier Philippine universities, grants for those pursuing Masteral or Doctoral degrees, and review assistance for graduates preparing for their board or bar examinations.

    “In Taguig, we are very proud that we have a comprehensive program on education. Those are the kinds of programs that I want replicated; the best practices in education that we can institutionalize and standardize,” Cayetano noted. #

    Senatorial aspirant Pia Cayetano speaks to SK leaders at the Manukan Country in Bacolod City regarding measures she plans to champion for the youth.

  • Pia to SK leaders: Promote entrepreneurship, financial literacy among youth

    Pia to SK leaders: Go beyond sponsoring sports tournaments; encourage financial literacy, entrepreneurship in your generation

    Nacionalista Party senatorial bet Pia S. Cayetano is encouraging youth leaders across the country to take the initiative in promoting financial literacy and entrepreneurship among members of their generation, as a means to secure their future.

    “I want to plant these seeds in the minds of our youth leaders in the hope that they would come up with programs like this, and I would love to have the opportunity to help them also,” said Cayetano, a lawyer and entrepreneur who earned her economics degree from the University of the Philippines.

    The congresswoman was in Pampanga earlier this week where she had a sit-down discussion with leaders of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation in San Fernando City.

    In her talk with the SK leaders, Cayetano encouraged them to go beyond sponsoring the usual sports tournaments in their community, and try to initiate other programs that will promote financial literacy and entrepreneurship among their constituents. 

    “It’s interesting that we have a common interest, which is sports. But I also realize that it is not enough, because, as they told me, that’s what their sector already expects from them,” she said. 

    “I’m so happy because sports fills a big need in their sector. But I am encouraging them to explore other areas like financial literacy and entrepreneurship, (in order) to understand what they need to secure their future,” Cayetano added.

    Cayetano has been going around the country to discuss with youth leaders possible ways through which the government could respond to the needs and aspirations of their generation. 

    “God willing, if I’m re-elected to the Senate, I would make laws for the Filipino people – and they say we have a very young population. I have to always be in tune with the views of the Filipino youth. And there’s no other way but to sit down, discuss and listen to them,” she said, while stressing the need to prepare young Filipinos to become job-ready, globally competitive, and productive members of society. #

    Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano holds a sit-down discussion with youth leaders in San Fernando, Pampanga on Tuesday to talk about how the government could respond to their sector’s needs.

  • Pia aims to make senior high graduates job-ready

    If elected to a new term in the Senate, House Deputy Speaker Pia S. Cayetano said she would prioritize the evaluation of the country’s Senior High School (SHS) system to gauge whether the program has met the objective of making K-12 graduates job-ready. 

    “Sa larangan ng edukasyon, ang bibigyan ko ng prayoridad ay ang Senior High School program. Nagpa-graduate na tayo ng first batch ng Senior High Schools last year. Sa dalawang taon na kinuha natin sa buhay nila, ano bang mga skills ang natutunan nila?” Cayetano asked in a radio interview on Tuesday. 

    The youth and education advocate said that if given the chance to serve at the Upper Chamber, she would file a Senate resolution seeking to evaluate the implementation of the country’s K-12 Education Program, particularly the SHS programs in both public and private schools across the country. 

    To recall, the K-12 system aims, among others, to make senior high graduates job-ready or equipped with basic entrepreneurial skills. 
    A study conducted in 2018 by the Philippine Business for Education however showed that only 20 percent of the 70 leading companies in the country are open to hiring SHS graduates.

    Meanwhile, a separate study by JobStreet last year revealed that only 24 percent of employers using its website are ready to hire SHS graduates for entry level positions.

    “In fact, naka-draft na ang resolution. Ifa-file ko ito agad dahil gusto ko magkaroon ng immediate feedback sa lawmakers sa kung ano ba ang nangyari, kung job-ready ba itong mga bata,” Cayetano shared.

    The congresswoman recognized the need to further improve the country’s education system to better fit the demands of hiring industries, as well as to address the job and skills mismatch among Filipino graduates. 

    “May nagsasabi talaga sa side ng government at ng private sector na may demand, pero hindi raw nafi-fill. Kulang daw talaga ang mga skilled workers,” Cayetano lamented. 

    The senatorial aspirant then proposed to develop a human resource database for senior high and college graduates in the country in order to improve the government’s strategies in meeting the human resource needs of particular booming industries.

    Cayetano, who formerly chaired the Senate Committee on Education, is also pushing for the improvement of Filipino youths’ English proficiency to make them more globally competitive. #

    Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano discusses her advocacies with youth leaders in Pampanga on Tuesday, including her call to strengthen the country’s Senior High School program to make graduates job-ready.

  • Pia: Encourage self expression among the youth

    In an intimate talk with students, teachers, writers, and bloggers in Davao City, House Deputy Speaker and Taguig City Representative emphasized the importance of encouraging self-expression and developing communication skills, especially among the youth.

    Cayetano met with officers and members of ‘Resurgent PH’ over the weekend, a group committed to bring out facts and truth on current issues affecting the country through social media.

    She said teachers could play a crucial role to encourage self-expression in their students, so that the latter are freely able to convey their thoughts and concerns to society, including their fellow youth, elders and leaders.

    To be able to do this, Cayetano said young people must find within them the passion to write or post about subject matters that are close to them, such as family, friendship, education or culture.

    On the other hand, she said developing communication skills (oral and written) also empowers by giving our youth the tools they need to be able to convey their messages clearly and effectively to a wide and diverse audience.

    Cayetano noted that the K-12 basic education program encourages the use of the ‘mother tounge’ to facilitate better learning, particularly for young students, including those in regions where local languages are widely used in addition to Filipino and English.

    This is a good start, but she added that educators must not lose sight of our ‘natural advantage’ as a people when it comes to speaking and writing in English. She underscored how effective messaging starts from one’s passion, aided by communication skills, including the ability to communicate using the languages that are most spoken around the world. #