State of the Filipino Youth ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The 2021 National Youth Survey
© 2022. Youth Leadership for Democracy. All rights reserved.
This product is made possible by the generous support of the American people through
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the
responsibility of The Asia Foundation and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID and
The United States Government.
No part of this report may be copied, distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by
digital or mechanical means without prior written permission. For general inquiries, contact
youthledph@asiafoundation.org
The State of the Filipino Youth 2021 National Youth Survey is a partnership between the Youth Leadership for
Democracy (YouthLed) and Social Weather Stations (SWS).
We would like to thank SWS, including its technical, data gathering, and data processing teams led by President
and CEO Linda Luz B. Guerrero and Vice-President and COO Gerardo A. Sandoval.
We also thank Dr. Francisco A. Magno, our Editorial Consultant for this report and our YouthLed partners and
friends who contributed their insights to the survey questionnaire: Active Vista, Ayala Foundation Inc., Gerry
Roxas Foundation, Evident, Hirayang Kabataan, La Salle Institute of Governance, Innovations for Poverty Action,
Legal Network for Truthful Elections, Love Frankie, Makati Business Club, Nicole Curato, Philippine Business
for Education, Pumapodcast, United Voices for Peace Network, and University of the Philippines Public
Administration Research and Extension Services Foundation.

Our gratitude to The Asia Foundation led by its Country Representative, Sam Chittick and the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID) for their support of this project.

About the Authors

This report is dedicated to the Filipino youth.
Natalie Christine V. Jorge is the Chief of Party of Youth Leadership for Democracy and
is recognized both locally and internationally for her work on Youth Democratic Engagement,
Corporate Social Responsibility, Education and Development.

Karl Vendell Satinitigan graduated with an MA in International Development and Policy

from the University of Chicago as an Obama Scholar. He is the Managing Director for Strategy at
WeSolve Foundation.

i ii
 CONTENTS
V. The 2021 YouthLed National Survey 29
I. Executive Summary 1
A. Filipino Youth Wellbeing and Aspirations 32
• Key Insights 5
1. Filipino Youth Identity and Values 36
• Key Data Highlights 6
2. Traditional and Social Media 39
• Snapshot of the Filipino Youth 11
3. Youth and Economic Engagement 47

II. Introduction B. Filipino Youth Civic Engagement 50

13
1. Civic Education 50
III. Survey, Methodology, and Respondents 19
2.Community Engagement 53

3.Youth and Democracy 63

IV. Special Feature: A Week in the Life of a Filipino Youth 23

C. Filipino Youth Political Awareness and Participation 66

1. Communication and Political Participation 66

2.Electoral Participation and the Youth Vote 72

VI. Conclusion 81

v vi
 Executive Summary

1 2
 I. Executive Summary
Throughout the vibrant history of democracy in the country, the Filipino youth has been instrumental in
forging and developing movements that strengthen and sustain civic engagement and participation. From
the First Quarter Storm1 in the 1970’s, from which emerged a coalition of youth networks and organizations
fighting a dictatorship, to the more recent student led protests2 against extrajudicial killings, the youth has
always been a voice for democracy. However, against a backdrop of shrinking civic spaces and democratic
backsliding,3 the youth are presented with challenges that hinder effective political participation. These
include the use of social media for disinformation, disillusionment with traditional politics and governance,
weak rule of law, weak political ideologies and party systems4, and governance mechanisms at the local
level that are impaired by tokenism and political dynasties.
Participatory engagement is seen as the biggest hope against democratic backsliding. This involves civil
society participation, electoral participation, and direct democracy initiatives.5 Providing opportunities for
civic participation and democratic governance is essential for the youth as they navigate through these
challenges.
It is important to ensure that democratic channels of communication and accountability are scaled up
and institutionalized. Structures that allow for youth voices to be heard at the local and national levels,
and pave the way for more strategic engagement at the policy level, are essential to enable the youth to
contribute to decision-making activities and become more effective changemakers.
Mobilizing the youth and empowering them to make their voices heard establish a strong foundation
for responsible citizenship anchored on democratic principles and ideals. The youth has the potential to
significantly influence democratic governance in the country6 with young people demonstrating grounded
knowledge on issues and participating proactively in democratic activities. However, to be able to defend
democracy and invest in positive change, the youth must feel that democratic and political participation
are worthwhile.
The State of the Filipino Youth 2021 national survey provides insights on the youth’s perspectives on
democratic, civic, and political engagement; values, motivations and aspirations and outlook and well-
being. This report gives focus on youth activism and civic engagement. Succeeding research and reports
will dive deeper into other sub-topics such as youth and media; regional youth profiles; youth and civic
education and other topics.
Civil society, government, academe, private sector, and the policy community would benefit from
understanding the motivations of the youth and drive the establishment of stronger foundations of
engagement that contribute to the youth’s agency in shaping the future of the country.

1
Hilario, E. (2020). “The First Quarter Storm of 1970 Revisited,”
Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/first-quarter-storm-1970-revisited2 Agencia EFE (2017).
2
Agencia EFE (2017). “Teen students march against Duterte’s drug war in Manila,” Agencia EFE.
https://www.efe.com/efe/english/world/teen-students-march-against-duterte-s-drug-war-in-manila/50000262-3328963
3
Timberman, D. (2019). “Philippine Politics Under Duterte: A Midterm Assessment,” Carnegie Dowment for International Peace.
https://carnegieendowment.org/2019/01/10/philippine-politics-under-duterte-midterm-assessment-pub-78091
4
iLead (2019). “The Government We Want: The Youth Agenda for Governance,” Institute for Leadership, Empowerment, and Democracy (iLEAD).
http://ilead.ph/2019/01/01/the-government-we-want-the-youth-agenda-for-governance/
5
Global Democracy Report. (2021). https://www.idea.int/gsod/global-report
6
Garcia, M.R. (2016). “Hear our voice: Young people in the Philippines want more from their leaders,” World Bank Blogs.
https://blogs.worldbank.org/eastasiapacific/what-the-filipino-youth-want-beyond-the-may-2016-elections

Executive Summary
3 4
 Key Insights Key Data Highlights

Youth political and civic engagement is more personalized and individualistic and is reflective of
personal interests and self-expression. By allowing this generation of young Filipinos to organize
and express themselves in ways that best represent their thoughts and ideas, we acknowledge
and support their agency, and give currency to their unique contributions, to pave the way for
stronger democratic engagement.
Young Filipinos are more inclined toward individual civic political action online and issue-
based collective action. They are less interested in politics but more focused on social
issues and social change. Understanding and respecting the youth’s position on individual
and collective participation is an important factor in multi-generational democratic
engagement. ​While these opportunities are there, the challenge is shifting engagement
from individual civic action to participating effectively in collective action and in-person
action when the circumstances call for it.
The family emerged as the strongest political influencer of the youth and is also the main
source of knowledge on civic rights, duties, and responsibilities. This provides an entry point
for building a stronger foundation for civic education and can also point the youth towards
becoming political influencers within their families and communities.
The Filipino youth had a positive outlook for their future with a net optimism score of +72
compared to that of adults whose score was +30 in June 2021. When asked to compare their
quality of life to that of twelve months ago, more than a third (36%) of the youth said it got
better. Some differences can be observed in per area results from Mindanao had the highest
gain (+16) over NCR, Luzon and the Visayas. The net optimism score is high across areas
and socio-demographic groups.
Young Filipinos said that helping parents and siblings financially (72%) was their most
important aspiration and life goal. The other top reasons included living independently
from parents (36%), getting a college degree (29%), starting their own business (28%), and
having meaningful work (28%).
On overall personal health, 67% of young Filipinos said that they have good health, which is
a vast improvement from the 51% rating in the same question from a national youth survey
conducted in 1996. This is also slightly better compared to the 63% score in the June 2019
study where Filipino adults were asked the same question. This response to overall personal
health was taken at the height of a pandemic, with the youth primarily at home or confined
to their local areas.

Access to a wide range of online and social media platforms provides more leisure, recreation,
A large majority of the youth (81%) felt extremely proud of being a Filipino, which was
learning and socio-economic opportunities for this generation of young Filipinos. These
reflective across areas and socio-demographics. This showed an improvement from the
platforms are also used for political and democratic self-expression.
1996 figure where only 69% felt very proud to be a Filipino. Pride of one’s country and having
a strong sense of nationalism are important in ensuring an active citizenry that will prioritize
and protect democracy and democratic values.
The 70% satisfaction rating given by the Filipino youth on the way democracy works in the
country is a positive development coming from a 55% satisfaction rating in 1996. The results
of the satisfaction rating vary among geographical regions. Further study is recommended
to determine the way democracy is understood and perceived by the youth. Socio-economic
conditions and cultural and religious considerations are seen as contributing factors in their
concept of democracy.

Executive Summary
5 6

The greatest deal of influence in the Filipino Youth’s decision on whom to vote for at
the national level in the May 2022 elections was the endorsement of one’s family (54%).
The endorsement of one’s family (55%) was the top response in most areas and socio-
demographic groups. It was also the most influential in the Filipino youth’s decision on
who to vote at the local level. Similar with political endorsements, most Filipino youths also
looked to their family (59%) as a guide on their stance on political issues and support for
government policies and activities (57%).
Seventy percent of the Filipino youth were satisfied with the way democracy works in the
country. This were higher compared to 55% from the youth in 1996. By area, the percentage
of youth who are satisfied was highest in Mindanao (84%), followed by Visayas (72%), Luzon
(66%) and Manila (55%).
The Filipino youth understood the meaning of democracy in terms of social equality (33%)
good governance (25%), norms and procedures (22%), and freedom and liberty (19%).
Only 8% of Filipino youth prefer to live and work outside the Philippines. 33% of respondents
remarked that they have enough good opportunities for work or career within their city/
province. 23% say that while there are opportunities where they live, they prefer to work
elsewhere in the country, 20% said they have better opportunities abroad but they prefer to
stay in the country.
7 8
Democracy Everyday: Strengthening Democratic Governance
Inequalities coupled with economic and social vulnerabilities are realities facing the youth today. From
the availability of health services to quality education and employment opportunities, these form the
basic needs of young people to survive and thrive in society. These also shape the way they think,
express their emotions, and navigate through the challenges that lie ahead. Despite these challenges,
the survey found that the Filipino youth continue to be optimistic about the future.
The ways by which young people engage are becoming more personalized and individualistic. With
more opportunities both for economic and leisure purposes, we have a generation of young people
with a more positive outlook for themselves and for the country. We see expressions of democracy
in everyday activities where citizenship, Filipino values and nationalism, become symbols of hope
and idealism. Online presence and activism remains strong on issues that directly affect them, their
families and communities.
Guidance towards a deeper understanding of democracy and how these affect their daily lives are
essential in strengthening engagement in democratic governance. Developing a culture and mindset
that is grounded in democratic principles anchored on respect for human rights, freedom and tolerance
should form part of living democracy everyday.
And while we celebrate the aspirations, independence and creativity of the youth, we also recognize
their vulnerabilities and the barriers that make it difficult for them to achieve their dreams. The high
satisfaction rating for democracy, strong sense of nationalism, awareness of national issues, and
willingness to take collective action on issues that matter most to them and their communities, indicate
that this generation of youth has the passion, the power and the capacity to protect democracy.
We must harness this idealism and institutionalize interventions and platforms for democratic
engagement leading to social and economic freedoms where the youth can be energized, capacitated
and empowered to reach their goals.
Executive Summary
 Moving Forward
The YouthLed National Survey of 2021 provides actionable insights for national and local policymakers,
youth-serving organizations, and youth leaders. Because it was conducted a year into a global pandemic,
the Survey also serves as a baseline for future studies and youth assessments that researchers and youth
sector stakeholders can build on. Connected to the OECD Toolkit on Evidence-based Policy Making for Youth
Well-being,7 future studies can look back to the 2021 Survey and assess policy and institutional interventions
for specific youth issues, especially with regard to their social capital and civic engagement.
As a national dataset, the Survey provides quantitative evidence that validates prevailing notions in the
youth sector. Examples of these include having the pandemic response as a top-of-mind issue among the
youth, the priority they give towards helping their parents and siblings as their top aspiration, their Internet
and social media use, and their optimism and positive outlook.
The Survey also reveals new information that counters the idealistic mindset among youth leaders and
stakeholders that the youth is a distinct political bloc. For instance, survey findings show that the youth are
heavily influenced by their families as to their political decisions, and that many receive the foundation for
civic education at home. Surprisingly, a majority of respondents expressed that young people should not
run for elected office such as mayor, governor, and congressperson. The survey also provides information
on individual versus collective political action, where the youth indicate a higher level of interest to engage
politically on issue-based advocacies rather than on general political modes of engagement. These findings
are critical in the design of engagement strategies and capacity building mechanisms for the youth.
7
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2017). “Evidence-based Policy Making for Youth Well-being: A Toolkit.” OECD Development Policy Tools, OECD Publishing,
Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264283923-en.
https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/development/evidence-based-policy-making-for-youth-well-being_9789264283923-en.
9 10
Key messaging themes and specific communication channels are revealed by the survey as more effective
than others. The Survey also shows notable differences among certain socio-demographic segments
and geographic areas for specific components. These themes, channels, and differences can be useful
for stakeholders, youth and youth-serving organizations, and youth leaders as they engage the sector
for greater civic engagement. While participation is low for nine of the listed civil and political actions at
the time of the survey, the findings shed light on potential entry points for civic engagement that youth
leaders and organizations can prioritize and/or start with before organizing those activities with lower
levels of openness among the Filipino youth.
The design of the YouthLed survey allows for further study that can compare responses per age group,
with demographic and geographical profiles. This will help in determining youth engagement strategies
in specific segments both for civic engagement and political participation.
Overall, the Survey can serve as a useful guide in crafting entry points for the larger population of young
Filipinos so that youth civic engagement expands beyond those already active in youth organizations and
leadership posts. The Survey can also help design the touchpoints better so that limited resources are
allocated most efficiently. It can serve as a valuable resource for the crafting of future national and local
youth development plans, and in the formulation of implementation strategies.
Executive Summary
11 12
 Introduction

13 14
 II. Introduction
The State of the Filipino Youth: YouthLed National Youth Survey 2021 was designed to determine the
values, aspirations, motivations, habits, decision making, leadership preference, civic engagement, and
political participation of the Filipino Youth aged 15-30. This survey was developed by the Youth Leadership
for Democracy (YouthLed) of The Asia Foundation8 in partnership with the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The survey focuses on the following components: Filipino Youth Wellbeing and Aspirations, Civic
Engagement, and Political Participation. It was designed in a manner that allows a profile of the Filipino
youth to emerge and the opportunity to delve deeper into sub-topics and themes that can allow for a
more holistic understanding of the Filipino Youth. This survey was also designed to provide information
that can help YouthLed and its partners in achieving the goals of increasing civic engagement, as well as
empowering youth leaders and youth organizations in the Philippines.
The YouthLed National Youth Survey has the following objectives: (1) to provide a comprehensive profile
of the Filipino Youth today that can guide YouthLed’s agenda and interventions for Youth Development
for the next five years, (2) to provide policy recommendations and insights that can contribute to the
the development of the 2023-2028 PDP, and (3) to serve as a resource for government, civil society,
academe, youth organizations, and multilateral organizations that have an interest in youth development
and research.
8
The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia. Informed by six decades of experience and
deep local expertise, our work across the region is focused on good governance, women’s empowerment and gender equality, inclusive economic growth, environment, and climate action, and
regional and international relations.

SWS conducted a national youth survey that was commissioned by the National Youth Commission (NYC)
in 1996. Among the key items from that survey that are presented here include Pride in being a Filipino,
Satisfaction with democracy, Overall health, and Positive outlook. The NYC commissioned another survey
in 2015, with more focus on socio-economic characteristics based on youth challenges and vulnerabilities.
The NYC surveys served as inputs to strengthen the work of the NYC and to evaluate the 2011-2016
Philippine Development Plan (PDP) and to contribute to the 2017-2022 PDP.

Introduction
15 16
 Activism and the Filipino Youth
The responses from the 1996 and 2021 national youth surveys administered by SWS9 showed differences
among the youth on positive outlook, satisfaction with democracy, pride in being a Filipino, and
satisfaction on overall health. These may reflect largely on the political and socio-economic conditions
at that time and the presence of opportunities for democratic expression and engagement.
Looking back at the history of youth activism in the Philippines, youth leaders and activists born in
the 1950s and 1960s were those who initiated the First Quarter Storm and energized the People Power
Revolution. Many young academicians, students, and activists formed the seeds from which youth
groups and civil society emerged. After 1986, with new freedoms and a country in the global spotlight,
young Filipinos anchored their hopes on a country in transition to democracy and entering an era of
globalization. The period of economic and political transition of the 1980s and early 1990s provided the
youth with new opportunities to participate in democracy and good governance through the practice
of good citizenship such as voting and paying taxes.10
9
While the youth surveys of 1996 and 2021 differ in sample size, it has the same class of respondents (ages 15-30) and can therefore be directly compared.
10
Arguelles, C. (2020). Ch 2, Generations of Young Filipinos and their Political Moments, page 33-36, Re-Thinking Filipino Millenials.
17
In the mid to late 1990s, the country emerged as a rising tiger in Asia11 through the policies implemented
during the Ramos administration. As the country transitioned to the leadership of President Joseph E.
Estrada and President Gloria M. Arroyo, both of which had its share of controversy,12 a new generation
was awakened to mobilize and come together in protest. Thus emerged Edsa II, which used similar
mobilization strategies as Edsa I with a youth that was eager to express their convictions, experience
being on the streets to protest, and call for change. A youth activist expressed that “there’s no single
formula for people power. It’s always about the existing conditions at a given time and how subjective
forces interact with these conditions. From its very name people power, we can conclude that the only
thing constant in these upheavals are the people. The most decisive force is the people”. 13
Today’s generation of young Filipinos, born in the 1990s, are in the process of discovering their own
brand of politics and engagement. What was a means of democratic expression 25 years ago through
activities such as public protests, rallies, and mass uprisings are different from the youth democratic
expression of today which have been shaped by social media and online campaigns. As indicated by the
YouthLed 2021 survey, the youth of today are more inclined towards individual self expression, whether
online or offline.
These differences in civic and political engagement must be acknowledged, and spaces for dialogue
created. The aim is to foster a healthier social and political environment where multi-generational
learning and sharing of experiences can emerge, where the voice of the youth is valued.
11
Euromoney (1997). “The Philippines: Asia’s newest darling,” Euromoney. https://www.euromoney.com/article/b1320cwkb1z534/the-philippines-asias-newest-darling
12
Rappler.com (2017) “Looking back at EDSA II: The political paths of Estrada and Arroyo” Rappler.
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/158523-look-back-edsa-ii-joseph-estrada-gloria-arroyo/
13
Reyes, N. (2008). “Remembering Edsa 2: One youth activist’s view from the streets.” https://natoreyes.wordpress.com/2008/01/15/remembering-edsa-2-one-youth-activist%E2%80%99s-
view-from-the-streets/
Introduction
18
 Survey, Methodology, and
Respondents

19 20
 III. Survey, Methodology, and Respondents
Survey, Methodology, and Respondents
YouthLed commissioned the SWS to conduct the survey, which took place on March 14 to 29, 2021. The
sample was representative of the population of young Filipino aged 15 to 30. With a sample of 4,900
youth, 15 to 30 years old, single-citizenship Filipinos nationwide, the survey had an error margin of
+/-1.4% at 95% confidence level for national percentages, with 100 respondents allocated for each
administrative region, and for each of the 32 YouthLed target areas. The respondents were selected
via Kish Grid within sampled households. The households were chosen through systematic random
procedure. SWS then utilized face-to-face pen and paper interviews using a structured questionnaire
with visuals in 10 language versions. The survey had a total of 147 questions.
21
Profile of Respondents
SWS applied census weights in determining the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents:
13% were from Metro Manila, 44% from Balance of Luzon, 19% from the Visayas, and 24% from Mindanao.
Of the total respondents, 58% were from urban areas and the balance of 42% were from rural
areas. Class ABC comprised 4% of the sample, while 81% came from class D and the remaining 15%
were from Class E.
In terms of marital status, 72% were single, 11% were married, while 17% were living in with a partner.
75% did not have children, while the other 25% who have children had an average of 2 kids.
As for the employment profile, only a third (33%) of the respondents had a job while 67% were
unemployed (25% are previously employed while 42% never had a job). Among those employed, 42%
were in the private sector, 44% were self employed, 6% were government employees, and 7% were
unpaid family workers. In addition, 27% of those employed were primarily working online. Among the
unemployed respondents, 63% were students, 18% were doing housework, while 17% were looking for
work.
Based on the highest level of education attained, majority (65%) had either full or partial education.
25% had full or partial college education, while the rest had either full or partial elementary education
(7%) or full or partial vocational education (3%).
Three of four surveyed were Roman Catholics (provide figure). Meanwhile, Muslims accounted to 6% of
the sample, 5% were Born Again, 3% were Iglesia ni Cristo, 3% were Baptists, and 2% were Protestants.
The rest (2%) belonged to other religions.
Six percent considered themselves as minority, 4% of which were from LGBTQ+ groups,
2% were indigenous people, and the remaining 0.5% were people with disabilities (PWDs).
The sample had a 1 to 1 male to female ratio.
Survey Methodology and Respondents
22
 Special Feature: A Week
in the Life of a Filipino Youth
Youth leaders and youth organizations can determine specific entry points and
touchpoints that lead to reclaiming of the democratic space and to increasing
youth civic participation if they are more aware of how young Filipinos today
spend their time. The YouthLed Survey has highlighted key findings that paint a
picture of a week in the life of a young Filipino.

23 24
25 26
 Doing household chores and browsing social media are the top daily activities
among the youth
Of the 13 pre-listed activities, the following were cited as the things that young Filipinos do every day
of the week: doing household chores (76%), browsing social media (72%), talking to family (64%), doing
religious activity (54%), and watching movies or other video contents (52%). Meanwhile, the following
activities were not done daily by the majority of young Filipinos: reading news and current affairs (48%),
talking to friends (45%), playing online games (37%), earning money (30%), reading books (29%), doing
hobbies (25%), exercising or doing physical games (17%), and helping in community projects (5%).
Frequency of social media browsing correlates negatively with distance
from Metro Manila
7 in 10 respondents (72%) browse social media on a daily basis, while a quarter of them use it less
frequently (13% few times a week, 5% weekly, 6% not even weekly). The remaining 3% have never browsed
social media daily was highest in Metro Manila at 85%, and decreases as it goes farther from that area:
77% in Balance Luzon, 70% in Visayas, and 58% in Mindanao.
Frequency of watching movies and playing online games also decrease as
one is farther from NCR
Watching video content in television or streaming services was done daily by 52% of respondents, while 24%
do it a few times a week, 10% weekly, 13% not even once a week, and 2% have never done it. The percentage
of young Filipinos who watch movies and other video content daily was highest in Metro Manila at 61%, and
decreases as it went farther from that area: 54% in Balance Luzon, 50% in Visayas, and 45% in Mindanao.
Meanwhile, playing online games using mobile phones, tablets, or computers was done daily by 37% of
respondents, while 17% do it a few times a week, 8% weekly, 19% not even once a week, while 19% have
never done it. The percentage of young Filipinos who play online games daily was highest in Metro Manila
at 52%, and decreases as it goes farther from that area: 43% in Balance Luzon, 32% in Visayas, and 25% in
Mindanao. Males (49%) and those aged 15-19 (46%) had the highest percentage of youth who play online
games on a daily basis.
27
Reading news and current affairs reduces the further the
respondent is from Metro Manila
Reading news and current affairs whether in physical newspapers or on the Internet was done daily by 48%
of respondents, while 23% do it a few times a week, 11% weekly, 15% not even once a week, and 3% have never
done it.
The percentage of young Filipinos reading news and current affairs daily was highest in Metro Manila at 61%,
and decreases as it goes farther from that area: 55% in Balance Luzon, 47% in Visayas, and 29% in Mindanao.
Some segments are overindexing compared to the total sample, namely: Iloilo City respondents (61%), those
aged 25-30 (60%), college graduates (61%), and government employees (62%).
A majority read books, do hobbies, or exercise at least once a week
More young Filipinos read books at least weekly than those who do not, with 29% of respondents saying they
read books daily, 29% a few times a week, and 15% weekly. Meanwhile, 22% of respondents do not read even
once a week, and 5% have never done it.
Almost two-thirds of young Filipinos do a hobby at least weekly with 25% of respondents saying they do
hobbies like drawing, writing, or personal projects daily, 25% a few times a week, and 14% weekly. Meanwhile,
25% say that they engage in a hobby not even once a week, and 10% have never done it. A notable finding is
observed among Baguio respondents where half is revealed to be doing their hobbies daily.
More than half of young Filipinos exercise or do physical games like sports at least weekly with 17% saying
they do so daily, 22% a few times a week, and 16% weekly. Meanwhile, 32% said they exercise or participate
in physical games not even once a week, and 11% have never done it. It is higher among males (27%) and
LGBTQ+ (20%) than females (7%).
Less than a third help in community projects at least once a week
Among those surveyed, 5% helped in community projects daily, 12% a few times a week, 13% weekly, 43% not
even once a week, and 26% have never done it.
Special Feature: A week in the life of a Filipino youth
28
 The YouthLed National Survey contains information on the personal well-being of young Filipinos,
YouthLed National their values, the national and local issues they find most important, their awareness of civic education,
their levels of civic engagement, their satisfaction with governance and democracy, and their access

Youth Survey to traditional and social media. It explores human capital, or the knowledge, skills, and competencies
embodied in individuals that facilitate the creation of personal, social, and economic well-being. It
also looks at methods of civic and political engagement and the influences that guide Filipino youth’s
decision-making processes. The YouthLed National Survey provides a comprehensive snapshot of the
lives of young Filipinos today.

29 30
 A. Filipino Youth Wellbeing and Aspirations

Individual well-being is typically understood through factors that shape people’s lives and opportunities.
These factors include quality of life indicators such as subjective well-being, personal health assessment,
and material conditions such as jobs and earnings (OECD, 2017). The results of the survey provide key
findings on youth well-being and aspirations that could play an important role in assessing individual and
social development. High optimism scores reported in the survey correlate positively with high personal
health assessments of good and a positive outlook for work or career opportunities within the Philippines
among the majority of respondents.

High percentage say they have good health

Two-thirds of respondents said they have good

health, and additional 32% said their health was
fair. A very small 1% of young Filipinos said their
health was poor. The personal assessment of good
health increased by 16 points from 51% in April 1996.
The percentage of young Filipinos who responded
saying they have good health was highest in
Metro Manila at 78%, and lowest in Visayas at 51%.
Among the 32 target areas identified by YouthLed,
the percentage was highest in the Cotabato City
at 95%, and lowest in the following: Bacolod City
(46%), Marawi City (46%), Tacloban City (48%), Naga
City (51%), and Cebu City (53%).

YouthLed National Youth Survey: Filipino Youth Wellbeing and Aspirations

31 32
 Helping parents and siblings financially was overall most important and
top-of-mind aspiration

When asked to identify up to 3 most important aspirations and life goals out of 13 pre-listed choices, to
help parents and siblings financially was identified most frequently (72%). This was also the top-of-mind
response for a plurality of the respondents, with 38% of them saying this was the most important.

The next overall most important aspirations and life goals identified were the following: to live independently
from parents (36%), to get a college degree (29%), to start your own business (28%), and to have meaningful
work (28%). Only 3% of respondents aspired to migrate to another country.

Of the aspirations and life goals that relate to community and country beyond self and family, 10% of
respondents wanted to be of service to Filipinos, while 5% aspired to be actively involved in volunteer work
that they believe makes a positive impact.

Higher net optimism score despite lower net gainer score

With three-fourths of those surveyed saying their personal quality-of-life will improve in the next 5 years,
young Filipinos had a significantly higher net optimism score of excellent +72 in March 2021 compared
to excellent +46 in April 1996. A net gainer score of high +2 was recorded in March 2021 compared to
excellent +21 in April 1996. Both net optimism scores and net gainer scores were higher compared to
those among adult Filipinos surveyed in June 2021.

The net optimism score of excellent +72 was computed as the percentage of young Filipinos saying their
personal quality-of-life will improve in the next 5 years or optimists minus the percentage saying it will
worsen. This score was classified as excellent across all areas and socio-demographics.

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33 34
 Quality of Life compared to 12 months ago Opportunities for work or career in the Philippines

The net gainer score +2 was computed as the percentage of young Filipinos saying their personal quality-
of-life got better over the past 12 months or Gainers minus the percentage that said it got worse. By
area, the net gainer score was classified very high in Mindanao (+16), with youth from Caraga Region
(+36), Region IX (+21), Cotabato City (+35), Tawi-Tawi (+32), Sulu (+26), Cagayan de Oro (+26), and Lanao
Del Sur (+20) reporting the highest. Meanwhile, the lowest net gainer score recorded across different
demographics was among PWDs at -35.
With work opportunities, 33% of respondents remarked that they have enough good opportunities for work
or career within their city/province. 23% said that while there are opportunities where they live, they prefer
to work elsewhere in the country, while 20% said they have better opportunities abroad but they prefer to
stay in the country. Only 9% said that they don’t have opportunities for work or career in their city/province
so they are forced to work elsewhere in the Philippines while 8% preferred working and living abroad than
in the Philippines. Overall, the outlook for the availability of work or jobs remained positive across all areas.
The desire to travel (9%), live or migrate (3%), or work and live abroad (8%), all registered low among the
Filipino youth, across age groups.

1. Filipino Youth Identity and Values

Individual value orientations offer insights into the degree of trust and cohesion that exist within the families
of young Filipinos, their local communities, and the larger Philippine society. The survey has highlighted key
findings on the values that young Filipinos found most important and their sense of pride as Filipinos.

Respect considered most important

Filipino value

From a list of 15 Filipino values, the respondents

were allowed to select up to three responses
that they find to be most important. Results
revealed that respect is the most important
value for young Filipinos (46%), followed
by hospitality (24%), family-first (31%), and
solidarity (25%). Hospitality (14%) and respect
A majority reported experiencing some form of discrimination (13%) were the top-of-mind most important
Filipino values among those surveyed.
More than half of the respondents (52%) said that they have experienced discrimination. The most cited
forms of discrimination were due to education or work at 18%, religion at 11%, social class at 11%, and
Note: Non-responses are not shown.
gender at 10%. Q19. I will read to you a list of Filipino values.
Identify the top three most important ones for you.
If there are others not on the list, please specify.
(Shuffle cards) (Allow up to three responses)

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 Humility and trustworthiness considered most important individual values Large majority felt pride in being a Filipino

From a list of 19 individual values, the most important overall were: humility (35%), being a reliable and Four of every five respondents are very proud of being a Filipino (81%), while 16% are quite proud, 2% not
trustworthy member of your family (34%), avoidance of harming other people (31%), dedication to the very proud, and 1% not at all proud. The percentage of young Filipinos who feel very proud increased by 12
welfare of your family (27%), compliance with rules and laws (25%), and acceptance of those who are points from 69% in April 1996.
different from yourself (24%). Acceptance of those who are different from yourself (15%), avoidance of
harming other people (14%), and being a reliable and trustworthy member of your family (13%) were the
top-of-mind most important individual values among those surveyed.

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 2. Traditional and Social Media

Three in every four young Filipinos watch news on TV at least once weekly

Close to all or 99% of respondents were users of traditional media. Among all respondents, 39% watch
news on television daily, 32% a few days per week, and 9% weekly. Meanwhile, 19% do not watch the news
even once a week, while the remaining 1% said they never watched news on TV. The percentage of those
who watch news on TV daily was higher in Metro Manila at 46% and decreases as it goes farther from that
area.

Newspapers like broadsheets or tabloids were the least preferred with a majority of 70% saying they read
the newspapers not even once a week, and another 17% saying they never read newspapers. Only 1% said
they read the newspapers daily, 8% a few times a week, and 4% weekly.

Radio is a less preferred medium with only 13% saying they listen to the news daily, 20% a few days per
week, and 8% weekly. A majority at 52% do not listen to the news on the radio, with the remaining 6%
saying they never did so. Listening daily to the news on the radio was significantly higher in the Visayas
and Mindanao, at 20% and 17% respectively, compared to only 9% each in Metro Manila and Balance Luzon.

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 Very high usage of the internet and social media among young Filipinos
Young Filipinos have very high internet usage with almost all or 97% of them using the internet. This was
true across areas and socio-demographics of Filipino youth. Among users, two-thirds (67%) said they
were always online. The percentage of those who were always online was higher in Metro Manila at 81%,
followed by Balance Luzon at 75%, Visayas at 59%, and Mindanao at 51%.
41
Almost all or 97% of respondents also had at least one social media account. Of these social media users, the
most frequently owned account were Facebook (provide figure), YouTube (47%), Instagram (47%), Snapchat
(27%), and Twitter (25%). Among social media users, 64% said they were always online. The percentage of
those who were always online on social media was higher in Metro Manila at 77% and this decreases as
it goes farther from that area. For chat applications, 96% said they have Messenger, with the other apps
being used by 6% of respondents at most.
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The most common activities social media users do on social media include watching videos for
entertainment (74%), getting updates from friends and family (60%), and learning something useful (40%).
More than a third (36%) play online games in social media, while 27% look for news. At least one in ten
respondents use social media to earn money (14%) or express personal sentiments (11%). Only 5% of the
respondents said they use social media for sharing political views.
43
High usage of social media and/or chat apps to look for news at least once a week
Among the 97% of respondents who have at least one social media account, 38% said that they used these
to look for news daily, 33% a few days per week, and 11% weekly. Only 16% said they use social media to look
for news not even once a week, and 2% said they have never done so using these accounts. The percentage
of those who use social media to look for news daily was higher in Metro Manila at 52%, followed by Balance
Luzon at 43%, Visayas at 32%, and Mindanao at 24%.
Among the 96% of respondents who use chat applications, 29% said that they used these to look for news
daily, 20% a few times per week, and 6% weekly. Only 23% said they use chat apps to look for news not even
once a week, and 22% said they have never done so using these. The percentage of those who use chat
apps to look for news daily was higher in Metro Manila at 47%, followed by Balance Luzon at 36%, Visayas
at 19%, and Mindanao at 13%.
More find traditional media as reliable and factual than social media
72% of the respondents found the news presented in traditional media as reliable and factual. Only 27%
found them rarely reliable and factual while 1% of them said they find it completely unreliable.
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 Meanwhile, significantly lower percentage of respondents found new on social social media as reliable and
factual (49%).
More than a third or 37% of young Filipinos said that traditional media reported the news truthfully
and neutrally. A close to a third or 32% said they were not sure which side the news is in favor of. As to
whether traditional media reported the news favorable or not to the government, 11% said they reported
news that were favorable to the government and 9% said they reported news that were unfavorable.
Another 9% said that traditional media news did not cover politics and government enough, while 1%
said they do not know or do not read the news.
45
With regards to the truthfulness and neutrality of news reporting on social media, 41% of respondents
said that they are not sure which side social media news is in favor of, while 31% said that social media
news were reported truthfully. An additional 10% said that social media news do not cover politics and
government enough. As to whether social media news reported news favorable or not to the government,
8% said that social media news reported favorable, and 7% said not favorable, while 2% do not know or
not read the news.
Less than a third always verify the factuality of information they have gathered
Among traditional media users, 22% said they always verify the factuality of information on traditional
media, 26% often, 47% sometimes, and only 4% never verified. Among social media users, 27% said they
always verify the factuality of information on social media, 28% often, 42% sometimes, and only 2% have
never verified.
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 3. Youth and Economic Engagement
The YouthLed National Survey asked respondents about their labor force participation and their location
preferences with regard to work or career opportunities. When asked about national and local issues,
respondents also mentioned problems related to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Poverty, rising costs of goods, and inadequate support for small livelihood and start-up business ranked
as fourth, fifth, and seventh overall as the most mentioned national issues that the government should
address most urgently. Employment and livelihood, and poverty or financial assistance ranked as fifth and
eighth most mentioned problems in their community and barangay.

Employment and livelihood was the most important local problem among PWDs (37%), elementary
graduates (19%), Muslims (15%), and government workers (14%).

According to employment status, 33% of respondents had a job, 25% did not have a job at the time of
the survey but had one before, and 42% never had a job. Among the employed, 42% were in the private
sector, 44% were self-employed, 6% were government employees, and 7% were unpaid family workers.
Also among the employed, 27% were primarily working online. Of those who were not working, 63% were
currently studying, 18% were doing housework, and 17% were looking for work.

As part of their weekly activities, 30% of respondents reported that they are working daily to earn money, 9%
More prefer to stay within the Philippines for work or career opportunities did so a few times a week, 5% weekly, 23% not even once a week, and close to a third or 32% have never done
it. The percentage of young Filipinos working to earn money daily was slightly higher in Metro Manila at 35%
A majority of those surveyed responded that they have enough good opportunities within their city or compared to those in provincial areas at 27-30%.
province (33%) or that they have opportunities for work or career within their city/province, but prefer
to work elsewhere in the Philippines (23%). An additional 20% said they have better opportunities
working abroad but prefer to stay in the Philippines.

The remaining quarter of respondents cited the following as regards work opportunities, 9% said they
do not have any opportunities for work or career in their city/province so they are forced to work
elsewhere in the Philippines, 8% said they prefer working and living abroad than in the Philippines; and
7% said they do not know where they can find opportunities for work.

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 B. Filipino Youth Civic Engagement
Civic engagement is seen as the biggest hope against democratic backsliding through civil society
mobilization, electoral participation, and direct democracy initiatives. It is necessary to ensure that
democratic channels of communication and accountability are renewed, scaled up, and institutionalized.
We also need to show how and why democratic governance is still the best option most especially for
our youth as they navigate through these challenges.

This section looks at sources of civic education and their openness to civic engagement. It also includes
findings on community engagement, membership, and leadership in youth organizations, and young
Filipinos’ knowledge and views on their civic rights and responsibilities. Understanding youth interests,
experiences, and sources of influence allows us to better understand the perspective of the youth and
strengthen program that will help capacitate and empower them.

1. Civic Education

Almost a quarter cited their home as their main source of civic education

Among those surveyed, 24% identified their home as their main source of information about their
responsibilities as a Filipino citizen on topics such as voting, paying taxes, and following the law. The
next highest ranked sources of information were traditional mass media like TV, radio, newspaper at
20%, their high school at 17%, and social media at 16%.

Majority have or are open to engaging in certain civil actions

Similar to their openness to engaging in certain political actions, young Filipinos were generally open to
engaging in certain civil actions such as organizing discussions or forums to talk about an important issue,
donating money to or volunteering for a charity.

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 Knowledge of Civil Rights and Civic Responsibilities

Fourteen statements were presented to the respondents to determine their degree of agreement to
assess their knowledge of civil rights and responsibilities. 92% agreed with the statement ‘It is the right
of every citizen to be accorded the due process of law’ but also agreed that ‘There is a right against
arrests of people without a warrant of arrest’ was pegged at 46%. For the statement ‘I am confident
in expressing my own political opinions,’ 57% of the respondents agreed while 22% disagreed. 50%
likewise agreed with the statement ‘I have the right to hold my government accountable’, with 25%
disagreeing with the statement.

Large majority said they know how laws are made

When presented with the statement, “I have enough knowledge and understanding of how laws are
made,” 70% agreed and only 11% disagreed. However, the net agreement score for this statement
ranged from poor to very strong across areas and demographics suggesting that some segments of
the Filipino youth need more civic education compared to others. Among regions, for example, net
agreement score is highest in Regions VI and XI, and lowest in Regions V, CARAGA, and BARMM. The
agreement score of the PWD segment of the Filipino youth also deviates from the total population.

These results provide information and insights on the existing knowledge of the youth on civil rights,
participation, and accountability. It provides guidance on areas and topics to focus on with regards
to training and capacity building. It will also aid in determining the right platforms that will enable the
youth to have more confidence in making their voices heard, as well as the capacity to exercise their
civic responsibilities.

However, more than half of the respondents (56%) indicated that they have not and will never be open to
organizing or participating in a movement for a particular advocacy. This needs to be reconciled with their
response with regards to joining a civil society organization. While 10% of respondents have joined a civil
society organization, an additional 40% have not done so but are open if something important happens in
the future, and the remaining 50% have not done so and are not open to joining regardless of the situation.

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 2. Community Engagement
As a component of civic engagement, the YouthLed National Survey included findings on the awareness
of specific national and local Issues among young Filipinos. Respondents were also asked to share their
experience in specific community activities and civic action, including membership and leadership roles
for youth groups and organizations.
These data show a higher interest in online individual civic participation over the commitment to collective
civic activities. But across areas, youth or student organizations (45%) were the top groups/organizations
that the youth participate in. This is still the entry point to encourage and increase capacity building for
more in-depth civic participation.

Pandemic response and

Civic Participation government corruption seen as
most urgent national issues
The survey looked at the level of participation of the Filipino youth in 16 individual and collective civil and
political actions in the last 12 months. The respondents were asked to indicate whether they have done Youth were asked to give up to three
the action/activity, haven’t done but might do in the future and haven’t done, wouldn’t do regardless of national issues that the government
the situation. Depending on the civil and political action identified, responses varied across areas, religion, should address most urgently. Of
and socio-demographic profiles. the 22 pre-listed national issues,
the overall most mentioned issues
For example, participation is highest for those who have liked or shared political/social posts on social are response to the COVID 19 crisis
media, like Facebook or Twitter with 60% saying they have done this activity. Of the 60% who have liked or (53%) and corruption in government
shared political/social posts on social media, 18% have not done this but might do it if something happens (45%). At least one of five mentioned
in the future, and 22% have not done this and would not do it regardless of the situation. The percentages response to the COVID 19 crisis (24%)
of those who have done this was highest in the City of Manila (80%) and lowest in Sulu (20%). In terms of and corruption in government (21%)
socio-demographics, it was higher among members of the LGBTQ (76%) than IPs (55%) and PWDs (24%). It as their top-of-mind response.
was also higher among Christians (54-62%) compared to Muslims and other non-Christian religions (29%).
Other national issues mentioned are
On the activity “contacted an elected government official” only 12% have done this, 37% have not done employment issues (28%), poverty
this but might do it if something important happens in the future, and 52% have not done this and would (27%), rising costs of goods or inflation
not do it regardless of the situation. Responses that indicate they have not done this and would not (20%), lack of access to justice (16%),
do it regardless of the situation include: ran for or held public office (72%), joined a political group on inadequate support for small livelihood
social media (67%), joined or volunteered for a political party (61%), joined a civil society organization and start-up businesses (14%), human
(50%), organized or participated in a movement for a particular advocacy (56%), take part in a political rights violations (12%), violence and
demonstration or strike (85%), and organize discussions or forums to talk about an important issue (46%). abuse against women and children
(12%), and climate change (10%).

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 Pandemic response and public works seen as most important local and Large majorities are in agreement with certain civic rights and responsibilities
community issues

Youth were asked to identify the most important pressing issues in their barangay, the most frequently When asked whether they agree with specific statements regarding civil and political rights, and civic
spontaneously mentioned local problems were COVID-19 response and protocol (16%) and public works responsibilities, 95% of young Filipinos surveyed agreed that it is the duty of citizens to protect and promote
and infrastructure (10%). the preservation of natural resources and the environment, and that each citizen has the right to vote.

93% of the respondents agreed that each citizen’s right to express their views in public should be protected.
Other statements with the highest agreement scores (92%) include: I know my rights and responsibilities as
a citizen: and It is the right of every citizen to be accorded due process of the law.

Other local problems mentioned are peace and order (9%), environmental problems (9%), employment
and livelihood (8%), governance or corruption (5%), water source (4%), and poverty or financial or relief
assistance (4%). A quarter of respondents either said none, did not know, or refused to give an answer.

COVID-19 response and protocol is the most important local problem in most socio-demographics, but
there are selected local problems that are noticeable in some populations. Employment/livelihood is
the most important local problem among PWDs (37%), elementary graduates (19%), Muslims (15%) and
government workers (14%).

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 Almost a quarter of young Filipinos were members of a social group or organization

Meanwhile, 88% of respondents agreed with
the statement that the government should
make it its priority to provide a better quality
of life to someone like them. There is also 87%
who agreed with the statement that everyone
is accorded equal rights and opportunities
under the rule of law.
Among the 24% of the Filipino youth who have been members of social groups or organizations, 45%
said they have joined a youth or student organization, 37% joined a sports or recreation team, 37% joined
a church or religious organization, and 16% joined an art, music, or educational organization. Across
age groups, respondents aged 20-24 and aged 25-30 had higher membership rates at 27% and 28%,
respectively, compared to 20% among those aged 15-19. Among those who have joined these youth or
student organizations, 23% said they have been a leader or an official of a youth or student organization,
12% of a church or religious organization, and 11% have led a sports or recreation team.

Varieties in net agreement scores on the

various statements across areas and socio-
demographics can help the local youth
networks that engage specific youth segments
in improving their interventions, engagement
plans, and/or communications plans. For
example, the net agreement score with the
statement about communicating easily with
local government officials was highest in
Dumaguete City at +85 and lowest in Basilan
at -1.

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 Membership is noticeably higher in Visayas at 34% compared to other membership rates in other
areas at 18-24%. A majority of respondents from Region VI (59%), Bacolod City (73%), and Dumaguete
City (65%) said they have been a member of an organization.
59
When asked about their personal leadership style should they become a leader in school, at work, or in
an organization, a little more than a quarter or 26% said that theirs is a democratic or participative style,
defined as one that works with a team of people to collaborate and make critical decisions together
and as a team. The next most cited personal leadership styles at 19% each were coaching, defined as
one that helps people set goals to work towards and gives them regular feedback to reach success,
and a laissez-faire delegative style, defined as one that trusts that people make good decisions while
monitoring their performance and offers feedback. The other options given were servant leadership
style (16%), transformational (15%), and autocratic (4%). While democratic or participative ranked
highest in terms of personal type of leadership, servant leadership ranked highest when they were
asked what type of leadership style the country needed.
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 Two-thirds were aware of youth-related government programs
66% of the respondents were aware of at least 1 program or projects for the youth. Among these
respondents who are aware, the programs with highest awareness were scholarships at 57%, sports
events at 55%, nutrition and feeding programs at 46%, job fairs or job search programs at 46%, livelihood
and skills training at 39%, and programs for environmental awareness at 36%.
Less than a quarter of those aware knew of programs that provide medical or dental outreach (22%),
projects that provide legal assistance (15%), religious and values formation (15%), arts and culture (13%),
projects on leadership formation (12%), and community building (10%).
61
Lower awareness but higher satisfaction of the National Youth Commission (NYC)
Only 17% of respondents were aware of NYC. This is lower compared to the 26% awareness registered in
1996, but higher compared to the 13% of respondents to the National Youth Assessment Study in 2015.14
Among those who were aware, 71% said that they were satisfied while 5% said that they were dissatisfied
with the performance of NYC for a net satisfaction score of +65. This was classified by SWS as very good
and is higher compared to +50 in 1996.
14
Cendana, P. (2015) “Making Sense of the Complicated: Highlights of the 2015 National Youth Assessment Study.” National Youth Commission Philippines 2004. http://yptoolbox.unes-
capsdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/National-Youth-Assessment-Study.pdf.
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 3. Youth and Democracy
The YouthLed National Survey asked respondents about their awareness and satisfaction with democracy For the first set, young Filipinos interpreted democracy in terms of norms and procedures, especially their
and governance in the Philippines. agreement with the following statements: “People choose the government leaders in free and fair elections”
(40%) and “People are free to express their political views openly” (37%).

Democracy means differently among young Filipinos For the second set, young Filipinos interpreted democracy in terms of social equality, including their approval
of the statement that “Basic necessities, like food, clothes and shelter are provided for” (45%).
To learn what the Filipino youth mean by democracy, respondents were asked to choose the most essential
For the third set, young Filipinos interpreted democracy in terms of social equality, and their support for the
characteristic of democracy out of four choices that correspond to good governance, social equality,
statement that “Government ensured job opportunities for all” (45%).
norms and procedure, and freedom and liberty. This method of inquiry was based on the SWS experience
with the Asian Barometer, an applied research program on public opinion concerning political values,
For the fourth set, young Filipinos interpreted democracy in terms of norms and procedures, applied to whether
democracy, and governance around the region.
“The court protects the ordinary people from the abuse of government power” (30%) and social equality, and
whether “People receive state aid if they are unemployed” (29%).
On average, a third of young Filipinos surveyed understood the meaning of democracy in terms of social
equality, almost a quarter in terms of good governance, 22% in terms of norms and procedures, and 19%
in terms of freedom and liberty. High satisfaction with the way democracy works in the country, with majority
citing problems

Among those surveyed, 70% were satisfied with

Philippine democracy, representing an increase
of 15 percentage points from April 1996, which
was at 55% satisfaction. However, Filipino youth
satisfaction was lower compared to the June
2019 survey of Filipino adults, which was at 78%.

A majority at 54% shared that the state of

democracy in the Philippines has minor
problems, while 29% said that it has major
problems. The rest either said it was a full
democracy at 11% or not a democracy at all at
5%.

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 C. Filipino Youth Political Awareness and Participation
Political Participation is a key component of civic engagement and was explored in the survey through
questions focused on democracy and governance, awareness of political and governance structures,
and the openness and understanding of political activities and youth outlook on the upcoming national
elections.

The Philippine Statistics data for 202015 show that in a population of 110,000,00, youth 15-29 years old
represent 30% of the population. Of importance to note would be the population among 10-14 year olds
(10 million) and 30-34 year olds (8 million).

The majority of voters for the 2022 elections will be below 35 years old, close to 50% of the total voting
population. There is a tremendous potential for the youth to significantly influence democratic governance
in the Philippines with young people demonstrating grounded knowledge on issues affecting the country
and the desire to engage with new leaders and participate proactively in democratic activities. These
figures also show how powerful the youth vote can be, and although the youth is not organized as a voting
bloc, the possibility of a strong youth constituency that is motivated to come together for candidates or
issues they support can have a significant electoral influence.

1. Communication and Political Participation

Majority agreed that they can easily communicate and express their own political opinions

More than two thirds of those surveyed or 68% agreed with the statement, “Young people can easily
communicate with local government officials in their locality,” with only 14% in disagreement. Meanwhile,
57% agreed with the statement, “I am confident in expressing my own political opinions,” with 22%
disagreeing. Similarly, a large percentage (55%) agreed with the statement, “I have the right to hold my
government accountable,” with 25% disagreeing. However, when asked about the statement, “There is a
right against arrests of people without a warrant of arrest,” 46% agreed and 42% disagreed. This finding
suggests that more is needed in presenting the value of due process among young Filipinos.

15
PSA. Projected Population, by Age Group, Sex, and by Single-Calendar Year Interval, Philippines: 2010 - 2020 (Medium Assumption) https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/attachments/
hsd/pressrelease/Table4_9.pdf

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 A third or less of the respondents said they are aware of the current head of the executive branch (33%),
the legislative branch (27%), and the judiciary (22%). As expected, net agreement scores as regards
awareness were higher among government workers than other work categories. It was also higher among
college graduates and lower for those lacking in educational attainment. However, all were aware of who
the President is, almost all were aware of who the Vice-President is, and 70% were aware of the House
Speaker.

Majority have liked or shared political or social posts on social media

When asked about the level of participation of young Filipinos in 16 individual and collective civil and
political actions or activities in the past year, participation was highest for those who have liked or shared
political or social posts on social media at 60%. The next ranked civil and political activities were the
following: seeking out news about political issues at 54%, discussing politics and societal issues with
another person, either in person or online at 49%, following a politician, political commentator, and/or a
political account on social media at 33%, posting one’s own thoughts or comments on political or social
issues on social media at 27%. Less than a quarter have donated money or volunteered for a charity (22%),
or organized discussions or forums to talk about an important issue (20%).

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 Majority are open to engaging in some political activities High satisfaction with the performance of local leaders

While a third of the respondents have followed a politician, political commentator, and/or political account
on social media, an additional 29% may do so if something important happens in the future. While 27%
have posted their own thoughts or comments on political or social issues on social media, an additional
28% may do so if something important happens in the future. And while 49% have already discussed
politics and societal issues with another person online or offline, an additional 23% may do so if something
important happens in the future.
When asked whether they were satisfied with the performance of their local chief executive officer, 80%
of the respondents said they were satisfied with the performance of the governor in their province.
Meanwhile, 83% said they were satisfied with the performance of the mayor in their city or municipality,
while 76% were satisfied with the performance of the barangay captain in their barangay.

A majority of respondents have not and will never be open to engaging in other civil and political actions
regardless of the situation. These activities include the following: signing or sharing an online petition on
a political subject at 61%, contacting an elected government official regarding an issue or concern at 52%,
running for public office at 72%, joining a political group on social media at 67%, joining or volunteering for
a political party at 61%, and taking part in a political demonstration or strike at 85%.

High likelihood to take political action on most national issues

Among those who were dissatisfied with how national issues were addressed, the majority were likely
to take political action. The national issues with the highest likelihood to trigger political action were:
poverty (58%), violence and abuse against women and children (57%), lack of access to quality education
(54%), and climate change (51%). These were followed by: the COVID-19 crisis (49%), lack of access to
health services (49%), disaster risk mitigation and response (49%), rising costs of goods or inflation
(49%), support for small livelihood and start-up business (47%), gender inequality (45%), lack of access to
internet (44%), employment issues (44%), lack of access to justice (44%), corruption in government (43%),
youth participation (43%), lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services (42%), human rights
violations (41%), and land rights violations (40%).

YouthLed National Youth Survey: Filipino Youth Political Awareness and Participation
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 2. Electoral Participation and the Youth Vote
There are 65.7 million registered voters for the 2022 elections;16 The majority of voters (37,015,901)
were within the age of 18 and 41, accounting for 56% of the total voting population.17

In the YouthLed survey, majority of voters cited civic duty as the main reason for voting

Among the 47% who have voted in any general election, 52% shared that they did so because it was
their civic duty. This was the main reason in most areas and socio-demographic groups. The next
reasons cited were: because it was their right to vote (35%); because they believed it was important
to vote (27%); because voting was a way of creating change in the country (25%); and because it was
a way of expressing their opinions or views (14%).

Two-thirds of those aware of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) were

satisfied with of their performance
Nine in 10 respondents (88%) were aware of the Sangguniang Kabataan. Among these, 69% were
satisfied while 15% were dissatisfied, representing a net satisfaction of +54; This was classified as
very good by SWS.
16
CNN Philippines (2021). “Young Filipinos comprise 52% of total registered voters for 2022 polls so far — Comelec.”
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/9/11/Comelec-youth-vote-2022-national-elections.html
17
CNN Philippines (2021). 56% of May 2022 voters part of the youth – Comelec. February 8, 2022.
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/2/8/youth-vote-56-percent-2022.html

YouthLed National Youth Survey: Filipino Youth Political Awareness and Participation
71 72
 Majority have not yet voted in national, local, barangay, or Sangguniang
Kabataan elections

Among those surveyed, 42% have voted in national or local elections; 33% are registered but have not yet
voted; and 25% have not yet registered. Voting rates are noticeably higher in Visayas at 53% compared
to other areas (36-41%). Among the different age groups, the highest voting rate is from the 25-30 years
old age group, followed by 60% of those aged 20-24 years old. By education attainment, voting rate was
higher among college (73%) and vocational graduates (72%).

Among the 53% who have not voted in any general election, 95% cited their non-registration as voters
as the main reason why they did not vote. This was the main reason in all areas and socio-demographic
groups. Only 3% of non-voters cited their distrust of politicians, and only 2% cited their dislike of any of the
parties or candidates as the reasons for not voting. Only 1% of non-voters shared that they did not vote
because it will not make a difference.

YouthLed National Youth Survey: Filipino Youth Political Awareness and Participation
73 74
 At the barangay level, 41% of young Filipinos surveyed have voted in barangay elections, while 34% were Looking at the different age groups, those aged 25-30 had the most sure voters this coming elections (85%),
registered but have not voted, and 25% were not yet registered voters. Meanwhile, 42% of young Filipinos followed by respondents within the 20-24 years old age range (81%).
have voted in SK elections. On the other hand, 33% were registered but have not voted, and 25% were
not yet registered. Across areas and socio-demographics, participation in barangay and Sangguniang
Kabataan elections were similar with the national and local elections.

Television news and word of mouth were main sources of candidate information
among voters

Among those who have previously voted in any general election, 45% identified television news coverage
and 44% identified word of mouth as their main sources of information about the candidates for elections.
The next ranked sources were social media posts at 31%, election debates at 30%, television advertisements
at 25%, campaign posters and flyers at 24%, radio news at 21%, current elected officials at 11%, and online
video platforms at 10%. Among these sources, television news coverage and word of mouth were also the
most effective in understanding the views and position of the candidate for elections they voted for, at 22%
and 21%, respectively. Sources with lower percentages include radio advertisements (9%), newspapers
(7%), and official campaign websites (6%).

Majority will surely vote in the 2022 elections

62% of the surveyed respondents said that they will surely vote in the May 2022 elections, 13% will probably
vote, 3% will probably be doing something else, 4% will definitely not be able to go to the precinct, and
18% are not yet registered to vote. Among government workers, 91% said they will surely vote but among
students, only 43% were sure voters.
On opinions on the upcoming 2022 elections, 86% agreed and 3% disagreed with the statement “Young
People like me can make a change in society by actively campaigning and voting for candidates we believe
in in the coming May 2022 elections”. This is strong across socio-demographic groups. Three out of four
(75%) agreed and 7% disagreed with the statement “In the coming May 2022 elections, voting will be
clean, safe and proper in my precinct”. This statement is strong in Mindanao (81%), Visayas (73%) and
Luzon (65%) while good in Metro Manila (49%). It is strong across all demographics except for PWDs.

YouthLed National Youth Survey: Filipino Youth Political Awareness and Participation
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 Majority cited having a vision and/or good plans as most preferred traits of
electoral candidates
The young Filipinos surveyed were shown a list of 20 characteristics and were asked to identify the most
important one that candidates running for a government position should have. For President, 53% cited
having a vision for the Philippines as the most important characteristic, followed by helping the poor (39%),
hardworking (25%), intelligent (24%), has a clear stance on important issues (24%), has accomplished a
lot as an elected official (23%), and has experience in management (22%).
While having a vision ranked highest across religions, a majority of respondents that identified themselves
as Muslims and Others also ranked helping the poor as an important characteristic. Among those with a
minority status, almost half of PWDs cited helping the poor and having a clear stance on important issues
as important characteristics.
77
For local positions, 59% cited having good plans for their municipality or city as the most important
characteristic that a candidate for mayor should have. Meanwhile, 56% cited the same for their ideal
barangay captain, while 54% answered this for their ideal SK Chairperson.
When asked what type of leader the country needed, a plurality of 22% cited that the Philippines needs a
Servant Leader, defined as one that finds out what the people need and finds solutions to their problems.
This was followed by Coaching (18%), Delegative (18%), Democratic or Participative (17%), Transformational
(16%), and lastly, Autocratic (9%).
YouthLed National Youth Survey: Filipino Youth Political Awareness and Participation
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 Majority cited family as having the greatest deal of influence in youth’s political decisions
Endorsement of one’s family was cited by more than half of the respondents (54%) as having the greatest
influence in the Filipino youth’s decision on whom to vote for in the May 2022 national elections, with 54%
of respondents. It was the top response in most areas and socio-demographic groups. This was the same
at the local level, with 55% of respondents. Moreover, 59% of all respondents look to their family as a guide
for their stance on political issues, and 57% look to their family as a guide on their support for government
policies and activities.
High net agreement scores as regards clean and safe elections, and potential for
social change
Three of every four respondents believe that the May 2022 elections will be clean, safe and proper in their
precincts, for a net agreement score of +68 classified as very strong by SWS. A larger 86% of respondents
believed that young people can make a change in society by actively campaigning and voting for candidates
they believe in for the May 2022 elections, for a net agreement score of +83 that is classified as very strong.
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Majority said that young people should not run for certain positions
In the Philippine Constitution, 25 years old is the minimum age to run for a congressional post, 23 years
old for governor, 21 for mayor and 18 for barangay captain. Among these positions, the only position that
had a 49% approval from the youth for young people to run for is the post of barangay captain.
Meanwhile, 64% of respondents said that young people should not run for congress, 70% say that young
people should not run for governor, and 59% say that young people should not run for mayor.
The responses to the question of whether young people should run for an elective post varies across
geographic areas. For example, for the position of mayor, the percentage of youth (40%) who say that
young people should run for mayor was highest in Metro Manila (48%) as compared to other areas (35-
40%). By region, the figure was lower in Region II and CARAGA (23% each) than other regions. In YouthLed
target areas, it is highest in Mindanao (66%) and lowest in Basilan (17%).
Part of the agenda for youth political participation is encouraging more members of the youth sector to
engage with the government and run for public office. This provides information on how development
organizations and educational institutions can frame strategies and work on political education, training,
and engagement.
YouthLed National Youth Survey: Filipino Youth Political Awareness and Participation
80
 CONCLUSION
The YouthLed 2021 National Youth Survey brings us a step closer to understanding this generation’s
motivations, civic and political behavior, aspirations, and potential as future changemakers and active
citizens. YouthLed’s objective, together with its partners, is to seek, inform, and develop appropriate
interventions that will allow youth from all sectors of society, to find a space that gives opportunity for
interaction, knowledge sharing, and increased capacity for civic and political engagement.

A strong civic education foundation coupled with activities and platforms that allow the youth to learn,
engage, and find their voices contribute to greater participation. The investments to be made with this
generation will clearly reap its rewards, with a future society and citizenry grounded in its democratic
values and civic duties. It is important that the youth begin this journey by recognizing the strength of
their collective voices and the ways by which they can make their voices heard. For the youth to be able
to protect democracy, they must also be able to recognize its flaws, and be ready to take action for it.
And to take action, the Filipino youth must be given the capacity and the resources in order to learn and
activate the appropriate response.

Young people are often accused of political apathy or having little interest in civic and political activities
such as running for public office, joining a political party, attending rallies or engaging in public protests,
and this is confirmed by the survey results. This disinterest can also stem from unfamiliarity on government
processes or structures, lack of access to direct participation in governance mechanisms, and lack of
opportunities for engagement. In conversations and focus group discussions with youth leaders around
the country, we found that the desire to engage and participate is there but the resources and the
capacity to do so are not always available to them. And for those who are able to participate and engage
with policy makers, they question whether their voices and contributions are given importance to.

81 82
 The survey gives insight to possible strategies and priority areas and also opens up new opportunities
for further research and study.
• Civic Education. The survey indicates the need to strengthen basic knowledge and information on
civil rights and civic responsibilities including how laws are made. Civic education through both formal
institutions such as schools and through non-formal youth programs found through civil society,
community, and religious groups are crucial in providing the foundation for civic engagement. The
family is also an important source of knowledge and influence for Filipino youth.
• Electoral Engagement. Participation in electoral processes provides an opportunity to organize,
educate, and encourage participation through dialogues, debates, and contribute towards a
youth and policy agenda. Leadership development and providing spaces for political engagement,
either through policy formulation, government service or elective posts are crucial in developing a
population of youth that understands the importance of democratic governance and the spaces by
which they can participate effectively.
• Issue-based Coalitions and Advocacies. When focused on issues, rather than on general modes of
political engagement, Filipino youth were more likely to take action. Issue-based advocacies and
activities may be an effective way of drawing out the interest of young people and also give them a
platform to share their voices and participate in collective action, through coalitions, in issues that
matter most to them. Coalitions that are formed by and between youth organizations provide a safe
space for civic and political engagement. This should be supported by institutions that can help
provide knowledge and support to guide the youth in their programs.
83
• Investment in the Youth. Civil Society, Government and the Private sector should invest in
programs that provide long-term and sustainable programs for youth engagement whether
through supporting the growth of emerging young public servants or by providing platforms for
civic and community engagement.
• Accessible platforms for engagement. The creativity and innovativeness of the youth must be
allowed to flourish. It is important to listen with sincerity to the voice of the youth and understand
their methods of expression and guide them towards positive change. Access should be prioritized
for marginalized youth.
With the high optimism score and the pride that the youth have in being a Filipino and the prominence
of individual expression in civic participation, there is great potential for this generation of young
Filipinos. But it will take the collective effort of civil society, government, and private sector to enable
mechanisms and to prioritize giving voices to the youth not merely as a token response but through
programs designed for long-term leadership and policy engagement.
84
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Youth Leadership for Democracy (YouthLed) is a program that aims to increase civic engagement
leading to strengthened participation in Democratic Governance. The program supports leadership
development, coalition-building, and civic education and engagement activities for young Filipinos,
aged 15 to 30. YouthLed approach is anchored on the principles of Positive Youth Development,
creating an enabling and productive environment for youth development. Youthled’s programs seek
to strengthen youth participation in democratic governance, support youth leaders to develop
formidable networks around priority issues, and enhance civic education to drive youth participation
in democratic governance.
YouthLed employs an issue-based approach to enable the mobilization of Filipino youth. This allows
the youth to coalesce around similar ideas and advocacies and to meaningfully engage with their peers
and communities. YouthLed will provide platforms for increased youth participation in democratic
governance mechanisms that will emanate from issue-based discussions. Collectively, the coalition
of youth networks, organizations, and leaders will amplify and leverage the voices of the youth around
important national issues. It will develop a well-informed audience from the youth sector that are aware
and can fully participate in democratic governance activities.

YOUTHLED TEAM

Natalie Christine V. Jorge Emil Benjamin Tapnio Markus Ramon San Gabriel
Chief of Party Youth Leadership Monitoring, Evaluation, and
Development Specialist Learning Officer

Atty. Mildred Ople Marion Joseph Villar Billy Joel Santos

Program Officer for Youth Program Officer for Civic Program Officer for Youth
Coalitions Education Leadership

Christoffer Adelante Maria Anna Francesca Coronel Raya Ashaunti H. Barreiro

Assistant Program Officer for Finance Officer Assistant Program Officer for
Youth Coalitions Communications

87 88
The Social Weather Stations or SWS is a social research institution in the Philippines founded in August United States Agency for International
8, 1985. It is a private, non-stock, nonprofit social research institution. It is the foremost public-opinion Development (USAID) is the world’s
polling body in the Philippines. Its members, called Fellows, are social scientists in economics, political premier international development agency
science, sociology, statistics, market research, and other fields. and a catalytic actor driving development
results. USAID leads international
development and humanitarian efforts
YOUTHLED-SWS PROJECT TEAM to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen
democratic governance and help people
YouthLed National Survey Project Team SWS Project Team progress beyond assistance.
Natalie Christine V. Jorge Gerardo A. Sandoval
Project Director Project Director
The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit
international development organization
committed to improving lives across a
dynamic and developing Asia. Informed
by six decades of experience and deep
local expertise, its work across the
region addresses five overarching goals—
strengthen governance, empower women,
expand economic opportunity, increase
environmental resilience, and promote
international cooperation.

Billy Joel Santos Iremae Labucay

Project Manager Project Manager

Karl Vendell Satinitigan Linda Luz B. Guerrero

Research Consultant Questionnaire Design Expert

Ma. Khrisma Soliven

Consultant

Raya Ashaunti H. Barreiro

Project Communications Support

Irish Pearl Flores

Layout Artist

Diana Marie Chanco

Illustrator
 Connect with us!

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