December, 30 2025

In a year marked by climate milestones, compounding crises, and calls for stronger environmental action, the voices of the youth have never been more vital. This 2025, the WWF-Philippines National Youth Council (NYC) members -- Deign Soriano, Giselle Lapid, Javie Barcinal, Dani de Leon, and Allen Lemence -- shared a powerful series of personal features tackling different topics on sustainability, climate justice, and youth empowerment.

From food systems to forest communities, from public health to renewable energy, the council’s diverse narratives offered more than insights —they presented blueprints for action, anchored in empathy, equity, and urgency. As the NYC moves closer to its milestone 10th anniversary in 2026, we reflect on the themes they explored this year and look ahead to a future where youth are not just heard but meaningfully included in shaping sustainable futures.

Let Youth Lead: A Shared Future for People and Planet
By Deign Frolley Soriano
Read the full article on Philippine Daily Inquirer
 

Deign Soriano delivering a talk on marine conservation titled “Responsible Seatizen” during the WWF-Philippines NYC Earth Day celebration in San Vicente, Palawan. © Gab Mejia / WWF-Philippines

Deign’s piece set the tone for the NYC series with a rallying call for youth inclusion in environmental governance. Deign highlighted how Filipino youth — long excluded from decisions affecting their ecological future — are rising as co-leaders in climate action. He recounted the ASEAN Youth Declaration for COP30, calling for climate justice, renewable energy investments, and biodiversity education. More than policy asks, the piece reframed youth as “problem-solvers who blend local knowledge with digital fluency,” pushing for authentic engagement beyond tokenism.

“Participation without agency undermines the future we claim to create and protect.” – Deign Soriano, NYC Member, Batches 1 and 2

Reclaiming Our Roots: Why Origin and Authenticity Should Matter in the Filipino Food System
By Giselle Louise Lapid
Read the full article on Philippine Daily Inquirer

Manang brews heirloom Sagada arabica coffee the traditional way—roasted in a worn pan, hand-ground, and boiled in a takore over a wood fire. © Giselle Lapid

Giselle’s contribution was a heartfelt exploration of Filipino food heritage and its role in environmental and cultural sustainability. Focusing on heirloom coffee from Sagada and the rising momentum around Geographical Indications (GIs), she wove together personal memory, policy, and advocacy. She urged us to ask where their food comes from, and in doing so, reclaim history, biodiversity, and community.

“The appetite for change is here; we just need to nourish it.” – Giselle Lapid, NYC Member Batch 3

 

Beyond the Metrics: Our Stories Are Conservation's Future
By Javie Barcinal
Read the full article

Youth participants of Paglaum: Art x Ecology workshop with the WWF-Philippines National Youth Council, Dulungan Youth, and Celine and Dennis Murillo © Dulungan Youth

In a powerful narrative rooted in Antique, Javie challenged top-down conservation models that overlook the lived experiences of rural communities. Through Paglaum: Art x Ecology, an outdoor workshop held during International Biodiversity Day, he spotlighted the healing power of storytelling, art, and shared grief in building youth-led, community-based conservation. His piece challenged the conservation sector to move beyond data and market logics and to embrace cultural, emotional, and relational knowledge.

“Emotional connection to the land is not less valid than scientific data.” – Javie Barcinal, NYC Member Batch 4

It’s Personal: Why Climate Change is a Public Health Emergency
By Danielle Frances de Leon
Read the full article

Empowering the community through a learning session on waste management, health, and well-being with the Brgy. Escopa III residents, St. Luke's Medical Center College of Medicine - WHQM Student Council, and WWF-NYC. © WWF-Philippines/Isobel Resurreccion

Dani’s essay reframed climate change from a public health perspective, grounding the crisis in everyday realities like extreme heat, displacement, mental health, and healthcare inaccessibility. Drawing from her work in Brgy. Escopa III, she showed how climate and health intersect — and how youth are bridging the gap through community-based, empathetic advocacy.

“To bridge the gap, we need to tell the story differently — through the lens of health.” – Dani de Leon, NYC Member Batch 4

Renewable Energy: Powering People, Not Just the Planet
By Allen Lemuel Lemence
Read the full article

WWF-NYC goes to Pililla, Rizal Wind Farm to learn about renewable energy and how to build a more sustainable Philippines. © WWF-Philippines

Closing the year’s contributions, Allen advocated for a more holistic, socially sustainable approach to renewable energy. His piece emphasized that clean energy is not just about carbon neutrality — it’s about equitable access, job creation, community empowerment, and inclusive design. Drawing from WWF-

Philippines’ initiatives and his ongoing PhD research in energy science, he showed how energy transitions can and must be people-centered.

“When environmental ambition meets social responsibility, RE becomes a catalyst for a just and inclusive future.” – Allen Lemence, NYC Member Batch 1

 

A Collective Voice for 2026 and Beyond

Through their personal stories, the WWF-Philippines National Youth Council painted a fuller picture of sustainability — one that is personal, cultural, systemic, and deeply human. They reminded us that environmental action must be connected to stories, identities, and justice. That metrics matter, but so do memories, emotions, and relationships. The next generation is already at the forefront, shaping the future through their actions.

As the NYC looks toward its 10th anniversary in 2026, this series serves not only as a reflection but as a call to action: to listen meaningfully, fund youth-led solutions, share power and space, and honor lived experience. In the face of climate urgency, this work must be collaborative, sustained, and centered on the youth leadership already at the forefront of environmental action.

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The WWF-Philippines National Youth Council (NYC) is a network of young environmental leaders advocating for climate justice, biodiversity conservation, and community empowerment across the Philippines. For more information or to support their work, go to wwf.org.ph/get_involved/empower_young_people/