Thursday, October 09, 2003


YOUNG PAGE

The man behind the voice


Even ordinary people can do extraordinary things, like organizing a group to involve the youth in cause-oriented programs for the country.

Pocholo “Choy” D. Gonzales shares the exact story. Having finished AB Speech Communications at UP Diliman, he now lives the simple life of a voice talent. But when he founded the internet-driven organization Voice Of The Youth (VOTY) with five other young broadcasters in 1996, Choy knew he could be more than a dubber. He could actually serve as a vehicle for social change.

VOTY was established to inspire, inform and involve the Filipino youth in various programs and projects of various organizations—government and non-government, and even those funded by the United Nations. Since it’s internet based (log on to freewebs.com/voiceoftheyouth), Choy’s organization comes across a large network of youth clubs, and gets to involve them in as many activities possible. It also helps promote the projects of other youth groups, and helps acquire volunteers for those projects if needed.

Choy and his co-founders also wanted to encourage young people, through VOTY and its causes, to be productive and make their own programs. There’s only so much that the youth can do while they’re young, and they feel there’s no better time to encourage and lead by example than now.

“Everybody can be extraordinary. Opportunities are not waited for, they are seized and worked for,” Choy said.

In just a span of eight months, VOTY Network, though Choy’s leadership has already served the causes of multi-sectoral youth groups in the country. This earned the organization last year a rank in the Ten Outstanding Youth Organizations, a national competition spearheaded by the National Youth Commission and the Office of Sen. Francis Pangilinan.

There were other awards of course, such as the YouthActionNet Award given recently to VOTY for its outstanding leadership, plus countless travel opportunities here and abroad. VOTY is also acknowledged by the UNESCO, TakingITGlobal, Global Youth Action Network and Asian International Leaders Alliance among others. Though these bodies, Choy’s organization sends young people to represent international conferences and conventions, it has earned a reputation in the past five years for exemplary performance and project execution.

More than a voice talent

Choy is presently taking his masters in broadcast communication. Born in the province of Bataan, this young leader in his late 20s has already dubbed for a handful of TV programs and movies. He is the voice of San-Cai’s father in the Chinovela Meteor Garden, he dubbed the characters of Ricardo Sottomayor and Roman in Chabelita; and Dr. Wick and Atty. Mario Layva in Camila.

In motion pictures such as Sangano’t Sangago, he dubbed for Simon Soler. In Yamashita, he was the voice of Pocholo Montes and Rustom Padilla’s assistant. In Hubog, he was the voice of the captain and the broadcaster. He also dubbed for films such as Kailangan Kita and Bahid. He also dubbed for TV and radio commercials—for the Double Mint Gum radio ad, Coca-Cola radio ad, Colt 45, and many more.

While he works and tends to his youth organization on the side, Choy feels that more effort should be exerted to encourage youth participation in the programs promoted by VOTY. He has worked with and served over 10, 000 young leaders throughout the country, and this made him believe that youth-oriented projects would only succeed if “absolute trust and support” are given to the organizations. “Opportunities should be distributed equally and without discrepancy, so that future leaders could maximize their potentials, skills and talents,” he said.

As principled leader

The youth is always full of idealism, the same idealism that led our young national heroes to sacrifice their lives for our country’s freedom. For Choy, it’s easy to draw the line between real and ideal. But others are shrouded with so much idealism that their beliefs somewhat turn into distorted ideals. Choy and his co-youth leaders are now working to prevent this from happening. “By simply inspiring and informing them about issues and other concerns, we could actually motivate and involve them in improving this nation,” he said.

Noted author John Maxwell once said that leadership is influence. But Choy believes there’s more to it. Leadership for him is an act of inspiring others through example. He leaves us with these words:

“I don’t become tired of serving through youth affairs. For other student leaders to succeed in their leadership, their successors should work more effectively. I say today that the youth is the realization of Rizal’s prophecy more than a hundred years back. We can be both Rizal or Bonifacio. We can be ‘extraordinaries’ of our time and the times to come.”
--L. A. Luna

Thursday, October 09, 2003


YOUNG PAGE

The man behind the voice


Even ordinary people can do extraordinary things, like organizing a group to involve the youth in cause-oriented programs for the country.

Pocholo “Choy” D. Gonzales shares the exact story. Having finished AB Speech Communications at UP Diliman, he now lives the simple life of a voice talent. But when he founded the internet-driven organization Voice Of The Youth (VOTY) with five other young broadcasters in 1996, Choy knew he could be more than a dubber. He could actually serve as a vehicle for social change.

VOTY was established to inspire, inform and involve the Filipino youth in various programs and projects of various organizations—government and non-government, and even those funded by the United Nations. Since it’s internet based (log on to freewebs.com/voiceoftheyouth), Choy’s organization comes across a large network of youth clubs, and gets to involve them in as many activities possible. It also helps promote the projects of other youth groups, and helps acquire volunteers for those projects if needed.

Choy and his co-founders also wanted to encourage young people, through VOTY and its causes, to be productive and make their own programs. There’s only so much that the youth can do while they’re young, and they feel there’s no better time to encourage and lead by example than now.

“Everybody can be extraordinary. Opportunities are not waited for, they are seized and worked for,” Choy said.

In just a span of eight months, VOTY Network, though Choy’s leadership has already served the causes of multi-sectoral youth groups in the country. This earned the organization last year a rank in the Ten Outstanding Youth Organizations, a national competition spearheaded by the National Youth Commission and the Office of Sen. Francis Pangilinan.

There were other awards of course, such as the YouthActionNet Award given recently to VOTY for its outstanding leadership, plus countless travel opportunities here and abroad. VOTY is also acknowledged by the UNESCO, TakingITGlobal, Global Youth Action Network and Asian International Leaders Alliance among others. Though these bodies, Choy’s organization sends young people to represent international conferences and conventions, it has earned a reputation in the past five years for exemplary performance and project execution.

More than a voice talent

Choy is presently taking his masters in broadcast communication. Born in the province of Bataan, this young leader in his late 20s has already dubbed for a handful of TV programs and movies. He is the voice of San-Cai’s father in the Chinovela Meteor Garden, he dubbed the characters of Ricardo Sottomayor and Roman in Chabelita; and Dr. Wick and Atty. Mario Layva in Camila.

In motion pictures such as Sangano’t Sangago, he dubbed for Simon Soler. In Yamashita, he was the voice of Pocholo Montes and Rustom Padilla’s assistant. In Hubog, he was the voice of the captain and the broadcaster. He also dubbed for films such as Kailangan Kita and Bahid. He also dubbed for TV and radio commercials—for the Double Mint Gum radio ad, Coca-Cola radio ad, Colt 45, and many more.

While he works and tends to his youth organization on the side, Choy feels that more effort should be exerted to encourage youth participation in the programs promoted by VOTY. He has worked with and served over 10, 000 young leaders throughout the country, and this made him believe that youth-oriented projects would only succeed if “absolute trust and support” are given to the organizations. “Opportunities should be distributed equally and without discrepancy, so that future leaders could maximize their potentials, skills and talents,” he said.

As principled leader

The youth is always full of idealism, the same idealism that led our young national heroes to sacrifice their lives for our country’s freedom. For Choy, it’s easy to draw the line between real and ideal. But others are shrouded with so much idealism that their beliefs somewhat turn into distorted ideals. Choy and his co-youth leaders are now working to prevent this from happening. “By simply inspiring and informing them about issues and other concerns, we could actually motivate and involve them in improving this nation,” he said.

Noted author John Maxwell once said that leadership is influence. But Choy believes there’s more to it. Leadership for him is an act of inspiring others through example. He leaves us with these words:

“I don’t become tired of serving through youth affairs. For other student leaders to succeed in their leadership, their successors should work more effectively. I say today that the youth is the realization of Rizal’s prophecy more than a hundred years back. We can be both Rizal or Bonifacio. We can be ‘extraordinaries’ of our time and the times to come.”
--L. A. Luna

RP youth leader
wins int'l award
By INQ7.net

WASHINGTON, D.C.--A youth leader from Quezon City, Philippines, Pocholo D. Gonzales, joined 16 other young community leaders from around the world in receiving the 2003 YouthActionNet Award. The award was presented in Washington, D.C. as part of a seven-day
seminar for the recipients held from October 7 to 14.

The winners, ranging in age from 19 to 24, come from diverse backgrounds, but share a similar vision: to promote positive social change in their countries.

The YouthActionNet award will assist Gonzales, 24, in promoting youth participation and children's rights through radio, TV, newspaper, the Internet and mobile telecommunications, according to a press statement.

"Meaningful youth participation is about recognizing and nurturing the strengths, interests, and abilities of young people by providing them with real opportunities to become involved in decisions that affect them at individual and systemic levels. This kind of participation enhances the youth because it offers young people a chance to develop important decision-making and problem-solving skills, develop meaningful relationships, and bolster self-esteem," Gonzales, who is the president of Voice of the Youth Network, said in a press statement.

"I am honored to receive this YouthActionNet award and hope more young people recognize the role they can play in creating positive change."

The awards were presented by YouthActionNet.Org, an interactive website created by and for youth, which works to inspire and promote youth leadership worldwide. Launched in 2001 by the International Youth Foundation (IYF) and Nokia, YouthActionNet celebrates the dynamic role that the youth plays in creating positive changes around the world.

Recipients are awarded 500 dollars each to support their work, receive visibility through electronic and print materials, and become eligible to participate in international meetings sponsored through
YouthActionNet. Final selections were made following a peer review process in which previous youth award winners select the next round of awardees.

IYF first announced the YouthActionNet awards competition in January 2002. To date, applications have been received from more than 1,000 young leaders representing over 60 countries. Recipients are selected on a semi-annual basis, with applications currently being accepted for the next round of awards to be announced in December 2003. To learn more about YouthActionNet.org and for further information on award recipients, visit www.youthactionnet.org.

Giving youth a voice on issues affecting them

Pocholo Gonzales
Quezon City, Philippines

According to a recent survey of youth in the Philippines, young people
view poverty, crime, and government-related issues to be the most
pressing challenges facing the nation. At the same time, respondents
overwhelmingly answered that they feel helpless in addressing such
challenges.

How do you empower young people to make a difference? How do you maximize the efforts of youth leaders who are actively promoting social change? Such questions have long motivated Pocholo Gonzales, now 24, in his work as a youth organizer. Pocholo sees great promise for engaging the active participation of Philippine youth in helping to ameliorate a range of urgent social problems.

“With young people, ages 15 to 30, making up one-third of the Filipino population, they play an increasingly large role in the development of Philippine society,” says Pocholo. “Their attitudes, values, mindset, and priorities have a critical role to play in shaping the future of our country.”
With that in mind, Pocholo and four other youth created Tinig Katataan, or the Voice of the Youth (VOTY), in 1996. Initially, VOTY founders, themselves possessing skills as young broadcasters, voice talents, and
singers, focused their efforts on launching a youth radio program. For more than four years, the program aired for two hours each Sunday, giving young people the opportunity to voice their ideas and opinions on a range of issues impacting their lives. Over the years, VOTY members have been invited to present at local, national, and international conferences, and have been featured on national radio and television programs, as well as in newspapers and at school and community events. Today, VOTY has grown into a collaboration of youth organizations in nearly all 78 provinces of the Philippines. Its goal is to maximize the impact of young people working to make a difference. VOTY provides networks, tools, resources, and recognition for youth leading positive change in their communities.
Among its efforts, VOTY is developing a peer-to-peer learning environment where youth may teach one another valuable skills. It’s also working to create a national platform to enable youth voices to be heard and acted
upon.

“With young people... making up one-third of the Filipino population, they play an increasingly large role in the development of Philippine society.”
A critical component of VOTY’s efforts is the use of the Internet to facilitate communication and information-sharing. VOTY’s website (www.freewebs.com/tinigkabataan) contains information on youth participation; a calendar of local, national, and international events;
publications; and relevant links and statistics. E-mail discussion groups also enable young people to share what they know and network with one another.
Currently pursuing a masters degree in broadcast communications, Pocholo sees great promise in utilizing today’s communications technologies to strengthen youth participation and leadership. “I believe that the media—radio, TV, and the Internet—offers a powerful tool to inspire, inform, and involve youth,” he says.