Wanted: young leaders and volunteers to build homes

“IT’S TIME to build,” said 21- year-old Alexandra “Alex” Eduque, who founded the Habitat for Humanity Philippines Youth Council in 2010, a political science student from Columbia University in New York, who comes home and joins builds every chance she gets.

It wasn’t hard for Alex, who has been helping Habitat since she was 16 years old, to make her young, willing and able team of “helpers” grow.

Also making time out of her busy academic life is Isabel Martel Francisco, president of the Habitat Youth Council and a senior at International School Manila, who serves as editor in chief of her school’s Newsflash Magazine, and has been a volunteer at Virlanie Foundation since 2010.

“If teens—or people of any age—only slowed down and decided to help the less fortunate, it would make a massive change for our country.”

Also on Isabel’s team are Kevin Yang, the current Habitat Youth Council vice president and a junior at International School Manila; Simon Tantoco, Habitat Youth Council’s Communications officer; and Pedro T. Roxas, who is Habitat Youth Council’s secretary.

As new officers of the Youth Council, Isabel, Simon, Pedro and Kevin want to continue past projects and initiate exciting new ones. “Look out for bigger builds, better launches and brand-new habitat merchandise,” said Yang.

These youngsters, from age 18-21, now make up the Habitat Youth Council, who think of fundraising partnerships and events, and mobilize groups to join builds to help Habitat for Humanity.

Their event last Jan. 14 at the Green- belt Fashion Walk announced their quest for 2,000 volunteers and sponsors to build homes for 200 families displaced by Typhoon “Pedring” in Barangay Tanza, Navotas, Manila.

The event also launched the Habitat Youth Leaders Movement Alex Eduque Legacy Project, which aims to find and develop 200 youth leaders like Alex to help elevate socially-conscious volunteerism to a whole new level.

Habitat Youth Build 2012, which is set on May 12, aims to attract 2,000 Filipino youth volunteers from all over the world to help build homes in the Philippines. The thrust to involve the youth spans the Asia Pacific region, where students and young professionals in countries like China, India, Indonesia and Thailand are also mobilized to give their time, sweat and networks to advance Habitat’s mission and vision.

With Alex, Isabel, Pedro, Simon and Kevin as young Habitat advocates are ABS-CBN soap star Matteo Guidicelli, singer and theater actress Cris Villonco, Eugenia Zobel de Ayala, and Alex’s and Kevin’s sisters, Michaela Eduque and Kay Yang. They join Kris Aquino, Manny Pacquiao, Derek Ramsay, broadcast journalists Karen Davila and Arnold Clavio, TV host Kim Atienza, former beauty queen Margie MoranFloirendo, and PBA basketball star Chris Tiu as brand ambassadors for Habitat for Humanity.

ACTOR and Habitat Youth Ambassador Matteo Guidicelli with Habitat Ambassador and Habitat Youth Council founder Alex Eduque during last year’s Ik for 1Day HABITAT Youth Council and friends hold a “build” in Calauan, Laguna, a site for Estero de Paco and Pasig River relocatees; (right) the Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig, a movement for a cleaner Pasig River

PHOTO BY SARAH BLACK HABITAT Youth Council 2011-2012 officers Simon Tantoco, Isabel Martel Francisco, Kevin Yang and Pedro T. Roxas stand proud for youth involvement; actor Nash Aguas, singer Yeng Constantino and Habitat Youth Ambassador Matteo Guidicelli join HYC chair and founder Alex Eduque and HYC 2010-2011 officers Kay Yang, Mic Eduque and Isabel Francisco; Young Habitat Ambassadors Isabel Francisco, Matteo Guidicelli, Derek Ramsay, Chris Tiu and Alex Eduque tell the youth, “It’s Time to Build!”