ILOCOS SUR, Sept. 20 (PIA) - In contrast with previous years, the Panlalawigang Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan's (PPSK) A.N.N.A.K. or "Agtutubo para ti Natalged, Natalinaay ken Asensado a Komunidad" Congress this year will be held fully online.

Thousands of youth in Ilocos Sur will have to adapt to the "new normal" and join this year's congress through the PPSK's official Facebook page.

The 3rd A.N.N.A.K. Congress themed "Youth Engagement for Global Action" will be held from September 21 to 27, 2020.

This Congress aims to mobilize the youth in community engagement through scaling up of programs and innovations that are adoptive to the "new normal."

"The PPSK plans to transform youth into leaders of tomorrow and achieving such will require a dynamic and pertinent out of the box initiatives," PPSK President Janina Joyce "Jhajha" Tabios said.

Gov. Ryan Luis Singson will grace the kick-off of the week-long Congress along with National Youth Commission Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer USec. Ryan Enriquez who will talk on the vital role of the youth in stepping up for global action especially with the present health crisis.

The "Mobile Learning" project will also be officially launched on the same day.

For the past weeks, PPSK officials have distributed learning kits to at least 400 Grade 1-6 pupils residing in hard to reach areas in Ilocos Sur and an audio-visual presentation taken during the distributions will be played during the Congress' launching.

On the succeeding days, the event will focus on mental health awareness as Tabios said that the PPSK recognizes how vulnerable the mental health of the youth are with the occurrence of a pandemic and various challenges it caused.

Youth for Mental Health Coalition, Inc. Founder/National Chairperson Dr. Raymund John Naguit, and Dr. Ronald del Castillo from the Diwa Mental Health will talk on wider understanding of mental health to help the youth cope up with the emotional distress caused by the pandemic.

Just like how the PPSK prioritizes the conduct of mental health awareness programs, other Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) in the country also conduct various programs to help uplift the youth's mental health.

During the Laging Handa Network Briefing News on Friday, September 18, Tiwi, Albay SK Federation President Jerahmeel Clerigo said that when they conducted a webinar on mental health participated by the youth, headed by the SK members and officials, many of them responded and consulted on their emotional problems.

"Dito sa aming municipality, sabi ko nga sa loob ng isang taon, ang lahat ng proyekto at programa ng SK ay patungkol lamang sa mental health. Sinimulan namin ito noong nakaraang Linggo ng Kabataan kung saan nag-post kami ng webinar video sa Facebook kung saan ay nag-imbita kami ng isang speaker na nag-lecture patungkol sa mental health," she said.

"Pagkatapos ng video na iyon, marami ang nag-contact sa atin, marami ang nagtatanong, nagkokonsulta. Isa lamang itong pagpapakita na karamihan talaga sa kabataan ngayon ay may problema sa mental health at hindi lamang nabibigyan ng pansin," she further added.

During the A.N.N.A.K. Congress, AGREA Philippines President and Founding Farmer Cherrie De Erit Atilano will also give a talk on agriculture business and afterwards, the Agri-Pantawid-Pandemia Project Proposal contest, in partnership with the Tito Bert's Learning Center, will be launched where the top five group winners will be awarded with an Agri-Negosyo pack prize worth Php20, 000 each.

Aside from these webinars, online competitions such as photography contest, "A minute of Hope video contest", and the A.N.N.A.K. Innovates Project Proposal Contest are conducted.

Presentations of the contestants' project proposal will be held during the E-boot Camp, in partnership with the ORGDEV Internationale, on the fourth to sixth day.

The top five group winners will be awarded a Project Grant worth Php20, 000 each.

And to provide additional fun and excitement, at the end of these webinars, raffle and trivia contests will be held.

In addition, Positive Youth Development Network Chief Youth Mobilizer John Carlo Borja will serve as the keynote speaker on the culminating activity.

"I am inviting all the members of SK, the youth in general, here in Ilocos Sur to participate to our annual A.N.N.A.K. Congress. PPSK will continue to help the youth with their needs especially with the upcoming start of classes. With the full support of the provincial government headed by Gov. Ryan Singson, we will continue to implement various programs for the betterment of the youth of Ilocos Sur," PPSK President Tabios said. (AMB/JMCQ/PIA Ilocos Sur)