We Belong in the Room: Filipino Youth in Global Spaces

For many young Filipinos, international opportunities can feel out of reach. They can seem reserved for people with extensive experience, impressive credentials, or the financial means to participate. Sometimes, the biggest barrier is simply believing that we belong there. I know that feeling. So when I applied to the Universal Youth Leadership Summit (UYLS) 2026 in Bali, Indonesia, part of me questioned whether I was qualified enough to enter that space. I applied anyway. From August 20 to 23, 2026, I had the opportunity to represent the Philippines as a fully funded delegate at UYLS 2026. Organized by Universal Youth Movement, the summit brought together around 50 young people from more than 20 countries under the theme “Sustainable Futures,” with discussions on leadership, green innovation, climate action, and mental wellbeing. As my third international summit, I once again found myself in a room filled with young people from different cultures, communities, and experiences. But more than the discussions themselves, the experience reminded me of something important: Filipino youth belong in global spaces. Not because we need to prove that we are just as capable as young people from other countries, but because we already have perspectives, experiences, and ideas worth bringing to the table. More Than Representation At the summit, group discussions often challenged me to reconsider ideas I thought I already understood. A delegate would share an experience from their country, and suddenly an issue I viewed from one perspective had another dimension. These conversations reinforced how global issues are rarely experienced equally. Climate change may be a global problem, but its effects are shaped by geography, resources, governance, and inequality. The same can be said about education, mental wellbeing, and access to opportunities. This is precisely why Filipino youth need to be part of these conversations. We come from communities that have their own realities, challenges, and solutions. We understand what it means to live in a country vulnerable to climate disasters while navigating persistent inequalities. We have experiences that can enrich global conversations, not perspectives we need to leave behind before entering them. The summit also went beyond the traditional conference setting. We participated in a beach clean-up at Jerman Beach in Kuta and attended a panel discussion on mental wellbeing at Politeknik Negeri Bali. These activities allowed us to engage with the community while learning alongside other delegates. Even in informal conversations, cultural exchange became part of the experience. We were not simply delegates representing different countries. We were young people comparing realities, asking questions, sharing stories, and learning from one another. Going Global, Bringing the Philippines With Us My experience also changed how I understand the phrase “going global.” Going global does not mean leaving the Philippines behind. It means bringing the Philippines with us. It means sharing our perspectives, culture, experiences, and realities with people from other countries, and returning home with lessons, connections, and ideas that can benefit our own communities. International opportunities can sometimes become individual achievements: a certificate, a line on a resume, or a photograph taken abroad. But their value should extend beyond the individual. When young Filipinos enter these spaces, we also expand the imagination of what other Filipino youth believe is possible for themselves. That matters because many young people may never apply for opportunities like UYLS because they assume they cannot afford them, are not experienced enough, or simply are not the kind of person these programs are looking for. I had those doubts, too. But young people should not only be given opportunities because they are already confident, accomplished, or well-connected. They should also be given spaces where they can become those things. The World Needs Filipino Youth We are often told that young people are the leaders of tomorrow. But Filipino youth are already contributing today: organizing communities, advocating for causes, conducting research, creating art, building businesses, and engaging with issues that extend beyond our borders. What we need is not permission to have something valuable to say. We need more opportunities to say it. My experience in Bali reminded me that I can enter a global space without leaving my identity at the door. I can bring my experiences, my questions, my culture, and the realities of the community I come from. And I can return home ready to share what I have learned. After every international opportunity, I find myself asking: What can I bring back? Who can I inspire? And how can I use what I learned to contribute to my community? Perhaps these are questions more Filipino youth should be encouraged to ask. Because the goal should not simply be to send Filipino youth abroad. It should be to build a generation confident enough to enter global spaces, contribute meaningfully, and return home ready to create change. We go global not to leave the Philippines behind, but to bring the Philippines with us.