open new season of outstanding youth organization awards
Members
of Team BUNDOL Mountaineers, the Coke Barkada Awardee last year, with officers
of the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, Inc. smile after planting trees
by the balding side of the mountain. The Coke Barkada award is given to the
TAYO Finalist that shares happiness, and embodies the passion in changing
communities through projects that mirrors what Coca-Cola has been doing in the
fields of water stewardship, women empowerment, and promoting well-being.
Manila, Philippines—
Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines
with its longstanding partner, Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO)
Awards Foundation, is once again calling student and youth
organizations across the Philippines to take on the 12th TAYO
Awards challenge. The TAYO Awards recognizes the
outstanding contributions of Filipino youth groups to their respective
communities throughprojects that address relevant needs or opportunities
such as poverty reduction, education, disaster risk reduction, financial
literacy, environmental conservation, and tourism.
In its most recent
run, TAYO received a total of 286 entries, of which the
following winners were chosen: Gualandi Volunteer Service Program, Association
of Locally Empowered Youth-NM, Hayag Youth Organization, Kawil Tours, Tanay
Mountaineers Incorporated, Reduction Advocacy Program, TC Youth Laboratory
Cooperative, United Architects of the Philippines Student Auxiliary -
Foundation University Chapter, Tulong sa Kapwa Kapatid, Volunteer Service
Provider, and University of San Carlos-Pathways.
Special recognition was also given
to a high-energy team of Sarangani mountaineers dubbed Team BUNDOL, this
year’s Coke Barkada awardee. The Coke Barkada Award is given to one
of the TAYO finalists that best demonstrates the qualities of a Coke
Barkada – a group that shares happiness and embodies the passion to change communities
through projects that mirror the Coca-Cola sustainability
pillars ofwater stewardship, women empowerment, and promotion
of well-being.
A Lasting Partnership
The partnership between TAYO
Foundation and Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines – the social investment
arm of Coca-Cola Philippines and Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines - began in
2005 upon the institution of the Coke Barkada Award as a special category
in the annual TAYO Awards.
“At Coca-Cola, we believe that
you can never be too young to make a meaningful difference in the lives of
others. People may be calling this generation the ‘selfie’ generation but, as
one TAYO Finalist put it, it’s a we-generation or a TAYO-generation,
not a me-generation, as I’ve come to know them. I feel like
a proud mom to them, hearing their stories and getting
to know all the wonderful work that they do,” said Cecile Alcantara,
President of the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, Inc.
In 2006, Coca-Cola
Foundation scaled up its partnership to be the TAYO Award’s sole
co-presenter.
“Last year, I remember being
brought to tears when one of the TAYO Finalists went to the audience to hug her
friend during the awarding ceremony. Moments like these are the result of the
golden triangle at work: where business, civil society and government pool
together to help towards the growth of the country and its people. As a
Company, we believe that our business is only as strong and sustainable as the
communities we serve and through partnerships like these, we take the
opportunity to contribute all we can to make a positive impact,” said Atty.
Adel Tamano, Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications of Coca-Cola
Philippines, who also serves a judge in the panel for TAYO.
“You don’t forget groups like
the Team BUNDOL Mountaineers, Tulong Sa Kapwa Kapatid, or even the Cebu Youth
Ambassadors from the year before. These aren’t just groups, these are real
people with real stories and I look forward to being part of the panel again
this year to hear all of them,” he added.
The TAYO Awards 2014 is
presented by the TAYO Awards Foundation, together with the Coca-Cola Foundation
Philippines, in partnership with the National Youth Commission and the Office
of Senator Bam Aquino.
Joining the search
To join the TAYO Awards,
organizations must accomplish a TAYO 12 Entry Form and TAYO 12 Project briefer
that can be accessed through in the Tayo Awards Website (http://www.tayoawards.net/tayo12/).
Documents proving the existence and veracity of information, list of officers,
leaders and founders and three-page project documentation must also be e-mailed
to Tayo secretariat.
The TAYO Awards accepts entries
from interested youth groups, organizations, clubs, and societies that are
composed of at least 15 members, more than half of which must be between 15 to
30 years old. The submitted projects must have either been recently concluded
or are still ongoing.
Entries are judged on the
following criteria: Impact of project entry on stakeholders; harnessing the
spirit of volunteerism and citizenship; creativity and innovation; and
sustainability and effective use of resources. The winning organizations will
receive a special trophy created by Philippine sculptor Tyom De Leon Imao, and
a Php50,000 grant from Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines.
Deadline for entries is
on September 30, 2014. Interested organizations may submit their entries
through the official website of TAYO Awards, www.tayoawards.net.
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