ARMM youth leaders get Asean awards

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1002739
• Wednesday, July 26, 2017

(EOF/PNA)

COTABATO CITY – Two young Moro leaders from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) received awards from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) this year in Jakarta, Indonesia for accomplishments in their respective fields, according to James Ceasar Ventura, NYC commissioner.

Rasul Alih and Amin Hataman both brought honors to more than five million Filipino Muslims after receiving the recognition at the Sultan Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia during the 22nd Asean Youth Day Meeting and the Asean Ministerial Meeting on Youth.

In a statement released here Tuesday, Ventura said Rasul Alih II, an artist and a student, represented “Ingat Kapandayan Artists Center” that promotes Tausug arts and culture.

Based at the Church-run Notre Dame of Jolo College in Jolo, Sulu Alih’s group seeks to preserve the cultural heritage of Sulu and the Tausug tribe.

His group thanked the people behind the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations Foundation, the Office of Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, and the National Youth Commission (NYC) for the recognition.

“You inspired us to do more great things for our nation,” Ingat Kapandayan said through a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, 16 year-old Amin Hataman was responsible for developing biodegradable bags made from coconut by-products. He also received his award during the Asean Youth Day ceremonies.

The young Hataman is the eldest son of Armm Gov. Mujiv Hataman and Anak Mindanao party-list Representative Sitti Djalia Turabin Hataman.

“It's an honor to receive this award. I am very thankful for the NYC for choosing me as the recipient of the Asean Youth Award,” the young Hataman said.

He said the search gave him the opportunity to join discussion and forum abut Asean. ”I am very grateful for being able to join in the discussions and forums, and having the opportunity to learn more about the relationship between the Asean countries, and being able to learn from other delegates of different backgrounds and points of view," he added.

Ventura said choosing this year’s individual awardees required looking into other areas that have not been given adequate consideration in the past but could be major sources of inspiration for many youth leaders across the country.

“In the NYC Commissioners Meeting where we selected the Asean Youth Awardee, we considered not just (what) someone accomplished but someone who can inspire our youth to focus on areas we have been ignoring before,” Ventura said.

“Science and technology is an area where we are clearly lagging behind. Hataman was the nominee who satisfied that criterion. At a young age, he had reaped recognition because of his promising work in science and research,” Ventura said.

According to NYC commissioner, the young Hataman has inspired not only the Moro youth but every Filipino youth to explore the potentials of the country’s local resources, develop them into useful products for the benefit of the community.

”He inspires not just enthusiasm in science, and environmentalism, but also social entrepreneurship where the communities are placed at the center of business and innovation," he said.