🌏 UP CAMP Student Represents the Philippines at the ASEAN Youth Summit 2026
Mr. Joaquin Miguel L. Mendoza, a student of the UP College of Allied Medical Professions, represented the Philippines as a delegate to the ASEAN Youth Summit 2026, joining young people from across the region in discussions and activities centered on technology, digital transformation, media literacy, and regional cooperation.
The gathering brought together youth from diverse backgrounds and nationalities to exchange perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of an increasingly digital world. Beyond participating in the Summit’s discussions, Mr. Mendoza assisted the Philippine Delegation through documentation and attendance monitoring and collaborated with fellow delegates in developing a proposed community-based solution addressing gaps in internet connectivity.
Reflecting on his experience, Mr. Mendoza shared:
“The ASEAN Youth Summit 2026 was a new experience for me since it was my first time participating in anything like this as a Philippine Delegate. I would assist the Philippine Delegation by taking pictures and doing attendance checks.
During the Summit, we mainly discussed technology and the way it has evolved and changed the way people percieve information. When everything is posted online, you don’t know which information is actually true. Media literacy is very important.
As a future speech pathologist, I can imagine that our patients may be subject to cyberbullying due to their conditions. It is also important that we advocate for better access to digital resources, since a quarter of Filipinos don’t have them. AAC and digital tools such as Canva might be particularly useful for patients who are developing or rehabilitating their skills. Investing in these tools may help the profession grow.
Me and my groupmates (Tanglaw 4.5) came together and discussed what solutions we could offer to the community. Each of us came from diverse backgrounds: students, leaders, athletes, researchers, content creators, and directors. We proposed an idea: a Wi-Fi monitoring system that shows areas that have no or lost internet access.
Despite our differences in nationality, the other delegates and I worked as close friends and colleagues. We celebrated cultural night, showcasing our cultures with dances and smiles. That is the essence of ASEAN: to break the differences of our nationalities, to share our ideas, lives and aspirations, and to navigate the digital world together.”
Experiences such as the ASEAN Youth Summit provide future speech-language pathologists opportunities to situate their profession within broader conversations on technology, accessibility, inclusion, and national development. As Speech-Language Pathology continues to grow in the Philippines, engaging with perspectives beyond the profession can help future practitioners better understand the social and technological contexts that influence communication, participation, and access to rehabilitation services.
The Summit also reflects the importance of interprofessional and cross-sectoral collaboration in responding to complex challenges. Working alongside individuals from different disciplines, sectors, and cultural backgrounds allows future rehabilitation professionals to see how their expertise can complement those of others, from healthcare and education to technology, research, policy, and community development.
For the Philippine rehabilitation sector, these collaborations are especially valuable in developing solutions that are not only clinically responsive, but also accessible, culturally relevant, and responsive to the realities of Filipino communities. By bringing the perspectives of rehabilitation into wider national and regional conversations, future professionals can contribute to strengthening their respective professions while advancing more inclusive systems and communities.
Mr. Mendoza’s participation demonstrates how CAMP students can contribute their emerging professional perspectives beyond the classroom and clinic, while learning from other disciplines and communities across the ASEAN region.
Padayon, Joaquin! Padayon, future rehabilitation professionals! 🌻
Content and photos contributed by: Joaquin Miguel L. Mendoza
