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Young people are an important, if not strategic, resource in society. Tey possess the physical strength, adventurous spirit, and relentless courage to meet challenges. In the 1970s, Filipino youth have proven their strength and capacity to effect social change by connecting with the other sectors in strategic alliances (see Arguelles’ chapter in this volume). At a time when disasters are prevalent, the youth once again are a potential resource. Tey can be given an opportunity to take part in disaster risk reduction management and climate change adaptation. One possible mechanism is collaborative intervention with different stakeholders such as the academe, local government units, and civil society organizations. To demonstrate this point, our study draws from the collaboration between Mindanao State University Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU IIT) and the local government of Iligan City. As part of our extension initiatives in the Institute, we initiated disaster risk management training with local government o cials. We involved an important sector not often mobilized: the youth. Trough an existing partnership between the academe and local government units, the opportunity to educate the youth and raise their awareness about climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction management became possible.

Why do we need to include the youth? Stephen Akeyo (2010) emphasizes the important leadership roles of the youth in emergency situations. Social norms restrict young people as passive victims when disaster strikes the community. What the public needs to understand is that the involvement of youth in managing disasters could help the …