By: Delaila Irma T. Calindas, Project Technical Staff II

CHED-UniFAST CAR officially launched the 2025 series of its flagship learning initiative, the SEEDLING Project (Skills Enhancement, Engagement, and Development: A Learning Intervention to Nurture Grantees) with a compelling and timely first episode held on May 23, 2025, via Zoom.

The session, themed “Youth and Responsible Choices: Understanding Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in the Context of Nation-Building,” underscored the critical role of informed decision-making in the lives of young Filipinos. It emphasized SRHR not only as a matter of personal well-being but as a foundation for responsible citizenship and inclusive national development.

Atty. Septon A. De La Cruz, Regional Director of CHED-CAR, formally opened the session with an inspiring message, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to supporting student-grantees not only through financial aid but also through holistic and transformative education.

The episode featured Dr. Cecile A. Basawil, Regional Director of the Commission on Population and Development – CAR (CPD-CAR), as the esteemed resource person. With depth and clarity, Dr. Basawil guided participants through the complexities of SRHR, helping them understand how personal choices are inherently connected to broader societal outcomes.

Her presentation provided student-grantees with a comprehensive understanding of:

• The legal foundations of Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH)
• The adolescent situationer in the Cordillera region
• Practical guidance on making responsible life choices
• The strategic role of ARH in national development

The event drew 275 student-grantees from across the region—each gaining valuable insights to help them become proactive agents of change in their communities.

As the first installment in this year’s SEEDLING series, the episode set a strong and purposeful tone for the months ahead. Through initiatives like SEEDLING, CHED-UniFAST CAR continues to nurture the intellectual, emotional, and civic growth of its grantees—building a generation of informed, empowered, and nation-oriented youth.