MEDICAL technologist and psychologist students at the University of Santo Tomas won in the 8th Health Innovation Competition of the Philippine Conference on Community Health: HAYAG – Singanen o Masa.

Jefson Romeo Felix, Kyla Maru Magcamit, Sofia Levy Destura and Rommeleen Estolano were named the grand champions for their presentation “Project Local Youth Force.”

The team Juans also earned the People’s Choice Award for Project LYF which is powered by its four sub-projects: Lokal Youth Force Fellowship Program, Chikajuan Pangkalusugan, Tayo Para Sa Tao, and Townhall Talakayan.

It aims to sustainably solve community health challenges by strengthening grassroots participation through capacity-building, people empowerment and public-private partnerships and produce youth leaders and doers.

Felix said the Project LYF not only offers a solution to the community’s problem, but it also aims to provide a sustainable mechanism and an opportunity for the community in the Municipality of Burgos in Siargao island.

Siargao Island was heavily damaged by Typhoon Odette.

The Project LYF, Felix added, also encouraged youth to be part of the solution by having them at the core of the initiative.

The team is part of Juan Health PH, a youth-led community and public health centered digital publication founded by Felix and Maria Rosario Isabel Seares, which recently bagged the 1st prize in the 2nd ASEAN Youth Social Journalism.

PCCH is an organization of the University of the Philippines’ College of Medicine.

This year’s conference was organized by UPM Regionalization Students’ Organization, UP Medicine Student Council, ASMPH Student Council, ASMPH-SC Public Health Council, UP Medical Students for Social Responsibility and ASMPH Class of 2025.