Guiding Principles

Universality

As character transcends religious, cultural, and political beliefs and affiliations, IAS, with  IKLR, is most effectively explained in the language of universal truths and values.

Multisectoral Representation

The advocacy is a multi-sectored campaign, extending membership to groups that affect youth development: the academe, local government units, non-government organizations,   the business sector, and media.

Ate/Kuya Principle

Since the youth tend to open up and listen more to their peers, IAS takes pride in the ate/kuya principle it espouses, where college studeSince the youth tend to open up and listen more to their peers, IAS takes pride in the ate/kuya principle it espouses, where college students and young professionals share personal convictions about responsible decision-making.

I Am S.T.R.O.N.G.

I Am S.T.R.O.N.G. is a character education program
for the youth, by the youth.
It addresses high school and college students, teachers,
and parents, sharing with them principles
on responsible day-to-day decision-making.
The program carries I Keep Love Real campaign
for a deeper understanding
of love, relationships, and sexuality.

History

Four graduate students, deeply motivated by their desire to help their peers, developed modules in studies, friendship, career and boy-girl relationships, from their theses.
These works inspired what in 1998 became the I AM S.T.R.O.N.G…I AM RESPONSIBLE PROGRAM of the University of Asia and the Pacific, carried out in  collaboration with Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing, Inc. for their Youth Smoking Prevention program. It was the intention to create a program that gave premium to character formation. It was realized that in order to carry out holistic education, three key components are necessary:

1.  Curricular for principles and theory
2.  Co-curricular for practice
3.  Character for life application