From threads to jobs: UNIQLO PH launches youth training initiative in Manila, Valenzuela

MANILA, Philippines – Global retail giant Uniqlo is turning global graphic t-shirt sales into local action with the launch of the Youth RISE Project, its first-ever PEACE FOR ALL initiative in the Philippines.

In a three-year partnership with PLAN International Pilipinas, the Youth RISE Project plans to equip around 3,100 residents across Valenzuela City and the City of Manila aged 18 to 30 with the tools needed to boost their employability.

PLAN International Pilipinas program director Cathy Seco said the program will focus on out-of-school youth and those from highly vulnerable communities.

“Our bias is really to support the most marginalized, those who have no opportunities, and those who are not in school so that they’re able to have the opportunity to go back and have that opportunity to learn skills and build their agency,” she said.

Training will focus on in-demand skills that students are also interested in pursuing such as IT and food and beverage (F&B).

Seco also said that beneficiaries will also be trained on skills such as navigating the industries they wish to enter and entrepreneurship.

Beyond technical capabilities, Seco also emphasized the importance of “life skills” to build long-term workplace resilience.

Trainees will learn how to present themselves, converse, and navigate workplace dynamics. “Green skills” are integrated into the program to foster environmental awareness.

For UNIQLO Philippines chief operating officer Geraldine Sia, the Youth RISE project will give the retailer an opportunity to translate global purpose into locally relevant action. She added that the youth can help shape a brighter future when given the right opportunities.

“For us, meaningful impact is about helping create access, opportunity, and confidence that can support stronger futures for young people and their communities,” she said.

A 2024 report from the International Labour Organization found that one in five young people are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), with more unemployed young women compared to their male counterparts.

UNIQLO’s PEACE FOR ALL initiative is the brand’s global initiative which features a collection of t-shirts designed by major figures such as Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami and tennis superstar Roger Federer. Proceeds will be donated to organizations that support the poor, as well as those affected by violence, discrimination, and armed conflict. – Rappler.com

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