Today’s youth is subjected to mass media messages on Sex like never before.  In TV soap operas, magazines, movies and billboards, Sex is glamorized and romanticized.  It happens to the bold, the smart and the beautiful.  It’s rewarding.  It’s fun and exciting. It promises happiness ever after, after a few dramatic twists and turns.  Welcome to REEL LIFE!

The youth imbibe REEL LIFE values, strive to adopt its ways and are entranced by its promises.  But to their distress, REEL LIFE doesn’t translate into REAL LIFE quite the same way. 
When young people set out to imitate “Reel Life”, they mistake lust for love; search for excitement but find that life involves routine; rush growing up and burden themselves with responsibilities in the process.  They also become vulnerable to peer-pressure and suffer from a lack of self-esteem.  They focus less on academic/career goals and more on romance.  They take to having multiple partners and forego the joys of a stable relationship.  REEL IS NOT REAL!

Sex in Real Life often leads to unintended pregnancies, teenage mothers, uncommitted fathers. There’s the spread of nasty infections like STDs, STIs and HIV when proper precaution is not taken.  As youth lack the necessary emotional maturity required for bringing trust and commitment to a sexual relationship, Sex leads to broken hearts, warped minds, hurt psyches and crushed dreams.
This trend is especially observed in Call Centers where a large number of young adults (ages 18-28) work.   Given the timing of their work hours that facilitates easy gender interaction, financial independence and often, distance from home/family life, there is a significant prevalence of high risk sexual behaviour/activity among them.

Advocates for Youth (A4Y) Philippines Foundation wishes to heighten awareness among the youth and to encourage both moral and sexual responsibility by promoting the concept that, in matters of SEX, “REEL IS NOT REAL”.  A4Y recognizes that there is a great need for the youth to be given correct and updated information about reproductive health, so that they are aware of the REAL consequences of engaging in sexual relationships and are more capable of making informed choices.