MANILA, Philippines?Age doesn?t matter for these teens who are out to make a difference in the world of media.

Nicai de Guzman and Joseph Cataan are already doing what professional TV media practitioners do: they write, shoot, and produce their own stories for Kabataan Xpress, a youth-oriented show produced by Kabataan News Network (KNN) under the Probe Media Foundation.

Together with other young people from around the metro, De Guzman and Cataan make up one of KNN?s 10 bureaus, Manila Bureau, where the two now serve as assistant bureau managers at an early age of 18.

?I?m expecting more responsibilities and just that overall feeling of the whole bureau relying on you,? said De Guzman, a 3rd year Journalism student at UP Diliman.

?This is the part of KNN life where after being trained, taken care of and watched over (by your managers), it?s now your turn to ?pay it forward,?? said Cataan, a 2nd year Broadcast Communication student, also of UP.

Aside from filing stories, Cataan said he?s also responsible for the bureau. He monitors the stories of his co-reporters.

Both said that working in KNN complements their studies at the UP College of Mass Communication.

Cataan said his classmates were surprised about his reporting stint.

Being in the organization has its perks. Both have been invited as speakers in different forums on campus and outside. They hosted the ?SM-Unicef Drink for 2: A Toast to Clear Drinking Water for the Children of Masbate? launch at the SM Mall of Asia in May.

?I like to help out people and I feel useful, which is nice because I feel that my knowledge in skills in media extend beyond actually producing for KNN,? said De Guzman.

Cataan has tackled public issues, such as food safety in ?Tuhog,? and the rice crisis and a young farmer?s struggles in ?Gapos sa Gapas.?

De Guzman, on the other hand, has tackled contemporary youth issues such as teen magazines, contraception, street gangs, bullying, and teen dieting.

She said that she?d be happy when people say that they learned something from her story or were able to relate to it.

Both assistant bureau managers have big dreams for KNN.

Cataan wants to see it ?literally as a network of not just the bureaus but with different youth media practitioners.?

?It?s also my dream for KNN to reach more toward the youth, and for ?genuine youth media participation? to be fully noticed in mainstream media,? said Cataan.

?I believe that a team wouldn?t be great just because they consist of talented and hard-working members, but it also because of the motivation and effective coordination,? said De Guzman. She added she ?would lead the bureau to its maximum potential and full productivity.?

Both De Guzman and Cataan said that they would like to continue working in KNN even after college.

?Bureau managers usually have other jobs so yeah, I may have to look for another one,? said De Guzman. ?Whatever it is, of course, it?s still in the field of media?

De Guzman also said that she wants to work for UN or Unicef someday.

?I want to join a production after graduation,? said Cataan. ?But if there?s a chance to be promoted, why not? I love KNN. There?s only one KNN, that?s why I?d like to stay.?

To know more about Kabataan News Network, visit http://kabataannews.com.