COTABATO CITY (December 18, 2023) — The Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) officially launched the Bangsamoro Action Plan on Youth, Peace, and Security (BAP-YPS) on Friday, December 15, in Cotabato City.
In his message, BYC Chairperson Marjanie Mimbantas Macasalong emphasized the pivotal roles of Bangsamoro youth in formulating the plan. “Our goal is to create opportunities for young people to thrive and contribute to the development of the Bangsamoro region,” he said.
He added that the BAP-YPS is a testament to the Commission’s commitment to empowering and advancing the youth, recognizing them not just as recipients of change but as active contributors to the peace and security of the Bangsamoro community.
“This plan embodies the notion that sustainable peace is unachievable without the involvement and perspectives of the young generation. By providing platforms for their voices to be heard, resources for their initiatives, and avenues for active participation in decision-making processes, the plan acknowledges their invaluable role in crafting a more harmonious and secure society,” Macasalong stated.
The formulation of the document started in 2020 through the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between BYC and UNDP which was followed by the formation of the technical working group and the conduct of a series of focus group discussions, interviews, surveys, validation sessions, and workshops with Bangsamoro youth and relevant stakeholders and institutions across the region.
In 2023, the document’s working draft underwent another round of deliberations, consultations, validations, and refinement sessions with various stakeholders, including BARMM ministries, offices, and agencies (MOA), local government units (LGU) and civil society organizations (CSO), and youth organizations, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive document.
Judith de Guzman, Peacebuilding Project Manager of UNDP–Philippines, underscored Bangsamoro youth’s critical role in fostering sustainable peace and development in the region.
“We look to young people as agents of change, and we are inspired by the journey of Bangsamoro youth working towards meaningful engagements,” she said.
Patterned on the five pillars of UNSCR 2250 and the NAP-YPS, the BAP-YPS will serve as a guidebook for the Bangsamoro Government in developing and implementing youth-centered programs, projects, activities, and policies that address peace and security concerns affecting the Bangsamoro youth, outlining specific action and sub-action points that BARMM MOAs, LGUs, and CSOs can incorporate to their respective development plans.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Abqary Alon, youth representative to the BARMM Council of Leaders, urged the BARMM MOAs, LGUs, and CSOs to adopt the BAP-YPS, which he described as part of BYC’s assertion of its mandate as a policy-making and coordinating agency.
“We are not just here to witness the BYC’s accomplishment of this; we are here to receive that document so that we can start implementing that and to be monitored by the BYC,” Alon said.
The launching activity was graced by messages of support from various dignitaries including Peace, Security, and Reconciliation Office Executive Director Anwar Alamada, Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta Executive Director Emran Mohamad, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines James Yeomans, British Deputy Ambassador to the Philippines Alistair White, and representatives from Ministry of Public Order and Safety, Office of Member of the Parliament Diamila Disimban-Ramos, Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority, and Ministry of the Interior and Local Government.
The formulation of BAP-YPS aligns with BARMM’s Enhanced 12-Point Priority Agenda for 2023–2025 which aims to achieve sustainable peace, justice, and security in the region. (BYC PR Unit/KAA)
