When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security in 2015, it formally recognised that young people are essential partners in the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security. This acknowledgment reflected what many young Filipinos, especially in Mindanao, had already been demonstrating: that youth are not merely witnesses to conflict but active builders of peace in their communities.
The Philippines carried this global vision forward through the launch of the Philippine National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security on 30 August 2022, becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to institutionalise the youth, peace, and security agenda (Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity [OPAPRU], 2022; UNDP, 2022). Anchored on Resolution 2250, the plan serves as a national framework for youth inclusion in peacebuilding, governance, and social cohesion.
For many of us working in Mindanao, this policy was more than a milestone. It was the first time our experiences as young peacebuilders in the Bangsamoro were reflected in a national document. It felt like an acknowledgment that our local stories and struggles are part of a larger national and global movement for peace.
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon captured this spirit in his 2015 International Youth Day message, noting that young people are proving to be invaluable partners who can advance meaningful solutions and urging leaders worldwide to listen to youth voices and support their engagement in building the future we all want (Ban Ki-moon, 2015). His call continues to resonate deeply in the Philippines, where youth remain at the heart of community rebuilding, reconciliation, and hope.
Youth Voices That Shaped a National Policy
The development of the National Action Plan on Youth, Peace, and Security (NAP-YPS) in the Philippines was a collaborative effort that involved the active participation of young people from various regions, particularly from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). These youth leaders shared their experiences and insights, ensuring that the plan reflected their realities and aspirations.
In 2019, I participated in a Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) consultation organised by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao. Over 100 youth leaders from BARMM gathered to discuss the challenges they faced and propose solutions to foster peace and security in their communities. This consultation became a pivotal platform for young people to share their experiences, frustrations, and hopes for a more inclusive Bangsamoro.
As one youth participant from the Bangsamoro, Hamida Paglas, a member of MyPeace Boses ng Kabataan, said:
“Yong mga negative narrative tungkol sa kabataan mawawala na po, ngayon po mabibigyan na kami ng boses, malaya na po naming maipapahayag ang mga opinyon at beliefs as an individual, as youth.” (Translation: “The negative narrative about the youth will disappear; now we will be given a voice, we are free to express our opinions and beliefs as individuals, as youth.”)
In the Bangsamoro region, where decades of struggle have shaped generations, these consultations were more than policy discussions; they were moments of storytelling. Youth participants spoke about rebuilding trust, addressing trauma, and creating safe spaces for children growing up in post-conflict communities. These reflections influenced how the plan recognised the unique role of young peacebuilders in local governance and reconciliation efforts.
The Role of the Bangsamoro Youth Commission
The Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC) has played a crucial role in aligning the Bangsamoro Action Plan on Youth, Peace, and Security (BAP-YPS) with the national framework. Through ongoing efforts, including regional consultations and local initiatives, the BYC has ensured that youth participation, psycho-social healing, and community reintegration are integrated into programs across the region.
The BAP-YPS, adopted in 2023, became the first regional adaptation of the Youth, Peace, and Security framework in the Philippines. It addresses the unique needs of Bangsamoro youth, many of whom are children of former combatants or survivors of displacement. The plan encourages young people to take part in peace governance, community mediation, and social innovation.
The NAP-YPS is structured around five global pillars, which are grounded in local experiences.
- Participation emphasises including youth in peace tables and decision-making spaces.
- Prevention focuses on addressing the root causes of conflict, such as inequality and exclusion.
- Protection ensures the safety of young peacebuilders and community volunteers.
- Partnership fosters cooperation between government agencies and youth organisations.
- Reintegration supports youth affected by conflict, including former child soldiers, in rebuilding their lives.
Together, these pillars create a comprehensive framework that empowers youth and integrates them into broader peacebuilding efforts.
Institutionalising Youth Action in the Bangsamoro
The principles of the NAP-YPS extend beyond national policy and inspire tangible local initiatives in BARMM. Youth-led activities, such as community dialogues, educational programs, and intergenerational discussions, translate these pillars into meaningful outcomes. On October 23, 2025, the mainstreaming of the Bangsamoro Action Plan on Youth Peace and Security continued with the Bangsamoro Darul Iftah (BDI) in Cotabato City. Following its formal adoption through a memorandum from the Office of the Chief Minister, BYC furthered its efforts to institutionalise the plan across relevant ministries and partner institutions.
BYC Planning Officer Datu Raid Salik presented the key elements of the BAP-YPS, emphasising how partner offices can align their programs and initiatives with the plan’s targeted action points using a provided template. Meanwhile, the BDI outlined its ongoing initiatives, including Imaarul Masajid, which engages youth organisations in maintaining mosque cleanliness; the Community Peace Advocates program; and a series of school-based symposiums. BYC intends to establish a Memorandum of Understanding with BDI to institutionalise the partnership. The Commission continues its coordination visits to various ministries, offices, and agencies to reinforce inter-agency collaboration and support effective implementation of the plan.
Youth as Co-Authors of Peace
Today, the NAP-YPS stands as both a national policy and a moral statement: young people are not merely beneficiaries of peace but its co-authors. In the Bangsamoro, this continues to unfold through local action plans, intergenerational dialogues, and grassroots initiatives, where youth now shape programs addressing reintegration, education, and psychosocial healing.
In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, or BARMM, the NAP-YPS found fertile ground. The region has lived through decades of armed struggle, displacement, and peace negotiations. It is also home to some of the most passionate youth movements in the country.
When the national plan was adopted, the Bangsamoro Youth Commission quickly took steps to localise it. In partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, the commission launched the Bangsamoro Action Plan on Youth, Peace, and Security in 2023. The plan became the first regional adaptation of the YPS framework in the Philippines.
This localisation was not a mere copy of the national plan. It addressed the unique needs of Bangsamoro youth who live in post-conflict communities, some of whom are children of former combatants or survivors of displacement. The regional plan encourages young people to take part in peace governance, community mediation, and social innovation.
As a youth leader from Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur, I have seen how the Bangsamoro Action Plan is changing mindsets. Youth councils are now integrating peace education into their programs. Madrasah students are joining dialogues about coexistence. Women and young mothers who once felt sidelined are leading community discussions about healing and reconciliation.
One example is our own initiative, Walay-Kalinga, which focuses on psycho-social healing and peacebuilding for children and youth affected by displacement. Through storytelling, drawing sessions, and community outreach, we have seen how art and compassion can rebuild a sense of safety and belonging. Efforts like this are small in scale but big in meaning because they turn policy principles into lived experience. This reflects the NAP-YPS principle of reintegration and psychosocial healing, translated into real community action.
The Journey from Promise to Practice
Three years after its adoption, the Philippine NAP-YPS has made visible progress but challenges remain. Implementation varies depending on local government priorities. Some regions have strong programs while others have yet to begin. Many youth organisations still struggle with funding and institutional support.
Nonetheless, there is a growing realisation that peace is not something that comes from officials alone. It comes from the daily efforts of ordinary young people who decide to care, to listen, and to act.
The BYC’s youth peace camps and ideation labs are good examples. They bring together young people from across the Bangsamoro to discuss how digital tools, art, and storytelling can help counter hate narratives and misinformation. These events do more than train participants. They build networks of young leaders who trust one another across ethnic and religious lines.
When we talk about the success of the Youth, Peace, and Security agenda, it is not measured by how many plans are written but by how many lives are being shaped. Every youth who chooses dialogue over anger, and collaboration over division, is proof that the agenda is alive.
Lessons Learned from the Ground
The first lesson is that recognition changes everything. Before the national plan existed, many young peacebuilders felt invisible. The NAP-YPS told them their work was part of the national story of peace. This validation has encouraged more youth to organise and to speak confidently about their ideas.
The second lesson is that implementation requires patience and consistency. A policy is only as strong as the people who carry it forward. There must be a continued effort to align government budgets, local policies, and educational programs with the YPS framework.
The third lesson is that youth ownership is essential. Peace programs are most effective when young people are involved from planning to evaluation. Giving youth the power to lead builds accountability and innovation. The Bangsamoro experience shows this well. Many of the most creative peace projects in the region are youth-led, from community mapping and digital storytelling to dialogue facilitation.
The Way Forward
Moving forward, the NAP-YPS and the Bangsamoro Action Plan must continue to evolve with the realities of young people. Peacebuilding is not static. It must respond to emerging challenges like online disinformation, climate insecurity, and economic hardship, all of which affect youth participation and mental well-being.
Local governments should be encouraged to create their own youth, peace, and security programs that align with the national and regional plans. Sustainable funding should be provided not only for events but also for long-term community projects. Universities and schools can integrate peace education into their curricula so that the values of dialogue and respect become part of everyday learning.
Above all, there is a need to keep telling stories. Across Mindanao and the rest of the country, young people are rewriting what it means to be a peacebuilder. They are artists, farmers, teachers, social workers, and volunteers who transform pain into purpose. Sharing their stories helps others see that peace is not an abstract goal but a daily choice that anyone can make.
A Generation That Builds
The journey of the Youth, Peace, and Security agenda in the Philippines is far from over, but it has already taught us something powerful. Peace is not given to us. It is something we build together.
The Bangsamoro youth are showing what that looks like. They carry both the memory of conflict and the hope for a peaceful tomorrow. They prove that the most enduring legacy of the peace process is not just the agreements signed by leaders but the courage of a generation that continues to believe in peace even after the noise of war has faded.
For me, the NAP-YPS is more than a policy document. It is a mirror of who we are becoming as a nation. It reminds us that peace begins with participation, that inclusion is protection, and that every young person who chooses peace adds another chapter to our shared story of resilience.
The future of peace in the Philippines depends on how we continue to empower the youth who are already leading it. Their hands are steady, their vision clear, and their hearts brave. They are the rising peacebuilders of this country and their story has only just begun.
About the Author
Samarudin Samsudin is a youth peace advocate from Maguindanao del Sur, BARMM, Philippines and the president of the Child Peace Movement Council, a community-based youth organization promoting peace, child rights, and protection in the Bangsamoro region. He also serves as a writer contributor to Peace Insight, sharing stories of local peacebuilders and grassroots movements in Mindanao. Be sure to follow his work here.