BASILAN – Thirty-three (33) youth leaders from eight municipalities in Basilan province are participating in a three-day consultation on the formulation of the National and Regional Action Plan on Youth, Peace, and Security
Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC), in partnership with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), Norwegian Embassy Manila (NEM), and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), organized the consultation from August 23-25 in this province.
The participants are from different youth organizations such as the Sanguniang Kabataan (SK), Expounding Youth of Basilan (EYB), Bagang Youth Organization (BYO), Peace Connect Youth Advocates (PCYA), Action Bridges Aspiration Inc. (ABAI), Local Youth Development Council (LYDC), Lakas Kabataan, and Marayaw Maluso Youth Organization (MMYO).
The consultation aims to gather data in relation to youth relatable experiences – their participation in the community, situation in the grassroots, and future plans of activities, among others – to supplement the formulation of the action plan.
BYC Chairperson Marjanie Macasalong encouraged the participants to be more involved in peacebuilding as they will be the next generation in line.
“Napaka-importante po at napakahalaga ng mga kanilang idea… Ang peace process ay hindi mo yan makukuha o matatapos in just one year or two years. Actually itong pinag-uusapang peace process, we are talking about decades, ‘yung iba sa tingin nila ay lifelong na advocacy,” Macasalong said.
“In order for us to sustain the gains of the peace process at makuha ang lasting peace ay kailangan ng involvement ng mga kabataan dahil sila ang next in line,” he added.
Shareefa Jzannisa Amilasan of MMYO expressed her gratitude to BYC for involving the Basilan youth in the consultation. She said it makes them feel that the Bangasamoro Government really gives importance to the youth in the island provinces. (Related story: BYC holds youth, peace, security consultation in Sulu )
“Thank you so much to BYC for this activity, as a youth, thankful kami kahit nasa Cotabato (ang regional seat ng BARMM) ramdam namin ang effectiveness. (Pinuntahan) kami dito sa province. Hindi tulad dati, kumbaga kailangan pa namin pumunta sa ibang lugar para lang makasali o magkaroon ng mga projects,” Amilasan said.
BYC ensured that strict health protocols were observed during the activity. Each participant were given a kit consisting of facemasks, faceshields, and disinfectants. Their temperatures were also scanned. (Bangsamoro Information Office)
