The next generation of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and Barangay leaders has an opportunity to reshape how communities respond to the needs of children and young people, according to Plan International Pilipinas.
As the country celebrates Linggo ng Kabataan and prepares for the upcoming SK and Barangay elections, the girl and child rights organization is urging incoming leaders to make youth priorities part of local governance, particularly in health, education, gender equality, and child protection.
The organization points to the Girls’ Agenda as a ready framework for action. Created by 400 girl advocates, the four-point blueprint addresses safety, resilience in crisis, health, and education and economic empowerment.
The need for action is underscored by several challenges facing Filipino youth.
One in four Filipino adolescents nationwide falls behind academically by age 18. More than 10,600 adolescent mothers were recorded in 2024, with pregnancies rising among girls under 15. Child labor reached over half a million in 2025, and nearly 20% of internet-using children aged 12 to 17 have experienced grave online sexual abuse and exploitation (OSAEC).
“The Girls’ Agenda came directly from young people, mostly girls, who told us where the gaps are,” said Twyla Raros David, Country Program Manager for Gender and Child Rights. “Training incoming SK and Barangay leaders to carry that agenda into their own communities is how we turn those numbers around, one barangay at a time.”
The call follows a series of youth leadership initiatives already underway across the Visayas and Mindanao.
Samar’s SIRAK Day on August 11 brought together an estimated 1,000 youth leaders to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Sirak Kabataan movement, with Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara joining the event.
In Samar, youth advocacy panels and peer educators are helping young people engage in advocacy and community issues. In Cotabato City, mental health initiatives are being carried out under Plan International Pilipinas’ Global Youth Ambassador program.
Other programs include the Youth Advisory Panel, which enables young advocates to influence community decisions, and Youth Peer Educators and Youth Reporters, who train high school students on OSAEC, SOGIESC, child rights, mental health, and leadership.
The Girls’ Challenge Grants Group also equips girls from vulnerable communities to develop solutions to problems within their own communities.
Since 2025, Plan International Pilipinas has reached 2.83 million people, protected over 740,000 individuals through violence prevention programs, and trained more than 14,000 child protection advocates.
The organization’s partnerships with local governments, schools, and communities help connect these trained youth advocates with the institutions responsible for delivering local services and policies.
Plan International Pilipinas is now asking incoming SK and Barangay leaders to take the next step by translating young people’s priorities into concrete local ordinances.
The call reflects the United Nations’ 2026 International Youth Day theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” emphasizing that young people may come from different communities and circumstances but continue to share aspirations for safety, health, and opportunity.
To support Plan International Pilipinas’ programs and help ensure that every girl has the resources to learn, lead, decide, and thrive, visit their official website or email [email protected].