Plan International Pilipinas is calling on incoming Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and Barangay leaders across the country to use their platforms to advance health, education, gender equality, and child protection as the Philippines prepares for the SK and Barangay elections and celebrates this year’s Linggo ng Kabataan.
The organization highlighted the leadership potential of Filipino youth during SIRAK Day in Samar on August 11, where Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara joined around 1,000 youth leaders in marking the fifth anniversary of the Sirak Kabataan movement.
The gathering underscored both the enthusiasm of young leaders and the challenges they may need to address in their communities. According to data cited by Plan International Pilipinas, one in four Filipino adolescents falls behind academically by age 18, while more than 10,600 adolescent mothers were recorded in 2024. Child labor also affected more than half a million children in 2025, while nearly 20% of internet-using children aged 12 to 17 experienced grave online sexual abuse and exploitation.
Putting Girls’ Voices at the Center
To help address these challenges, Plan International Pilipinas facilitated the development of the Girls’ Agenda, a four-point blueprint created by 400 girl advocates. The agenda focuses on safety, resilience in times of crisis, health, and education and economic empowerment.
Since 2025, the organization says it has reached 2.83 million people, protected more than 740,000 individuals through violence prevention programs, and trained over 14,000 child protection advocates.
“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. She added that equipping incoming SK and Barangay leaders to bring the agenda into their communities can help address these challenges at the local level.
Empowering Young People to Lead
Plan International Pilipinas is already implementing youth-focused initiatives across the Visayas and Mindanao. These include youth advocacy panels in Samar and mental health initiatives in Cotabato City under the organization’s Global Youth Ambassador program.
Programs such as the Youth Advisory Panel, Youth Peer Educators and Youth Reporters, and Girls’ Challenge Grants Group give young people opportunities to participate in community decision-making, learn about child rights and protection, address issues such as OSAEC and mental health, and develop solutions to challenges affecting their communities.
Through partnerships with local governments, schools, and communities, these programs aim to ensure that youth voices are meaningfully included in local governance.
As the country celebrates Linggo ng Kabataan, Plan International Pilipinas is urging incoming SK and Barangay leaders to translate the Girls’ Agenda into concrete local action and ordinances.
The call also aligns with the United Nations’ 2026 International Youth Day theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” highlighting the shared hopes of young people for safety, health, education, and greater opportunities regardless of where they live.
To learn more about Plan International Pilipinas and support programs that help girls learn, lead, decide, and thrive, visit Plan International Philippines.