Filipino children and young people continue to confront challenges that require stronger action at the community level, prompting Plan International Pilipinas to call on incoming Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and Barangay leaders to make youth welfare a local governance priority.
The appeal comes as the country prepares for the SK and Barangay elections and observes Linggo ng Kabataan.
The scale of the challenges is significant. 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 faced grave online sexual abuse and exploitation (OSAEC).
For Plan International Pilipinas, addressing these issues requires young people to be part of the solution.
The organization facilitated the development of the Girls’ Agenda, a four-point blueprint created by 400 girl advocates. The agenda focuses on safety, resilience in crisis, health, and education and economic empowerment.
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 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.”
Youth leadership initiatives across the Visayas and Mindanao demonstrate how young people are already responding to these concerns.
Samar recently hosted SIRAK Day on August 11, bringing together an estimated 1,000 youth leaders to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Sirak Kabataan movement. Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara also participated in the gathering.
Elsewhere, Plan International Pilipinas supports youth advocacy panels and peer educators in Samar and mental health initiatives in Cotabato City through its Global Youth Ambassador program.
Its Youth Advisory Panel enables young advocates to influence community decisions, while Youth Peer Educators and Youth Reporters equip high school students with knowledge on OSAEC, SOGIESC, child rights, mental health, and leadership so they can support their fellow students.
The Girls’ Challenge Grants Group, meanwhile, gives girls from vulnerable communities the opportunity to develop their own responses to local problems.
These efforts are implemented with local governments, communities, and schools, strengthening the support available to youth leaders while creating opportunities for young people to participate directly in decision-making.
As Linggo ng Kabataan is celebrated nationwide, Plan International Pilipinas is urging incoming SK and Barangay officials to use the Girls’ Agenda as a foundation for concrete local ordinances and programs.
The call echoes the United Nations’ 2026 International Youth Day theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” which reflects the shared aspirations of Filipino youth 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].