More than 14,000 child protection advocates have been trained and 2.83 million people have been reached by Plan International Pilipinas since 2025, as the organization continues to strengthen youth leadership and community action across the country.
The girl and child rights organization is now calling on incoming Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and Barangay leaders to build on this momentum by advancing initiatives for health, education, gender equality, and child protection.
The appeal comes ahead of the SK and Barangay elections and as communities celebrate Linggo ng Kabataan.
The organization’s work comes against a backdrop of continuing challenges for Filipino children and adolescents.
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, while nearly 20% of internet-using children aged 12 to 17 have faced grave online sexual abuse and exploitation (OSAEC).
Plan International Pilipinas facilitated the creation of the Girls’ Agenda as one response to these concerns. The four-point blueprint was developed by 400 girl advocates and focuses on safety, resilience in crisis, health, and education and economic empowerment.
“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 is already being strengthened through programs operating across the Visayas and Mindanao.
On August 11, an estimated 1,000 youth leaders gathered in Samar for SIRAK Day, where Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara joined celebrations marking the fifth anniversary of the Sirak Kabataan movement.
Plan International Pilipinas also 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 gives young advocates a role in influencing community decisions. Youth Peer Educators and Youth Reporters train high school students in OSAEC, SOGIESC, child rights, mental health, and leadership, allowing them to support their peers.
Meanwhile, the Girls’ Challenge Grants Group gives girls from vulnerable communities the tools to develop their own solutions to local problems.
By working with local governments, communities, and schools, Plan International Pilipinas aims to ensure that trained young advocates can contribute meaningfully to local leadership and decision-making.
As Linggo ng Kabataan is observed nationwide, the organization is urging incoming SK and Barangay leaders to translate the Girls’ Agenda into concrete local ordinances and action.
The initiative aligns with the United Nations’ 2026 International Youth Day theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” underscoring that young people share common hopes for safety, health, and opportunity regardless of their communities.
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].