The youth in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will receive more programs to empower them as major players in the young regional government, a youth commissioner said Wednesday.

In a statement, Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC) chair Marjanie Macasalong said the BYC and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) inked an agreement for cooperation on programs focusing on youth participation in peace promotion, volunteerism, and leadership.

Macasalong signed the agreement representing BARMM and UNDP resident representative Selva Ramachandran during ceremonies held in Cagayan de Oro City on Tuesday.

The programs under the agreement include the development and implementation of the Bangsamoro Youth Volunteers Program (BYVP), the formulation of a Regional Action Plan on Youth, Peace, and Security (RAP-YPS), and implementation of Youth Social Innovation and Leadership Initiatives.

“We won’t be able to do this on our own, and that is why we are very thankful that we are doing this with our partners from the UNDP,” Macasalong said.

He said the collaboration with stakeholders, including that of the national and local governments, the civil society organizations, community-based organizations, and the ordinary citizens, will help every program to succeed.

The signing of the cooperation agreement highlighted the designing and planning of programs participated by some 20 representatives from different youth organizations in the cities of Cotabato and Marawi, and in the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.

The representatives also helped in drafting BYC’s strategic communication plan focused on five priority areas of health, education, peacebuilding and security, governance, and active citizenship under the Bangsamoro Youth Transition Priority Agenda (BYTPA).

BARMM has adopted last August the BYTPA—the region’s strategic youth development roadmap from 2020 until 2022. (PNA)