Empowering Leaders Through
Experiential Learning

2/20/2026

QUEZON CITY — Youth organizations gathered on February 20 at Ateneo de Manila University to advance a more structured and inclusive framework for youth engagement in open governance, marking a significant step in the formation of the PH-OGP Youth Network.The inception meeting, organized by 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗣𝗛, is part of the “GenOGP” initiative supported by the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) and the Youth Democracy Cohort. The program seeks to engage Filipino youth in reviewing, monitoring, and co-creating youth-centered commitments under the Philippine Open Government Partnership, including the development of a proposed PH-OGP Youth Action Plan.During the discussions, it was emphasized that 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 and instead be institutionalized through sustained capacity-building and technical grounding within existing governance frameworks such as the Open Government Partnership (OGP).BLN underscored that the presence of meaningful youth participation or the lack thereof, does not only affect young people themselves, but also directly impacts the quality, inclusiveness, and legitimacy of decisions made by duty-bearers. By anchoring youth engagement within OGP’s established mechanisms for co-creation, monitoring, and accountability, the network can foster a guided, credible, and policy-aligned platform.BLN was represented in the workshops by Dexter Lloyd Sularte and Gella Leano, who contributed to breakout sessions and strategic planning discussions. Sularte advocated for the establishment of regional chapters of the proposed youth platform to address accessibility gaps for organizations outside Metro Manila, particularly in areas where civic space remains constrained. He emphasized that decentralizing engagement mechanisms is essential to ensuring inclusive representation and equitable participation nationwide.The BLN delegation also engaged with GoodGovPH founders Dexter Yang and Bryan Gonzales, exploring pathways for sustained collaboration among youth-led and youth-serving institutions committed to transparency, accountability, and participatory governance.As the PH-OGP Youth Network continues to develop, participating organizations affirmed their shared commitment to strengthening institutional channels for youth participation and cultivating principled, competent, and reform-oriented young leaders within the Philippine open government ecosystem.#GoodGovernance #YouthLeadership #youthempowerment #OGP #OpenGovernment

2/18/2026

QUEZON CITY — The National Youth Commission (NYC) recently met with the Bayanihan Lab Network (BLN) represented by Mr. Dexter Lloyd Sularte, to explore potential areas of collaboration on the upcoming CityScape Youth Leaders Program in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, scheduled for April 28–May 2, 2026.The meeting centered on strengthening the architecture of international exposure programs for Filipino youth leaders, particularly those serving in the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). 𝗡𝗬𝗖 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝘃𝘆 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁 conveyed openness to sustained collaboration and underscored the importance of ensuring that international engagements for SK officials and youth leaders are implemented with rigor, accountability, and clear developmental outcomes. The discussion emphasized that overseas learning initiatives must be structured, policy-aligned, and anchored on measurable capacity development objectives.BLN presented the design framework of the Kaohsiung program, which will intentionally limit participation to 35 delegates per cohort in order to preserve depth of engagement, mentoring quality, and structured peer-learning dynamics. The program will convene Filipino and Taiwanese professors, civil servants, community leaders, and entrepreneurs in facilitated sessions focusing on youth governance, urban innovation, sustainable development, and civic leadership. The initiative is organized in partnership with Youth Service Philippines (YSP) and Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association Taiwan.BLN and its program managers have been involved in Philippine–Taiwan exchanges from 2023 to 2026. Over this period, the network facilitated more than 70 bilateral delegations involving over 1,100 participants across local governments, national government agencies, higher education institutions, civil society organizations, and youth sectors. These engagements include 55+ Philippine delegations to Taiwan with an estimated 850–900 participants, reflecting sustained multi-sectoral cooperation and demonstrated program management capacity.Also present during the meeting were 𝗠𝗿. 𝗪𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗼, Founder of Youth Service Philippines, and 𝗠𝗿. 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼, 𝗘𝗻𝗣 Senior Lecturer at UP NCPAG. They articulated the complementary role of civic organizations and non-government institutions in supporting NYC’s mandate, particularly in scaling leadership formation efforts across the country’s more than 42,000 barangays. The discussion highlighted that collaborative governance anchored on partnerships between state institutions and civil society—remains essential in cultivating principled, competent, and development-oriented youth leaders.For more information on the upcoming CityScape Youth Leaders Program (April 28–May 2, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan), including program framework, eligibility, and application details, interested stakeholders may visit: https://bayanihanlabnetwork.com or message us through our social media platforms.#YouthLeadership #GoodGovernance