More time needed to implement BARMM’s youth transition priority agenda

IN midM2019, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) chief minister enjoined all the ministries and other governM ment agencies to prepare their respective agendas for the duraM tion of the region’s transition phase (i.e., from 2019 until the election of new officials in May 2022). One of these agencies …as the Bangsamoro Youth CommisM sion (BYC), the entity that …as previously kno…n for more than t…o decades as the Office for Bangsamoro Youth Affairs.

As a government agency, the BYC adheres to the vision, misM sion, frame…ork and participaM tory strategies of the National Youth Commission’s mediumM term (2017 to 2022) PhilipM pine Youth Development Plan (PYDP). Although the PYDP covers all Filipinos, the BYC believed that it …as important to craft its o…n agenda to be able to respond appropriately to the peculiar history and soM cial context of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) youth, …ho belong to three major ethnicities — the Moro, nonMoro Indigenous People and settler community. The region has a large land area …ith varyM ing terrain …ith difficulties in transportation, communicaM tion, basic health and social services. Many communities are hampered by persistent povM erty, recurring armed conflict, natural catastrophes and poor human development indices.

The BYC started formulating the Bangsamoro Youth TransiM tion Priority Agenda (BYTPA) in the third quarter of 2019, in colM laboration …ith enthusiastic and dedicated leaders from the three major ethnicities …ho belong to youth organizations and net…orks in the five BARMM provinces (MaM guindanao, Lanao del Sur, BasiM lan, Sulu and Ta…iMTa…i). Other youthMserving ministries and agencies as …ell as development partners …ere also consulted.

Four priority agendas …ere identified: 1) Strengthen the techM nical capacity of BYC’s personnel for policy formulation, coordinaM tion, promotion, monitoring and evaluation; 2) collect baseline data on select areas for youth participation and development; 3) gather and consolidate moniM toring and evaluation (M&E) data on five priority areas for youth participation and developM ment: a) health, b) education, c) peaceMbuilding and security, d) governance and e) active citizenM ship, particularly from programs and activities of youthMserving government agencies; and 4) formulate a comprehensive meM diumMterm Bangsamoro Youth Development Plan (BYDP) for years 2023M2028.

To be able to take on its policyM making and coordinating tasks efM ficiently in a parliamentary system of government, the BYC plans to recruit and build the capacity of a team of technical staff for research, kno…ledge and data management, planning, monitoring and evaluaM tion and communications. It also intends to install social media platM forms and create an online kno…lM edge library that shall include national, regional and local la…s on youth, research reports, relevant ne…s, programs and activities of youth organizations and net…orks, prospects for youth education, capacityMbuilding, livelihood and others, …hich can be accessed by young people and other stakeM holders from the region.

Inadequate baseline data

In crafting the BYTPA, the BYC encountered difficulties in fully describing the social context and condition of the BARMM’s multiMethnic youth, ages 15 to 40 (BYC’s age range for the youth), because of inadequate disaggregated baseline data, and information about current youthMrelated interventions in the region. What are available from the Philippine Statistical Authority are data on BARMM’s population estimates and its youth population by age catM egory, sex and education.

The BYC has prepared an iniM tial list of baseline data, …hich …ill be collected from differM ent youthMserving government agencies, development partners and academic institutions, and through primary studies of research institutions in the reM gion. The disaggregated data (by ethnicity, sex, age and location) …ill provide a comprehensive social situation analysis about the youth from mainland and island provinces, cities and municipalities. These …ill also yield important information associated …ith inclusiveness and equity. The baseline data …ill contribute substantially to the formulation of the compreM hensive mediumM term (2023M 2028) BYDP before the end of the transition phase, and in tracking youth participation and developM ment from programs and projects of youthMserving agencies.

Because of limited technical capacity and experience in moniM toring youthMserving government agencies, only five areas for youth participation and development (health, education, peacebuildM ing and security, governance and active citizenship) …ill be tracked and reported during the transition phase. The BYC has consulted the pertinent government agencies about the specific programs, acM tivities and indicators that …ill be monitored and reported.

The unforeseen CovidM19 lockM do…n has immensely affected the BYC’s efforts to implement its priority agenda. The BYTPA …as launched virtually only in AuM gust 2020. The BYC is yet to hire the needed number of technical staff in its secretariat and collect baseline data that are essential to formulate the BYDP. It has not also started its monitoring activiM ties …ith its partner youthMserving government agencies. And the BARMM’s transition phase is scheduled to end in one year.

Despite challenges of the conM tinuing lockdo…n, the ne…ly apM pointed BYC commissioners for the five BARMM provinces have been meeting regularly since JanM uary, either virtually or faceMtoM face. The non-Moro indigenous youth and settler community commissioners, ho…ever, are yet to be appointed by the BTA. The BYC has also started accrediting several youth organizations, and it is partnering actively …ith some development partners on peacekeeping and security and governance projects.

There is a regionM…ide clamor for the extension of BTA’s term for another three or more years because of the pandemic lockM do…n and many unfinished agendas. I think the BARMM’s transition period is too short for the ne… leaders …ho just ended long years of armed conflict and negotiations, to adjust quickly to government …ork and to many major changes like the establishment of a parliamenM tary system of government, the formulation of several codes and the disarming or decomM missioning of several thousand former rebels, among others.

Whether the BTA’s term …ould be extended, I think the BYC should continue implementing its transition priority agenda to be able to fulfill its mandate efM fectively. Its role is most critical in facilitating unity, building competencies and commitM ment among diverse groups of young people …ho …ill in the near future, assume the helm of leadership in the BARMM.