Sixty young individuals from various towns across Basilan province have successfully completed an intensive four-day leadership program. The training, organized by the Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC) alongside its partners, was designed to unlock the potential of the youth to spearhead development within their communities.
Project Emerge: Building Skills for the Future
The leadership initiative, known as Project Empowering Youth Mechanisms, Enhancing Regional Governance Engagements (Emerge), took place last week in Lamitan City, Basilan. BYC Commissioner for Basilan, Hamdie Tanjil, emphasized on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, that the core focus was on strengthening community-rooted leadership and boosting civic engagement among the participants.
Through participatory and activity-based modules, the program featured hands-on workshops. These sessions were crafted to provide the youth with practical skills necessary to lead and mobilize advocacy groups within their own localities and schools.
A Commitment to Transformative Leadership
Commissioner Tanjil stated that this initiative reaffirms the BYC's steadfast commitment to cultivating transformative leaders. These young individuals are seen as crucial agents who can help rebuild and strengthen communities still recovering from past conflicts.
The training was made possible through the Transitional Development Impact Fund of Member of Parliament Abrar Hataman. It was co-implemented by the non-profit organization Integrated Democracy and Development for Meaningful Progress Inc.
Carrying Lessons Forward
MP Abrar Hataman personally encouraged the participants to carry the knowledge and skills they gained beyond the training venue. He urged them to actively contribute to the broader, ongoing efforts toward meaningful social transformation in the Bangsamoro region.
As part of its core mandate, the Bangsamoro Youth Commission continues to support and facilitate the creation of youth-led and youth-serving organizations. These groups are vital to community building across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
