In her opening remarks, Catbalogan City Local Government Operations Officer (CLGOO) Janice B. Terado emphasized the vital role of the youth as both future leaders of society and present leaders within their respective communities. She expressed dedication to the implementation of CUCPD in Catbalogan City, highlighting the need to safeguard the youth from the influence of insurgent groups in the region.

Project Evaluation Officer I Atty. Izzi Maria Charity Jaromay introduced the CUCPD framework, and LGOO VI Gin Kenneth Estaco led a session on Understanding Positive Peace. A hands-on workshop was also conducted to equip participants hailing from the Catbalogan City Local Government Unit (LGU) with the knowledge necessary to effectively implement the 2025 CUCPD.

The workshop focused on enhancing the skills of the youth in key areas, including the distinction of positive peace from negative peace, identification and clustering of issues based on the 8 pillars of positive peace, prioritization of PPAs based on urgency and impact, assessment of existing interventions based on awareness and satisfaction, utilization of the issues-interventions quadrant, and identification of interventions. Following the workshop, the youth were expected to serve as facilitators during the first phase of the CUCPD implementation in Catbalogan.

The first phase of the CUCPD implementation process is expected to produce a list of sectoral issues and concerns. This will be followed by the formulation of the CUCPD Peace-Building Agenda, which will comprise mainstreamed plans, programs, and projects designed to address identified issues and concerns.

For CY 2025, the CUCPD initiative is focusing on Catbalogan City, particularly the Youth and Student sector. Under DILG 8 Regional Director Arnel M. Agabe’s leadership, the department has pivoted its anti-insurgency efforts towards the youth sector in response to intelligence reports revealing online radicalization and recruitment efforts by communist terrorist-affiliated groups.

“Our youth are not merely the hope of the future—they are leaders of today. Through the CUCPD program, we are empowering them to become catalysts for peace and active agents of change within their communities. By proactively addressing the threats of radicalization and insurgency, we are laying the foundation for stronger, safer, and more resilient urban communities,” said Director Agabe, in his guidance on the implementation of CUCPD and the meaningful engagement of the youth sector.

The session convened representatives from the said sector, the Catbalogan City LGU, and the Catbalogan City Police.

The CUCPD is a convergence mechanism for collaboration among stakeholders at the local level. It is a program that utilizes a sectoral-based approach to identify the real and most urgent needs of the most vulnerable sectors of society.

By conducting the TOT, DILG Region 8 reinforces its commitment to foster sustainable peace and development by empowering urban communities, uplifting the youth and student sector as vital peacebuilders, and encouraging their active participation in local governance. The department will continue to roll out peacebuilding initiatives across other urban areas in Eastern Visayas, with youth voices remaining central in building peaceful and resilient communities.