Save the Children Pays Courtesy Visit to BMN Ahead of Peace and Justice Education Launch in Davao
COTABATO CITY (August 4, 2025) — Representatives from Save the Children Philippines, including Shirley Songalia and Sylvester Bayot, paid a courtesy visit to the Bangsamoro Multimedia Network (BMN) on Monday, August 4, at the BMN Office-Studio in MB Tamontaka, Cotabato City. The team was warmly welcomed by BMN Chairman Tu Alid Alfonso and Executive Director Faydiyah S. Akmad.
The visit served as a platform for Save the Children to present their programs under the “Supporting an Enabling Atmosphere for Children and Youth Network for Peacebuilding Goals” (SENANG) project—a three-year initiative funded by the European Union. The project aims to sustain peace in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) by empowering children and youth to actively participate in peacebuilding processes.
Project SENANG aligns with the 2nd Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) 2023–2028, particularly the Bangsamoro Youth, Peace, and Security Program, and seeks to enhance both state and non-state mechanisms for inclusive peace efforts across the region.
A major component of the initiative is the integration of peace education, in accordance with Chapter 2, Section 55 of the Bangsamoro Education Code. In partnership with SEAMEO INNOTECH, Save the Children has adapted the PEACeXCELS (Peace Education Excellence in School Leadership for Southeast Asia) curriculum to the BARMM context. This includes the development of seven co-created learning modules centered on peace and justice.
The culmination of this effort will be marked by the official launching of the Peace and Justice Education Course titled “Finding Peace Within, Cultivating Peace Beyond: A Transformative Journey through Peace and Justice Education”, to be held on August 9, 2025, at the Grand Regal Hotel in Davao City. The event will bring together stakeholders from the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) and other education and peacebuilding partners.
As part of the lead-up to the launch, Save the Children is engaging with key communication and media platforms such as BMN to explore partnerships that promote child-sensitive communication, amplify youth voices, and support peace and development messaging across the Bangsamoro region. (BMN/BangsamoroToday)
