Two Provinces, One Goal: Southern Leyte and Samar Showcase Progress in Adolescent Health and Youth Leadership

Leaders from the provinces of Southern Leyte and Samar, youth champions, national government agencies, development partners, and advocates gathered for the Provincial Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program (PEYLGP) Colloquium and Advocacy Forum on October 29, 2026, under the theme, “From Stories to Action: Strengthening Youth Leadership and Partnerships to Reduce Adolescent Pregnancy.” The event served as a platform to celebrate local successes, share lessons learned, and advance policy and governance recommendations to sustain gains in adolescent pregnancy prevention.

Photo above: From left to right: Darwin O. Melagroso, Provincial Youth Development Officer, Southern Leyte; Keisha Elezze C. Batalon, Local Youth Development Officer, LGU Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte; Ysabel Karla L. Aquino, Program Manager, SIRAK Kabataan, Samar; Jhunlie E. Escala, Provincial Youth Development Officer, Samar; and Rodolfo T. Anacan, Jr., Programme Analyst, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) at the Voices of Change Panel during the PEYLGP Colloquium and Advocacy Forum on October 29, 2026.

The colloquium marked an important milestone for PEYLGP, which equips youth leaders and local governments with the tools, capacities, and partnerships needed to address adolescent pregnancy and strengthen youth-responsive governance. Through public narratives and youth-led discussions, participants reflected on how local innovations, community engagement, and multisectoral collaboration are helping create safer and healthier futures for young people.

Related articles:

• Learning and Working Together: Insights from the Youth Leadership Colloquiums in Southern Leyte and Samar
• Youth and Local Leaders Join Forces to Prevent Teen Pregnancies in Samar
• Southern Leyte Shows Progress in Reducing Teen Pregnancies

Representatives from the Province of Southern Leyte, led by Governor Damian G. Mercado and Vice Governor Rosa Emelia G. Mercado joined counterparts from the Province of Samar led by Governor Sharee Ann Tan. Regional line agencies, academic institutions, and development partners including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Philippines and the World Health Organization Philippines also attended the event.

The colloquium also provided an opportunity for the two provinces to present the progress achieved through PEYLGP. Through strengthened youth leadership, multisectoral collaboration, and local governance reforms, both provinces have implemented initiatives aimed at preventing adolescent pregnancy and improving adolescent health outcomes.

Southern Leyte’s Progress

Southern Leyte Provincial Health Officer Dr. Feliciano John M. Matibag, Jr. shared the innovations in youth services in the province. 

During the Colloquium, Southern Leyte Provincial Health Officer Dr. Feliciano John M. Matibag, Jr. highlighted several innovations and milestones that helped strengthen adolescent health services and youth participation across the province:

• Launched TrucKABATAAN, a mobile clinic that brings adolescent-friendly reproductive health information and services to underserved and geographically isolated communities.
• Established 36 Level I Adolescent-Friendly Health Facilities across Rural Health Units, City Health Units, and barangay health facilities.
• Upgraded 7 Adolescent-Friendly Health Facilities to Level II certification in Macrohon, Padre Burgos, Malitbog, Tomas Oppus, Bontoc, Sogod, and Libagon.
• Accredited 26 primary health care facilities through PhilHealth, helping improve access to quality adolescent health services.
• Mobilized peer educators through school-based and community-based sessions to promote adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• Decreased Adolescent Birth Rate[1] from 25.74 in 2023 to 17.24 in 2025.

Samar’s Progress

Samar Provincial Population Officer-Designate Sharon D. Uy shared the province’s gains in youth governance and adolescent health intervention in the province

Samar Governor Hon. Sharee Ann T. Tan represented by Provincial Population Officer-Designate Sharon D. Uy also shared the gains achieved in Samar through strengthened governance, youth engagement, and adolescent health interventions:

• Expanded adolescent-friendly health services from only seven facilities before the program to 35 Adolescent-Friendly Health Facilities across the province, including 28 Level I facilities and 7 Level II facilities.
• Established two free-standing family planning clinics that received Certificates of Compliance.
• Reached 185 adolescent parent beneficiaries through the ProtecTEEN program.
• Established 145 Purple Desks in 145 high schools, reaching more than 18,000 young people and facilitating referrals for adolescent health concerns and Child, Early, and Forced Marriage and Union cases.
• Trained 326 peer educators on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights and 692 teachers on Reproductive Health Education.
• Supported 10 local government units in developing contextualized Social and Behavior Change Plans and Performance Accountability System Breakthrough Plans.
• Helped 6 local government units improve policies, programs, and investments related to adolescent pregnancy prevention.
• Completed leadership training for 513 youth and local leaders through the Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program.

Another highlight of the colloquium was the Voices of Change Panel, which brought together youth development officers and youth leaders from Samar and Southern Leyte to share their experiences and the impact of PEYLGP on their communities.

For Darwin O. Melagroso, Provincial Youth Development Officer of Southern Leyte, one of the most meaningful outcomes has been seeing more young people actively engage in community initiatives, leadership opportunities, and local decision-making processes.

“They are not just beneficiaries of youth development, but also partners in creating a positive change within the community.”

Meanwhile, Keisha Elezze C. Batalon, Local Youth Development Officer Designate of Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, shared how the program strengthened youth participation and local action. She reported that adolescent pregnancy cases in the municipality decreased from 17 in 2024 to 8 in 2025, while participation in community health advocacy activities, such as World AIDS Day celebrations, significantly increased.

Batalon also highlighted how PEYLGP strengthened partnerships among schools, parents’ associations, nongovernment organizations, barangays, and local government units, creating a more coordinated response to youth concerns.

The discussions also underscored a key lesson emerging from the PEYLGP experience: sustainable change depends on systems working together rather than on the efforts of individuals alone. Jhunlie E. Escala, Provincial Youth Development Officer of Samar, reflected on how the program helped local stakeholders recognize adolescent pregnancy as more than a health issue.

“For sustainability, it must be the system. The system must work.”

He emphasized the need for coordinated action among local government units, youth offices, health providers, social welfare offices, schools, and community leaders to ensure long-term impact.

Similarly, Ysabel Karla L. Aquino, Program Manager of SIRAK Kabataan, highlighted the importance of equipping young people not only with platforms for participation but also with the skills and leadership capacities needed to become champions of change in their own communities.

“It’s not enough only to give them a platform, but really want to equip them with the capacity not only to be engaged, but to have a heart and be inspired, to be catalysts of change.”

The forum concluded with the presentation of policy recommendations, expert responses from regional government agencies, the signing of commitments, and the recognition of PEYLGP champions and partners. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening youth leadership, deepening partnerships, and sustaining local actions that address adolescent pregnancy and promote adolescent health and well-being.

[1] Adolescent Birth Rate (ABR) is the total number of live births per 1,000 adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 years in a given year.