Increasing Public Confidence and Participation in Support of Implementation of the Bangsamoro Peace Agreement

The project is a joint UN programme funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO). The International Labour Organization's (ILO) component focuses on Outcome Statement 2 of the project, that “Marginalized groups, including youth and internally displaced people (IDPs), experience immediate dividends of the peace process.” Specifically ILO will focus on the Creation of sustainable livelihood opportunities for vulnerable groups, particularly young women and men, through skills and entrepreneurship training in identified market linkages. This will involve undertaking skills training and enterprise development activities, while linking beneficiaries with the private sector and longer term employment opportunities.

Due to the ongoing displacement from the conflict in 2013 and Zamboanga’s strategic and economic importance to the island provinces of the Bangsamoro region, ILO chose to focus on the region of Zamboanga City to carry out this work.

This component is based on the recognized principle that access to productive employment, supported by marketable vocational and entrepreneurship skills training is recognized as a stabilizing and moderating force especially for young people. Lack of meaningful employment increases vulnerability to radical elements and to pressures to migrate for work. This is in line with some of the preparatory work ILO has already been undertaking in Zamboanga, where 200 IDPs have been given training and support on community based enterprise development (C-BED, an ILO-developed enterprise methodology) through members of the food security and livelihood cluster.

ILO is implementing its work in close collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), who are working with fisher folk and seaweed producers on outcome statement 2 in Zamboanga City and other key stakeholders in the region. This close collaboration was seen during the recent inception workshop ILO ran in July to bring together key stakeholders for the project including national government agencies (NGAs), local government unit (LGU) officials, non-government organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs), and representatives from the internally displaced peoples (IDPs).

For further information please contact:

ILO Country Office for the Philippines (CO-Manila)
19th Floor, Yuchengco Tower
RCBC Plaza, 6819 Ayala Avenue
1200 Makati City, Philippines
Tel. +632 8580 9900
Fax +632 8856 7597
Email