GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region XII, under the leadership of Regional Director Atty. Rochelle D. Mahinay-Sero, CESE, successfully concluded the SOX Peace Wemboree 3.0, a two day youth convergence held in celebration of the 34th Local Government Month.
With the theme “Peaceful Communities are Resilient Communities,” the event gathered young leaders from across SOCCSKSARGEN to champion peacebuilding, social inclusion, and community resilience through collective action.
In her welcome message, Regional Director Atty. Rochelle D. Mahinay-Sero, CESE, emphasized the youth’s crucial role in realizing the government’s Whole-of-Nation Approach to peace and development.
“Our President has repeatedly called for a Whole-of-Nation Approach — a call for every sector of society to come together, to break barriers, and to work hand in hand toward genuine and lasting peace and development,” Atty. Sero said. “I firmly believe that this approach finds its strongest foundation right here — in the energy, creativity, and commitment of our young people.”
She highlighted that the youth are not just participants in peacebuilding but the driving force of transformation, capable of turning empathy into action and vision into community impact. She described the Wemboree as “a training ground for compassion, a playground for collaboration, and a launching pad for change.”
Serving as the Keynote Speaker, General Santos City Mayor Hon. Lorelie G. Pacquiao welcomed participants with a powerful message on the interconnection of peace, unity, and development.
“Ang mapayapang komunidad ay matatag na komunidad, at ang matatag na komunidad ay pundasyon ng isang maunlad na bansa. Magtulungan tayo para sa kapayapaan tungo sa kaunlaran,” she said, emphasizing that peace is not merely the absence of conflict but the presence of unity, respect, and compassion.
The Wemboree featured a series of dynamic sessions led by facilitators from DILG XII and partner Learning Resource Institutions (LRIs), including Mindanao State University–General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat State University, and Ateneo de Davao University. Topics ranged from intercultural dialogue and community organizing to leadership development and local governance engagement.
Highlights included Atty. Sero’s session on “Weaving Positive Peace,” which explored the link between governance and harmony, and “Peace Pulse,” a youth-led workshop by Mr. Mel Roy B. Manait, Assistant Division Chief of LGMED, where participants identified community issues and proposed local solutions.
The first day concluded with “Musika ng Kapayapaan: Celebrating Lessons through Art and Harmony,” facilitated by Prof. Norman A. Narciso of Ateneo de Davao University. Through music, participants expressed their insights from sessions on identity, diversity, positive peace, and governance systems.
On the second day, sessions facilitated by Mr. King Alizon M. Camral and Dr. Jovar G. Pantao focused on leadership and project ideation, culminating in “Ignite for Peace: Youth Pitch for Change.” Here, participants presented innovative peace-oriented projects designed to address grassroots challenges in their communities.
In his closing message, LGMED Chief Ian Jon S. Clemente lauded the youth’s passion and reaffirmed DILG XII’s commitment to sustaining the peace movement. He also announced plans to gather alumni from all three Wemborees to strengthen the regional network of youth peacebuilders.
Through initiatives like the SOX Peace Wemboree under the Department’s Communities for Peace (C4PEACE) Program, DILG Region XII continues to nurture a generation of empowered youth leaders, proving that peaceful communities are, indeed, resilient communities.
