Building Peace from the Ground Up in the Philippines 

For decades, armed conflict and political instability devastated the Bangsamoro region of the Philippines and its people. Now, local leaders are proving that peace isn’t just a dream, it is achievable and built from the ground up.

Local government units, or LGUs—provinces, independent cities, municipalities, and barangays—are playing a critical role in delivering peace and stability in the country.

Recognizing the need for local government unit participation in driving peace, The Asia Foundation, through Building Resilience and Inclusion through Democratic Governance and Engagements (BRIDGE), a program supported by the U.K. Government in partnership with Galing Pook Foundation, launched the LGU Fellowship Program on Social Cohesion and Resilience. This six-month fellowship equipped 22 municipal government leaders from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, or BARMM, with the knowledge and skills to strengthen governance and peacebuilding in conflict-affected communities.

In February, The Asia Foundation led a two-day colloquium in Manila, providing space for mayors, vice mayors, and key officials to share innovations and creative programs from their localities. The event served as the culminating activity for the said fellowship program.

“We have seen that if the local government unit is not part of programs and projects, they will not be sustainable. If the local government unit is not involved, nothing will happen,” Carlito Galvez, Jr., the presidential adviser for peace, reconciliation, and unity, said at the event, emphasizing the necessity of local leadership in ensuring long-term peacebuilding efforts.

During the colloquium, participants—including officials from national agencies and representatives from the Bangsamoro regional government—shared their experiences using data, implementing policy reforms, and building partnerships to strengthen social cohesion and community resilience. The event also facilitated an exchange of best practices on localized peacebuilding strategies, governance innovations, and community-led solutions to peace and order challenges.

Across BARMM, local governments are developing unique strategies for peacebuilding.

In Tipo-Tipo, Basilan, a town once beset by terrorism and conflict, religious leaders are playing an increasingly critical role in promoting peace, as these leaders are highly respected and trusted within the community. Their representatives emphasized at the colloquium how this approach has been particularly effective in facilitating settlements of clan conflicts—referred to as rido—and fostering dialogue within the community.

The town’s faith-based peacebuilding initiatives, which involve the religious sector in mediating conflicts, were highlighted as an example of a community-led conflict resolution model.

In Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, inclusive governance has become a key priority. The local government unit there has ensured Indigenous representation by appointing a deputy mayor for Indigenous peoples, allowing underrepresented communities to participate actively in governance.

Meanwhile, in Butig, Lanao del Sur, a once the scene of clashes between insurgents and Philippine forces, local leaders have successfully employed Pulong-Pulong dialogues, a conflict resolution mechanism involving ulama, elders, and barangay officials. This initiative has significantly reduced rido-related violence, strengthened community relationships, and increased participation in governance, making Butig a model for localized peace efforts.

Throughout the colloquium, municipalities presented their diverse strategies, including enhancing local peace and order councils, strengthening citizen participation in governance, and addressing local security concerns. By actively involving civil society, these initiatives reinforce the idea that peacebuilding must be inclusive, community-driven, and sustainable.

These community-driven initiatives are all aligned with the national government’s Convergence Framework: Public-Private Partnerships for Peace and Development in Bangsamoro. This framework unites local government units, national agencies, international partners, and the private sector to address the root causes of conflict. It takes a broader approach, tackling problems like rido, crime, economic inequalities, and weak governance.

The intersection of this project with the framework is clear: local governments lead peace implementation while national and international partners provide support. As the plan states, it is “locally led, nationally supported,” ensuring that solutions are not imposed from the top down but instead empower communities to sustain peace in their own way. By embracing data-driven strategies, inclusive governance, and collaboration between BARMM institutions, national agencies, and the private sector, these initiatives are making sure that progress is context-specific and thus sustainable.

Recognizing that peace is built from the ground up, Andrew Bowes from the U.K. Embassy in Manila emphasized at the colloquium the critical role of local leaders.

“Leaders like you make the biggest difference,” he said to attendees. “Through this fellowship, we’ve seen LGUs develop policies that not only respond to security challenges but also actively create an environment where peace can be sustainable. You are proving that governance can be inclusive, data-driven, and deeply responsive to the needs of your people.”

As these local governments continue their journey toward peace, their success will depend on continuous collaboration, inclusivity, and data-driven leadership. The work has started, but the bigger challenge is ensuring that these efforts go on and continue to create sustainable peace and development in the Bangsamoro.