Peace Month's global lessons for PH: Strengthening peace amid challenges

As the Philippines marks National Peace Month this September, led by the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), the nation stands at a critical juncture in its long and complex journey toward lasting peace.

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This year's observance gains deeper resonance as it follows the country's participation in two key international initiatives: the first Peacebuilding Learning Route between Bogotá and Manila, and the five-nation South-South Cooperation Study Tour involving Colombia, Cameroon, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Philippines.

These twin initiatives bring new energy and perspective to the country's peacebuilding efforts. The Peacebuilding Learning Route, an innovative collaboration between Bogotá and Manila, reflects a growing recognition that countries emerging from conflict share not only burdens, but also lessons. It offered the Philippines a platform to showcase its evolving peace infrastructure, while learning from Colombia's advances in transitional justice and reintegration. The reciprocal visit of a Colombian delegation to the Philippines as part of the South-South Study Tour reinforced this spirit of mutual learning and solidarity.