OPAPRU

𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬, 𝘸𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥.

This Week's Concept: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻
How often do we listen to understand rather than simply waiting for our turn to speak?

In a world filled with competing opinions, active listening is one of the most powerful yet often overlooked tools for building peace. Genuine listening allows us to better understand the experiences, perspectives, and concerns of others—even when they differ from our own.

Many conflicts do not escalate because people disagree; they escalate because people feel ignored, dismissed, or unheard.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗨𝘀?
● Understanding begins with listening.
● Respectful engagement helps prevent misunderstandings.
● Listening builds trust and strengthens relationships.
● Empathy grows when people feel heard and valued.
● Meaningful dialogue becomes possible when all voices are given space to be heard.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
Listening creates opportunities for connection, mutual understanding, and cooperation. In families, schools, workplaces, and communities, the simple act of listening can help bridge divides, reduce tensions, and foster more constructive relationships.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁:
Sometimes the most powerful peacebuilding tool is simply listening as peace begins when people feel heard, understood, and valued.

📸 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞: The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) officially launched on August 3, 2026, the WPS Online Resource Library — a centralized platform that brings together key global, regional, and Philippine WPS resources in one accessible space.

This online library is more than a digital repository, as it seeks to strengthen knowledge sharing, collaboration, and evidence-informed action, connecting government, civil society, academia, and development partners so that they can more effectively advance the WPS Agenda.

During the facility’s launch, OPAPRU Social Healing and Peacebuilding Office Director Ishmael Bahjin underscored that OPAPRU’s mandate goes beyond negotiating peace agreements or resolving conflict.

“We are entrusted to build the foundations of lasting peace—one that is just, inclusive, participatory, and responsive to the diverse realities of our communities. Central to this mission is ensuring that women are not merely beneficiaries of peace processes, but active leaders, decision-makers, and partners in shaping them,” Bahjin said.



To access the WPS Online Resource Library scan the QR Code below:

📸 𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗢𝗦: To strengthen the localization and mainstreaming of the Philippine Women, Peace and Security Agenda using a whole-of-government approach, representatives from member- agencies of the National Steering Committee on Women, Peace and Security (NSCWPS) participated in a three-day Conflict Sensitivity and Peace Promoting (CSPP) Communications Training-Workshop on July 28-30, 2026, in San Juan City.

Spearheaded by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), through its Communication and Public Affairs Services (CPAS) and Social Healing and Peacebuilding Office (SHAPEO), the training sought to strengthen the capacity of government information officers to communicate the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda and initiatives more clearly and effectively; build a network of CSPP practitioners who will use CSPP approaches in crafting their agencies’ communication materials and cascade these approaches within their respective agencies; and underscore the significance of amplifying women’s meaningful participation and leadership in peacebuilding and peacesustainability.

Through the workshop’s various sessions, participants deepened their understanding of peacebuilding, conflict sensitivity, strategic communications, and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. In-depth discussions and hands-on activities enabled them to explore how communications can shape public narratives, strengthen social cohesion, and support more inclusive peacebuilding efforts.

The activity forms part of OPAPRU's ongoing initiatives, as Chair of the National Steering Committee on Women, Peace and Security, to advance the implementation of the Philippine National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAPWPS).

Participants included representatives from NSCWPS member agencies – Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC) - BARMM and Maguindanao, Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of National Defense (DND), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), National Electrification Administration (NEA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF). # # #