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QUEZON CITY – The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) honored five of the country’s peace champions whose work in peace education, inclusive governance, women’s empowerment, and community reintegration has helped build more peaceful and resilient communities.
Dubbed the Gawad Kapayapaan (GaKap) Awards 2026, it marked the culmination of this year’s National Peace Consciousness Month (NPCM), recognizing peace champions who translate the pursuit of lasting peace into meaningful changes in people’s lives.
This year’s GaKap awardees are the Teach Peace, Build Peace Movement (TPBPM) Inc.; Provincial Government of Northern Samar; Dr. Loreta Navarro-Castro; Gagandilan Mindanao Women Inc.; and the Mindanao State University–Institute of Peace and Development in Mindanao (MSU-IPDM).
The awards recognize individuals, local government units, academic institutions, and civil society organizations whose outstanding contributions promote a culture of peace, empower communities, and strengthen an inclusive Philippine society.
In his keynote speech, Cotabato Archbishop Emeritus and 2025 Gawad Kapayapaan Awardee Orlando B. Cardinal Quevedo noted that wars and conflict ultimately affect ordinary people.
“Wars and conflicts do not remain on the level of politics and ideology or at the level of power and self-interest. They always involve the people below,” Quevedo said.
“And they do not serve the common good. Peace must make possible the integral development of people and communities, especially of those who have suffered most from conflict,” he added.
The archbishop said that for peace to thrive, all members of society must be united.
“Peace is the fruit of solidarity, of common, collective action for justice and truth. And at the center of such solidarity is mutual respect and understanding for one another, acceptance of one another in friendship. This is the end result of a dialogue for peace,” he stressed.
Peacebuilding through education
Three of this year’s GaKap awardees – the Teach Peace, Build Peace Movement (TPBPM) Inc., the Mindanao State University General Santos City-Institute of Peace and Development in Mindanao (MSU-GSC IPDM,) and Dr. Loreta Navarro-Castro, Executive Director of the Center for Peace Education of Miriam College – highlight the vital role of peace education in nurturing a culture of peace and strengthening social cohesion.
The TPBPM, an independent, non-partisan, and non-profit organization, has been advancing peace education since its establishment in 2013. Founded by its Executive Director Bai Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman, the organization brings together educators, civil society organizations, government partners, and other stakeholders to promote peace education, particularly in conflict-affected and vulnerable communities.
Through its various programs and initiatives, the TPBPM seeks to equip children, young people, educators, and communities with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to promote dialogue, respect for diversity, nonviolence, and peaceful conflict resolution.
In her acceptance speech, Ms. Usman emphasized the need to make peace education intentional and practical for children, especially in an increasingly challenging digital world.
“The truth is, it is a tougher world out there now, amplified by the digital world. That is why we believe peace education can no longer be optional. It must be intentional. It must be essential, and it must begin early,” she said.
Ms. Usman pointed out that peace education creates opportunities for children to “not only to know what peace is but to practice what peace requires. Especially during difficult moments.”
MSU General Santos City-IPDM is well regarded for its peacebuilding efforts through academic research, capacity-building, and community engagement. The institute provides a platform for advancing knowledge and practice on peace, conflict transformation, and development, particularly in Mindanao.
The MSU General Santos City-IPDM has also supported the government’s peace processes with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) through research, policy development, capacity-building, and community transformation initiatives.
Its work underscores the important role of academic institutions in generating knowledge, developing peacebuilding capacities, and engaging communities in addressing challenges related to conflict and development.
In his acceptance speech, MSU General Santos City University Chancellor Atty. Shidik Abantas shared that MSU was founded in response to the so-called “Mindanao Problem.”
“IPDM serves as a bridge between grassroots needs and transformative peacebuilding across Mindanao,” Chancellor Abantas said.
He highlighted some of their initiatives, including the establishment of Peace Education Academies, the hosting of Women, Peace, and Security forums, the training of Peace Champions, partnerships with OPAPRU on its MNLF Transformation Programs, and the management of scholarship programs for the children of former MILF combatants.
“IPDM has been present in classrooms, on the streets, and in the mountains — acting as a mediator with a ready and capable hand to foster peace across all of Mindanao. We thank our partners for making this happen,” Abantas said.
Meanwhile, Navarro-Castro was honored for her pioneering contributions to peace education in the Philippines. Her more than four decades of work have helped advance its institutionalization in schools and promote conflict resolution, nonviolence, and a culture of peace.
Her recognition also underscores the enduring contribution of peace educators: helping generations of learners understand that peace is closely linked to justice, human dignity, and equitable development. By bringing these principles into education, Navarro-Castro has helped advance the view that classrooms are vital spaces for nurturing a culture of peace.
In her acceptance speech, Navarro-Castro emphasized the connection between peace education, justice, and sustainable development.
“The award shines a light on the importance of peace education. An education that inspires us to embrace the values of non-violence and justice. Values that are so much needed for sustainable and equitable development of our country and the world,” she stated.
Peacebuilding through grassroots initiatives
Over the years, the Provincial Government of Northern Samar has actively advanced peace and development through initiatives that respond to the needs of their communities and strengthen inclusive and responsive governance, as well as community-based reintegration and support for former combatants.
Among its notable accomplishments include transforming Northern Samar from being one of the country’s poorest areas to becoming a first-class province by increasing its revenue and implementing strict governance standards.
The PLGU was also recognized for its work in transforming the lives of former rebels through its various peacebuilding initiatives, which include the Local Social Integration Program (LSIP).
Through the Darangpan Center, a halfway house established in 2019 for former members of the New People’s Army who had returned to the folds of law, the provincial government supported more than 200 former rebels in rebuilding their lives and returning to their families and communities. Most recently, 55 former combatants completed the center’s six-month reintegration program.
The provincial government is also pursuing longer-term reintegration initiatives, including the proposed construction of 200 single-detached houses in Mondragon under the planned “Kauswagan Village,” which aims to provide former combatants with housing and livelihood opportunities to support their transition toward productive and peaceful community life.
In his acceptance speech read by Provincial Social Work Development Officer, Ms. Jenny Darish, Northern Samar Governor Harris Christopher Ongchuan pointed out that peace is best understood through the concrete changes it brings to the lives of families and communities.
“Pamilyang salo-salong kumakain. Peacebuilder na nabigyan ng pagkakataong magsimula muli. Batang pumapasok ng paaralan nang walang pangamba kung siya ba ay ligtas na makakauwi,” Gov. Ongchuan said.
“At isang komunidad na buo ang pagtanggap at nangangarap para sa kanilang kinabukasan. Ito ang aming konkretong kahulugan ng kapayapaan,” he added.
Lastly, the Gagandilan Mindanao Women Inc., is recognized for its work in empowering women and communities and strengthening their meaningful participation in peacebuilding and community development.
Gagandilan is a women-led, non-government organization that was established to address the interconnected challenges of conflict, violent extremism, poverty, and the marginalization of women and vulnerable communities in Mindanao.
Its notable accomplishments include working directly with widows, wives, and children of former Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members, and transforming vulnerable families into active stakeholders in peace and development.
In her acceptance speech, Gagandilan Executive Director Wahida “Alex” Abdulla said that the organization’s work over the years has demonstrated how women affected by conflict can become active agents of peace and development.
“Peace begins with one woman who decides to stand, to speak, to forgive, and to build a better future for her children,” Ms. Abdulla said.
Lasting peace in the hearts and minds of Filipinos
In his remarks, Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Sec. Mel Senen S. Sarmiento emphasized that the pursuit of a just and lasting peace does not end when the ink on agreements has dried.
“It must live in the hearts of parents who no longer fear for their children’s safety. It must live among farmers who are able to earn higher incomes. It must live in communities where former adversaries now sit at the same table to listen, understand, and heal together. and it must live in the hearts and minds of all Filipinos who dream of a better life,” Sarmiento said.
He noted that over the years, Gawad Kapayapaan has continued to recognize the invaluable contributions of individuals, organizations, and institutions who believe that peacebuilding is not merely an aspiration, but a continuing commitment that requires courage, dialogue, and concerted action.
“The stories of our awardees remind us that the gains of peace are sustained not only through policies and agreements, but more importantly, through the trust that is built between communities and the willingness of people to work together despite their differences,” he said.
Through the Gawad Kapayapaan, the OPAPRU aims to show that sustaining and building on the gains of peace is a shared responsibility and must go beyond formal peace processes.
It is strengthened through the everyday efforts of educators, local governments, civil society organizations, academic institutions, women, and individuals who must work together to create more peaceful and inclusive communities.
Now in its fourth year, the annual peace award is part of OPAPRU’s continuing efforts to recognize and amplify the contributions of peace champions whose work embodies the country’s collective pursuit of lasting peace, reconciliation, and unity. (/)