AB021. Building better youth programs through evidence: the YPAR-DMS innovation
Abstract

AB021. Building better youth programs through evidence: the YPAR-DMS innovation

Cindy Grace A. Guerbo1, Dorie Lyn O. Balanoba1, John Oliver Tablazon2

1Zuellig Family Foundation, Parañaque City, Philippines; 2Provincial Youth Development Office, Province of Sarangani, Philippines

Background: The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Reform Act of 2015 requires each of the Katipunan ng Kabataan to maintain a youth registry to support evidence-based policymaking and program design. However, most SK units still rely on manual lists with limited demographic data, hindering the ability to assess youth participation meaningfully. This initiative aimed to enhance youth profiling and improve program targeting by developing a system that measures youth engagement across nine centers of participation: health, education, economic empowerment, social inclusion and equity, peacebuilding and security, governance, active citizenship, environment, and global mobility.

Methods: To address these gaps, the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF), with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) support, created the Youth Participation Action Record (YPAR) tool. It was later digitized as the YPAR Data Management System (YPAR-DMS) in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions. The pilot was conducted in seven local government units (LGUs) in Sarangani Province. Using KoBoToolbox, the digital survey captured detailed data from SK officials, youth leaders, and youth in the community. Local youth development officers and information and communication technology (ICT) staff were engaged to ensure usability and contextual fit. The YPAR-DMS produced real-time analytics and visual reports for local decision-makers

Results: The system significantly improved youth profiling and program responsiveness. In one LGU, data revealed high rates of depression and suicidal ideation among youth, leading to the immediate launch of mental health interventions. The platform fostered collaboration among LGUs, youth groups, and ICT teams, highlighting its adaptability for broader use.

Conclusions: The YPAR-DMS demonstrated strong potential for scaling up youth data systems. It enabled timely, evidence-based interventions and promoted intersectoral collaboration. Continued refinement, training, and policy integration will be key to its sustainable implementation nationwide.

Keywords: Youth participation; Youth Participation Action Record-Data Management System (YPAR-DMS); evidence-based programs; Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act (SK Reform Act); Sarangani Province implementation

Footnote

Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Open Access Statement: This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits the noncommercial replication and distribution of the article with the strict proviso that no changes or edits are made and the original work is properly cited (including links to both the formal publication through the relevant DOI and the license). See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.

doi: 10.21037/jphe-26-ab021
Cite this abstract as: Guerbo CGA, Balanoba DLO, Tablazon JO. AB021. Building better youth programs through evidence: the YPAR-DMS innovation. J Public Health Emerg 2026;10:AB021.

Article Options

Download Citation

Share