Philippines Charts Path for International Volunteer Year 2026

Manila, Philippines — January 15, 2026. 

The Philippines has officially begun preparations for the International Volunteer Year 2026 (IVY 2026) with the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) convening the IVY 2026 National Committee.

Composed of 22 institutions spanning national and local government, civil society, the private sector, academia, and volunteer-involving organizations, the committee will spearhead the country’s participation in the International Volunteer Year for Sustainable Development. This diverse coalition reflects the Philippines’ commitment to harnessing volunteerism as a driver of inclusive and sustainable development.

Government agencies represented included the Department of Economy, Planning and Development; Department of Foreign Affairs; Philippine Information Agency; Commission on Higher Education; Department of Budget and Management; Office of Civil Defense; Philippine Commission on Women; Quezon City Government; Provincial Government of Lanao del Norte; CityGovernment of Cagayan De Oro Land Bank of the Philippines; and the Local Government of La Trinidad.

Civil society, private sector, and academic institutions also joined, including Ayala Foundation, Philippine Association of Volunteer Efforts, Philippine Coalition on Volunteerism, Association of Foundations, De La Salle College of St. Benilde SDEAS, UP System Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, SEAMEO SEARCA, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, and France Volontaires.

The inaugural meeting marked a key milestone in fulfilling the Philippine Government’s commitment to the United Nations to coordinate, promote, and implement national initiatives highlighting the transformative role of volunteerism in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

PNVSCA Executive Director Donald James D. Gawe underscored that while volunteerism is deeply embedded in Filipino culture, IVY 2026 offers a strategic opportunity to move beyond episodic activities toward sustained, institutionalized engagement.

Executive Director Gawe outlined four thematic priorities to guide the Philippines’ participation:

• Recognizing and measuring volunteer contributions in achieving Sustainable Development Goals;
• Integrating volunteerism into development planning
• Introducing policies that remove all inequalities and risks in volunteering and
• Setting up knowledge platforms to develop new forms of volunteerism.

During the conversation, participants reaffirmed that volunteerism is deeply rooted in Philippine society and stressed that IVY 2026 should consolidate and elevate existing efforts of mainstreaming volunteerism. The Department of Foreign Affairs’ Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Mr. Ricarte Abejuela emphasized the need for unified national coordination and reporting through PNVSCA, particularly as the Philippines prepares to engage UN and ASEAN platforms.

Members of the national committee proposed a range of activities for the year, viewing the International Volunteer Year (IVY) 2026 as a strategic opportunity to highlight the strengths of the Philippine volunteerism ecosystem while addressing its persistent challenges.

Col. Gilbert H. Conde from the Office of Civil Defense underscored the agency’s extensive volunteer engagement in disaster risk reduction, particularly through the National Reserve Corps, noting that the initiative could be further strengthened and showcased under IVY 2026. Meanwhile, Ayala Foundation, Incorporated’s Lead for the Corporate Citizenship and Volunteerism, Mr. Cenen Milan, shared the foundation’s corporate volunteer program, which mobilizes more than 65,000 highly skilled employees and has generated nearly 190,000 volunteer hours. He also expressed the organization’s readiness to scale up its volunteer engagement efforts.

Discussions likewise focused on the need to strengthen volunteer management systems, harmonize data collection, and improve data disaggregation. Participants emphasized the importance of recognizing emerging forms of volunteerism, including initiatives led by overseas Filipino workers and professional volunteers. Among the proposals raised were the provision of incentives such as continuing professional development credits to encourage participation.

Ms. Nanette Repalpa, Country Representative of France Voluntaires, also suggested that the Philippines actively showcase its volunteerism ecosystem in international conferences scheduled to take place this year, positioning the country as a global leader in volunteerism for development.

Agencies agreed on priorities, including centralized coordination under PNVSCA, robust measurement of volunteer contributions, and positioning the Philippines as a regional learning hub for volunteerism. Proposed initiatives include a National Volunteer ID, improved volunteer registries, stronger communication and media engagement, and leveraging flagship national act