A landmark step toward human dignity education was recently achieved with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on April 27, 2026 between the World Youth Alliance (WYA), the Department of Education – Schools Division of Leyte, Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), and the Municipality of Alang-Alang. The partnership marks the first formal collaboration of its kind in the country, bringing together government, academe, and civil society to implement and study the impact of the Human Dignity Curriculum (HDC) in public schools.
The agreement establishes a shared commitment to deliver a research-based approach to values education, focusing on the holistic formation of students through the promotion of human dignity, mutual respect, and responsible decision-making. It outlines key areas of collaboration including curriculum implementation, teacher training, research design, monitoring, and evaluation.
Located at the heart of Leyte, the Municipality of Alang-Alang serves over 14,000 students across 54 schools, making it an ideal setting for a large-scale, community-driven education initiative. The HDC has already been successfully piloted in Alang-Alang I Central School and Alang-Alang National High School, providing a strong foundation for expansion.
Impact, Research, and Community Action
Mr. Vernon M. Barraza Jr., Principal of Alang-Alang National High School, shared the program’s early impact: “Our school and community face many challenges today, especially among our youth. We see issues related to identity, peer pressure, and mental health. The Human Dignity Curriculum gives our students a strong sense of self-worth and helps them make better choices. It has been meaningful not only for our learners but also for our teachers.”
Students themselves have echoed this transformation. A Grade 5 pupil shared, “I learned that I am important and that I should respect others too. Now I try to be kinder to my classmates.” Meanwhile, another Grade 5 student reflected, “The lessons helped me understand my value and my purpose. It made me think more about my decisions and how they affect others.”
A key highlight of the initiative is the involvement of Eastern Visayas State University, which will lead the research component of the program. Through this partnership, the implementation of the HDC will be supported by data-driven evaluation, ensuring that its outcomes are measurable and can inform future education policies and practices.
Equally significant is the strong support of the local government. The Municipality of Alang-Alang has passed a local ordinance institutionalizing the Human Dignity Education Program, with allocated funding and a clear mandate for implementation across schools. This ordinance affirms the LGU’s commitment to long-term sustainability and recognizes education as a powerful tool to address social challenges such as bullying, discrimination, and youth mental health concerns.
The ordinance emphasizes that human dignity education fosters respect, empathy, and inclusivity, helping shape a generation that values equality and compassion. It also provides mechanisms for teacher training, youth engagement, and community-wide participation, reinforcing a “whole-of-society” approach to values formation.
As the first MOA of its kind between WYA and a Department of Education local division, this partnership sets a precedent for future collaborations across the Philippines. It demonstrates how aligned efforts between institutions can create meaningful and sustainable change in the lives of young people.
With research, policy, and grassroots action working together, Alang-Alang is now at the forefront of a movement to build a culture of human dignity, one classroom, one student, and one community at a time.
