Baguio

Baguio, the largest city in Benguet province, is a vibrant hub of business, indigenous culture, and education in the Cordillera Administrative Region of the Philippines. According to 2020 population data, home to nearly 110,000 young people (aged 15-30), about 32% of its population, the city nurtures active youth participation through festivals, volunteer programs, and leadership initiatives. The 2022 Youth Welfare and Empowerment Code by the Baguio City Council further strengthened young people’s role in governance, building a foundation in place that ensures their voices shape the city’s future.

The Cordilleran Youth Centre (CYC), S²Cities local consortium partner in Baguio works with indigenous youth across the Cordillera region, championing cultural pride, social justice, and meaningful civic participation. Rooted in community-driven approaches, CYC leads caravans across the city and partners with existing youth structures like the Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Councils), as co-implementers to make youth leadership a sustained and institutionalised force for change.

Youth Hubs are an integral part of the S²Cities methodology and are operating in each programme city as spaces for young people to share ideas, collaborate with local institutions, and take collective action. In Baguio, this is taking shape through the SIGLAT Youth Hub—managed by the city government—and a Mobile Youth Centre that is reaching underserved neighbourhoods, reflecting the city’s commitment to creating safe spaces for young people. The government is committing dedicated resources and staff to ensure they operate effectively. These hubs host capacity-building workshops, training sessions, meetings, and events that equip young leaders to navigate governance systems, advocate for change, and deliver community projects rooted in Baguio’s local context.

The local partners in Baguio are deepening public dialogue through three key youth-focused forums: the Tan-aw: Baguio as a Sustainable City Roundtable on Indigenous urban futures, the Inclusive Human Rights City Forum on youth agency in defending rights, and the Budget Watch Forum on public spending and governance. These advocacy efforts are advancing sustainability, human rights protection, and enabling youth participation in decision-making. The programme  is engaging hundreds of young people and supporting four youth-led initiatives that remain active within their communities. At the core of these efforts are practical skills training, resource mobilisation, and partnership-building, helping young leaders secure funding, strengthen collaboration, and scale the impact of their initiatives across the city.