The campaign was repackaged to YES FOR PEACE – BAYANIHAN NG BAYAN para sa Mapayapa, Maunlad at Masaganang Pilipinas pursuant to statement of President Rodrigo R. Duterte (PRRD) in his first State of the Nation Address, “We will strive to have a permanent and lasting peace before my term ends. That is my goal, that is my dream.”

Three (3) questions were formulated in accordance with UN Resolution 53/243, “Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace.”

The campaign also moved on from merely establishing a national consensus to identifying, consolidating and disseminating information on projects and programs of different government agencies to alleviate poverty and uplift the lives of the poor with the end view of engaging the Filipino people’s pro-active involvement and collective participation or Bayanihan towards a Peaceful, Progressive and Prosperous Philippines.

The Career Executive Service Board (CESB) supported the campaign. A list of available programs and projects were listed by members of the Career Executive Service pursuant to the Govergence concept of the CESB and in accordance with the Six Point Peace and Development Agenda of President Duterte.

DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis – Briones issued DepEd Memorandum No. 66, s. 2017, “to inculcate the Bayanihan spirit and attain the goal and objectives of Yes for Peace – Bayanihan ng Bayan.    

The Office of the Chairperson  of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) issued a Memorandum requesting HEIs to promote of  YES for Peace – Bayanihan ng Bayan to further raise people’s participation in the national comprehensive peace process.

A protest raised by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) during the deliberation of the DepEd budget caused the implementation of DepEd Memorandum No. 66, s. 2017.

The proposed Road Map and Implementation Plan 2019 – 2022 of the campaign was presented to the Sectoral Unification, Capability Building, Empowerment and Mobilization Cluster of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).  The cluster recommended, “Adapt, refine, and facilitate the implementation of YES FOR PEACE- Bayanihan ng Bayan… as Whole-of-Nation undertakings primarily through the DEPED, DILG, PCUP, NCIP, PHILPOST, OPAPP, NCMF and other National Government Agencies”.  It was incorporated into the National Plan to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NP ELCAC) approved by PRRD. 

The campaign was to be undertaken in 5 parallel phases:

1. Peace Education and Consensus Building
2. Assertion of Right to Peace and Constituency Building
3. Declaration of Yes for Peace and Development Zones
4. Govergence for Sustainable Development
5. Amendment of Constitutional Provisions / Enactment of Laws

Unfortunately, the health protocols implemented to address the COVID-19 pandemic prevented its implementation.

At the height of the “red tagging” controversy, the questions formulated by Bayan Muna, Ibon Foundation and the DepEd NEU in 2010 and disseminated through DepEd Memorandum No. 277, s. 2011 was evaluated vis-à-vis EO No. 70. Undeniably, EO No. 70 was responsive the concerns raised.

It was therefore unfortunate that instead of seeing NTF-ELCAC which was created to address the concerns raised in 2011, the parties identified with Bayan Muna called for its dissolution.

The proposed Road Map and Implementation Plan were reviewed and refined to optimize its impact through the most cost effective and resource efficient action plan to arouse, organize and mobilize direct people participation in the Whole-of-Nation approach to end the local communist armed conflict.

The refined Road Map and Implementation Plan was submitted to PRRD who wrote:

“I thus recognize and laud the significant impact the Yes for Peace Campaign has made since its creation. Your efforts to engage our people in our pursuit of peace truly need the continued participation, organization, and mobilization of individuals and groups alike, for us to realize the freedom that that we all strive for.

“As we transition into a new leadership, I call upon the Filipino people to take proactive involvement in our response to national concerns, and endeavor towards the much-needed unity of our beloved Philippines. May we all continue to work harmoniously towards a more just and free society, especially for future generations.”

Despite the suspension of the implementation of DepEd Memorandum No. 66, s. 2017, 1,237,780 responses to the campaign were generated during the administration of PRRD.