SLSU Bontoc SAS Champions Join 9th National NSTP Congress

Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) – Student Affairs and Services (SAS) Champions Engr. Jilden Añavesa and Professor Peter June Dadios represented the university at the 19th National Congress of National Service Training Program (NSTP) Educators and Implementors, held from July 2 to 4, 2025, at the Golden Peak Hotel in Cebu City.

With the theme “NSTP: Transforming the Youth National Leadership for a Secure and Sustainable Philippines,” the three-day gathering brought together NSTP implementors, coordinators, and educators from various Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) nationwide.

Discussions focused on three key objectives: deepening the understanding of NSTP’s role in nation-building, advancing the ideals of national service through Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (DRR-CCA), literacy, and volunteerism, and empowering youth advocacy in national security and crisis response. Case studies and institutional presentations showcased successful community-based NSTP initiatives.

The congress served as a platform to reassess and strengthen the program’s role in national development, aligning it with the government’s AmBisyon Natin 2040 vision and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“The congress was an enlightening opportunity to reflect on NSTP’s evolving role in higher education and its broader impact on national development,” Prof. Dadios said.

Engr. Añavesa also highlighted the critical need to guide the youth not only as learners, but also as leaders, volunteers, and proactive citizens. “NSTP should reinforce long-term development goals while addressing current social realities through structured civic engagement and community involvement,” he added.

Speakers from academia, civil society, and government stressed the need to align NSTP activities with national priorities such as environmental sustainability, disaster preparedness, peacebuilding, and public service. Implementers were encouraged to adopt inclusive, flexible, and context-responsive strategies to engage students in civic and community work further.

The event concluded with a call to reinforce NSTP’s role in fostering youth leadership, service, and advocacy, affirming its contribution to AmBisyon Natin 2040 and the broader development agenda through proactive and civic-minded participation.