OPAPRU, IEP ink partnership to bolster ‘data-driven’ peacebuilding

QUEZON CITY — In a bid to strengthen evidence-based peacebuilding and conflict resolution in the Philippines, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) formalized a partnership with the globally-recognized Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) on April 14, 2025.

The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the OPAPRU and IEP signals a major step in the Philippines’ quest to achieve long-lasting peace, embedding data-driven strategies at the heart of its peacebuilding efforts.

Data-driven, evidence-based peace

In his welcome remarks, Presidential Adviser Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. highlighted the year-long effort of the OPAPRU and the IEP to finalize their collaborative effort, paving the way to the MOU signing.

Galvez noted that the research and data analysis tools provided by IEP to OPAPRU such as the Global Peace Index (GPI) and the Positive Peace Framework have helped enhance the implementation and monitoring of OPAPRU’s peace programs.

“Those initial meetings have paid dividends, as today we formalize an understanding that I am certain will enable our organizations to push forward our peacebuilding and development efforts to even greater heights,” he said.

“With the OPAPRU and IEP working together, we look forward to strengthening our policies and programs on conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and community resilience, as well as the implementation of capacity-building programs, training sessions, and policy dialogues that seek to empower our local governments and communities,” Galvez added.

Galvez assured that the OPAPRU is committed to assisting the IEP in providing accurate and detailed information for their research that will allow other agencies to effectively and efficiently utilize this data.

“The OPAPRU shall also continue its efforts to integrate peace metrics into our national and local policies to make them more peace-oriented and further improve the efficacy of our peace interventions,” he said.

Galvez said the partnership will “further strengthen our collaboration and boost our capability to support other government agencies in developing and monitoring data-driven peacebuilding strategies and interventions.”

“I am confident that this partnership will not only enhance our conflict-sensitive and peace-promoting programs initiatives but also inspire increased collaboration between and among local and international organizations,” Galvez added.

Crisostomo Bas, Jr., IEP’s Country Representative, thanked the OPAPRU for closely working with the IEP and making use of its expertise, particularly, in the critical area of measuring the impact of peace interventions.

Bas emphasized that the MOU “will pave the way for more relevant and practical undertakings of programs, projects, and activities that are anchored on OPAPRU’s vision of a just and lasting peace.”

‘Achievable and measurable peace’

Founded in 2007, the IEP has become a major global voice shaping discussions around security, defense, terrorism, and development. From its Sydney headquarters, the IEP has expanded internationally since its inception, establishing regional hubs in New York, Brussels, the Hague, Mexico City, and Nairobi to facilitate outreach, education, and partnership development. In a huddle, Mr. Killelea affirmed that a Manila office for the IEP shall soon be established late this year.

As a pioneer institution in the research and study of the concepts of negative and positive peace, the IEP has also focused on peace as a concept that can be measured.

“We have provided metrics for measuring peace and uncovered the relationships between business, peace, and prosperity, and this is all made within the context of arriving at a better understanding of the cultural and economic factors that create peace,” said Mr. Bas.

The IEP’s development of crucial tools such as the GPI and the Positive Peace Index (PPI) allows for the assessment of a nation’s levels of peacefulness and the extent of its efforts in cultivating and sustaining its peacefulness, respectively.

Utilizing 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators, the GPI evaluates the state of peace by examining societal safety and security, the prevalence of ongoing conflicts, and the level of militarization. Notably, the GPI also calculates the financial burden of violence, which currently stands at $19.1 trillion globally. The Philippines accounts for $55.9 million of this cost, equivalent to 3.3% of the nation’s GDP and roughly PHP 25,000.00 per Filipino each year, as a consequence of conflict.

Meanwhile, IEP derived the eight pillars of PPI from analyzing 24,700 data sets, indices, and surveys with the strongest correlation with internal peacefulness as measured by the GPI. Mr. Bas pointed out that countries with improvements in Positive Peace also display desirable outcomes such as higher GDP growth, better measures of well-being, higher levels of resilience and more harmonious societies.

Mr. Bas noted that in 2024, the Philippines ranked 104th on the Global Peace Index report, demonstrating a nine-notch improvement compared to its 2023 ranking. Meanwhile, in the latest Positive Peace Index report, the Philippines was ranked 96th among 163 countries.

Aside from GPI and PPI, the IEP also measures a country’s Negative Peace Index (NPI), which according to Mr. Bas, can be an excellent measurement of the state of peacefulness in various provinces across the Philippines, and how much each province is undertaking programs that sustain their peacefulness.

Philippines: from low-peace to mid-peace

Outlining several key areas of cooperation under the newly inked MOU, the OPAPRU and the IEP are expected to work on areas including research collaboration and other educational initiatives, capacity building, policy development and public assistance, and mutual exchange of expertise, leadership, and mentorship.

Mr. Steve Killelea, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IEP, in his message, commended the Philippines for its exemplary work in bringing together different sectors including the government, civil society, and the military to bring this endeavor to fruition.

“The Philippines which was then considered a low-peace country is now a mid-peace country, and that is really a big improvement,” he pointed out.

“So the opportunity for the Philippines is really quite [growing],” the IEP executive added, emphasizing the potential for analyzing granular government data to understand the factors influencing peacefulness in conflict-affected and post-conflict areas, and to identify emerging economic benefits.

Mr. Killelea further stressed the importance of comprehensive data-driven analysis, particularly in peace and its economic value.

“Now, quite simply, if you can’t measure something, can you truly understand it? How do you know whether your actions are helping you or hindering you and [are] achieving your results? You simply don’t, such it is with peace,” said Mr. Killelea.

Representatives from other government agencies including the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) were also present during the event.

In his message of support delivered by Assistant National Statistician Kristine Joy Briones, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Claire Dennis S. Mapa conveyed their full support for OPAPRU’s vision of a just and lasting peace and underscored OPAPRU’s trust in the power of data and data-based decision-making.

“Let this be a strong reminder that peace is measurable and progress is possible with shared commitment, innovation, and the right data,” Ms. Briones relayed.

The event was also attended by former Secretary of Interior and Local Government Mel Senen Sarmiento, who now heads the Galing Pook Foundation, members of the OPAPRU management team, as well as representatives from the security sector.

This article was originally published on the OPAPRU official website.