The Philippines is considered one of the world's youngest countries. Almost 30 percent of the Philippine population is comprised of Filipino youth, who have emerged as a powerful force in shaping the nation. Young Filipinos are bearers of traditions, customs, and cultural heritage and will eventually assume the responsibilities of the future generation. Therefore, it is crucial to capacitate young Filipinos with the necessary skills to effect political, economic, social, and cultural reforms and developments. The Adenauer Young Leaders Program (AYLP) is a testament to our commitment to developing the Philippines and empowering its young leaders.
As one of the major thrusts of the foundation in the country, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Philippines offers AYLP as its leadership program. AYLP is not just a crash course but a transformative journey for young individuals from different backgrounds and sectors. The program will help the most promising individuals unlock their leadership potential, preparing them to take on more prominent roles in their organizations, communities, and groups. AYLP underscores leadership development and education in politics, economics, and international relations, highlighted by immersions/learning visits. This program is fully funded and managed by the KAS Philippines.
We are now open to accept applications for Batch 4 fellows!
Criteria for Application
Below are the general criteria for the application:
- Filipino citizen;
- Between the ages of 25-35 upon date of application;
- Sangguniang Kabataan officials aged 22 to 24 will be accepted;
- Individuals looking to take on more senior roles in governance, development organizations, or local communities.
- Individuals from KAS Philippines partner organizations and young members of political parties are highly encouraged to submit applications;
- Fluent /native speaker and writer of English and Filipino;
- Individuals with demonstrated leadership skills; and
- Individuals committed to the values of integrity, dignity, and inclusivity.
The program intends to receive applications from the following sectors:
- Newly-elected leaders in government—priority will be given to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas or those coming from lower-income class local government units;
- Bangsamoro officials, especially those in the areas with a statutory minimum wage;
- Muslim leaders from Mindanao
- Student leaders from youth associations
- Employees from Parliament (Senate, House of Representatives)
- Journalists (traditional and non-traditional media)
- Workers and members of non-government organizations
- Employees from the business sector
- Indigenous peoples
- Individuals from the Church
- Members of political parties
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We highly encourage women to apply to the program.
Application Documents
- AYLP Application Form
- Motivation letter (maximum of 500 words) addressed to Ms. Daniela Braun, Country Director, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Philippines. The letter must answer the following question,
"How would you utilize the knowledge, skills, and experiences you will gain from the leadership program to develop your organization, community, or group? Cite how the leadership program will be relevant to your work and how participation can add value to your experience."
- A 1-minute video answering the question,
“What does democracy mean to you and what would you do to support democracy in your own community? Cite your significant contribution/s to your organization, community, or group.”
- One Recommender From
Application Process
Key dates to remember:
- Application Period: 1 June 2026 – 31 July 2026
- Review of Application and Shortlisting of Candidates: 1 August – 13 September 2026
- Panel Interview: 5 - 30 October 2026
- Email Announcement of Results: 9 November 2026
- Confirmation of Participation: 10 – 15 November 2026
- Onboarding of Fellows and Needs Assessment Training: 1st Week of December 2026
- AYLP Batch 4: 30 January 2027 to February 2028.
Selection Procedure
Upon submission of the application, the process includes:
- Screening with guidelines – submission of the completed application form, motivation letter, and video application. Your recommender must also submit the recommender form on time. KAS will send a separate link for the recommender form.
- Review of documents by the selection panel.
- Shortlisting of applicants – once shortlisted, the applicant will be invited to an interview by the selection panel. The panel will comprise the KAS Country Director, members of the KAS Philippines team, program alumni, and external partner/s.
- Panel interview.
- Shortlisted applicants will be notified of their application results.
Submission Details
Applicants should complete the application form and other required documents and upload the documents to bit.ly/AYLPBatch4Reg.
For any questions or concerns, kindly email:
Jerome Jogno
Senior Program Manager for Leadership and Strategic Communications
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Philippines
Email: jerome.jogno@kas.de
Telephone: +63 (02) 5310 0080
Applicants must submit their documents on time and complete on or before Friday, 31 July 2026.
Due to the many applications received, we cannot provide detailed explanations for those not accepted into the program.
We look forward to receiving your applications!
