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Basilan
stakeholders call for continuous dialogue and cooperation of all
sectors for peace and security
By Belle Garcia, 30 November 2011
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Ms. Miriam
Suacito, executive director of Nagdilaab Foundation,
welcomes the Basilan Stakeholders, in behalf of its
co-convenors, the DILG and the Local Government Unit of
Basilan Province. |
ISABELA CITY, Basilan –
Today, November 29, 2011 marks a very important day of understanding
and cooperation in Basilan as a group of 80 key stakeholders
representing the various sectors are gathered at the Bishop
Querexeta Formation Center in Isabela City to promote the
multi-sectoral dialogue and community resilience in the province.
This is seen as a way of
understanding the different perspectives from a mixture sectors
representing the local government units, government line agencies,
military, women, youth, NGOs, religious and Agrarian Reform
Cooperatives. This is a means of finding new ground of working
collectively towards a peaceful Basilan, especially in the light of
the past and very recent violence that took place a month ago in
Al-barka that caused so much grief, fear, resentment and anger at
all levels –local, national and even international.
Moreover, this meeting sends
a clear message for people to maintain tranquility yet vigilant of
the conflict situation, and cultivate the theme of this year’s
Mindanao Week of Peace – “Common Word between us and you: Love
of God and Love of Neighbor” – not only in Basilan but all over
Mindanao.
This was firmly expressed by
Miriam Suacito, Executive Director of Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. and
co-convenor of this conference in partnership with the Provincial
Government of Basilan and the Department of Interior and Local
Government of the Province. She said that “this gathering is
timely not only for the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of
Basilan and NGOs who are building and working for peace but also for
other key stakeholders to see the different lenses of what is the
real situation in Basilan, especially on the conflict issues related
to the peace and security in the province.”
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| Women's
sectoral workshop group discusses the effect of the problems
in Basilan: "Development Paralysis." |
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She added in her message
about her hope that “this conference may soon have a ripple effect
to our children and our children’s children not only in Basilan
but also in Mindanao and the whole Philippines” since the
gathering allows the participants to cultivate the best possible
collective interventions from the different sectors.
Engr. Tahir Latip, the
Provincial Administrator of Basilan representing Governor Jum Akbar,
has articulated his concern over the illusive peace situation in the
locality despite the peace processes and the different community
peace initiatives. It was humble of him to admit that the lapses of
the LGUs in delivering the basic services which are necessary in the
development of the communities of Basilan. Being a local government
official himself, he acknowledged the poor performance of LGUs,
saying, “Marami kaming pagkukulang” – in terms of
availability, delivery of government services and infrastructures as
well as systems in the local government. Thus he challenged the
sectors recognizing “the need for reforms and good and committed
leaders as well.”
From the sectoral workshops,
critical issues were raised, particularly the poor governance and
leadership, poor delivery of basic services as well as
infrastructures, lack of community participation in decision-making
processes, lack of quality education and employment opportunities.
Other socio-political,
security and cultural problems were also cited, including the rido
or family feud, ruling of political dynasties, nepotism,
proliferation of guns, criminality, kidnap-for-ransom activities by
lawless elements, corruption in LGUs and agencies, and lack of moral
values.
The over-all consequence of
all these issues and problems is a “development paralysis” as
strongly mentioned by the Academic Sector’s report presented by
Jerrelyn Asanti, the Division Alternative Learning System (ALS)
coordinator of the Department of Education in Basilan.
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Vice
Governor Al Rasheed Matunang Sakkalahul challenges all
stakeholders to respect local initiatives and to work
hand-in-hand with or without conflict. |
Other effects mentioned by
the different sectoral reports, which were summarized into four
aspects by Dr. Grace Rebollos, past President of Western Mindanao
State University or WMSU, includes (1) Psychological: fear, phobia,
trauma, insecurity, greed, negative image by the media; (2)
Economic: poverty, low productivity, displacement and the inability
to work; (3) Systemic breakdown: no rule of law, poor delivery of
basic services – education, health, livelihood; (4) Poor
Governance: absent CEOs/officials of LGUs, poor delivery of basic
services, poor utilization of resources, corruption and no sense of
transparency and accountability, lack of interest/enthusiasm to
learn good governance and crabby mentality of officials.
Though the conferences ended
with a collective signing of a peace agreement among the
participating sectors, it was then a start to move the
multi-stakeholders to another level of engagement. The strengthening
of the Peace and Order Councils at the local level (from barangay to
municipal and city to provincial levels) was clearly endorsed by the
body. A provincial public and safety peace plan was also proposed to
be formulated based on a participatory consultation which was gladly
well-taken by the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC).
For whatever it takes, a
continuous dialogue between and among the stakeholders was
unanimously pushed to be done on a regular basis. This was also a
challenge supported by both Vice Governor Al Rasheed Matunang
Sakkalahul, Convenor of the Provincial Peace and Order Council of
Basilan, and Fr. Angel Calvo, Convenor of
Inter-Religious Solidarity Movement for Peace (IRSMP).
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