Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.

Kaangayan, Kalambuan, Kalinaw ... sa Mindanaw, sa Pilipinas, sa Kalibutan

SENDONG UPDATES
Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response, Risk Reduction and Resiliency Building Updates (As of April 12, 2012)
We are again sharing with you some updates on our continued interventions for the families and communities affected by TS Sendong at this recovery and reconstruction period. This update covers the highlights of activities and resources mobilized, including some learnings and insights for the past three weeks. We already have distributed a total of 700 shelter repair kits to those families with partially damaged houses in Barangays Kauswagan and Bonbon. This is in partnership with Habitat for Humanity.

SENDONG UPDATES
Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response, Risk Reduction and Resiliency Building Updates (March 6-12, 2012)
More relief goods from the Rotarians in Australia arrived at the Cagayan de Oro airport last Thursday March 8, 2012. Two DSWD personnel from Manila who flew with the AFP C130 plane turned the goods over to the DSWD Region X. The hauling of the goods into the military trucks was done with the help of the IDPs from the Lumbia Evacuation Center. They were asked to help thru the “cash for work” scheme with a rate of P250.00/day, through the facilitation of Julius Bughao of DSWD X. Listing, sorting and repacking of the relief goods are ongoing at the rooftop of Balay Mindanaw Peace Center through the help of the volunteers from Barangay Lapasan. The first batch of the packages of children’s and adults’ clothing from the Rotarians was distributed last March 9 to the Balay Mindanaw serviced areas: 18 packs to Bulua Covered Court, 65 packs to Bulua Elementary School Tent Community, 51 packs to Iponan, 56 packs to Canitoan, 25 packs to Kauswagan, 37 packs to Tent Community 3 of Gusa Regional Science High School, 67 packs to Indahag TC 2, 62 packs to TC 1. We also included 32 packs to Lapasan covered court and 43 packs to Macanhan. As there are enough goods being sorted and repacked, the Balay Mindanaw DRRM Team has decided to reach out to the other 41 evacuation centers.

The Call for Integrity
Keynote speech by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo during the BTTAG 2nd Policy Dialogue was conducted last February 23, 2012 in Davao City. The Budget Tracking for Transparent Accountable Governance in Mindanao (BTTAG) is an initiative implemented by Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI) in partnership with the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Local Government Units, The Asia Foundation (TAF), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). BTTAG hopes to initiate and strengthen LGU-CSO’s journey towards enhancing transparent accountable governance through enhanced participation, accountability, responsiveness and transparency in the local budget process.

SENDONG UPDATES
Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response, Risk Reduction and Resiliency Building Updates (Feb.  27-March 5, 2012)
We humbly and gratefully share with you this weekly update. Please note that we have started calling our package of interventions as Disaster Response, Risk Reduction and Resiliency Building Program. Eighty (80) days after the December 17 disaster, we are encouraged and inspired to acknowledge that we now have a better and broader understanding of this work – largely because of your continuing support and accompaniment, and the trust of our fellow Sendong survivors. And we shall continue to learn. More relief goods from the Rotarians in Australia have been sorted and repacked. The Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response, Risk Reduction and Resiliency Building Team decided to distribute these items to the other under-served evacuation centers instead of the five barangays and three tent communities regularly served by BM. Thus, we were able to distribute 32 packs containing used clothing for kids and adults in Barangay Lapasan.

SENDONG UPDATES
Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response Updates (February 20-27, 2012)
We continue to share with you these updates as our own modest way of acknowledging your continuing support. Again, thank you very much for helping us become resources for others. Padayon… Relief Work: The Municipality of Midsayap asked Balay Mindanaw’s help in the distribution of its relief assistance consisting of 15 boxes of assorted goods. Three representatives sent by Dra. Imelda Soriano from IDS-GCCM Integral Development Services – Grace Christian Community in Midsayap, Cotabato came to Cagayan de Oro to do the inventory, checking, sorting, repacking, including the distribution of goods. Balay Mindanaw provided the data on the number of families in the evacuation centers and assisted in the distribution. The relief kits were distributed to the following areas: Bulua Elementary School received 65 relief kits, Bulua gym 18, Iponan 51, Canitoan Elementary School 56, Kauswagan 25, Gusa 37, 62 relief kits to Indahag 1 and 66 to Indahag 2 – for a total of 380 families.

SENDONG UPDATES
Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response Updates (February 13-20, 2012)
As we continue to sincerely thank you for your continuing accompaniment, we also apologize for the delay in sending you this report. Here is a glimpse of the significant events last week: Relief: The boxes of undergarments personally delivered by friends from Miriam College were sorted out and repacked into relief kits containing undergarments, sanitary napkins, diapers, school supplies, hygiene sets, milk and other assorted stuff for children and adults. From the cash donations, we bought 1,664 pieces of undergarments for men and male children.  These were distributed to the tent communities in Indahag and Gusa, and to the Sendong survivors in Barangay Iponan. More relief goods from the Rotarians in Australia have been picked up from the Cagayan de Oro airport with the help of Capt. Christian Uy of the 4th Infantry Division under the leadership of Gen. Victor Felix. WASH: The residents of Indahag Tent Community 1 already have their latrines – 2 for women and another 2 for men.  They also have 4 bathing cubicles for women, and another 4 for men will be constructed. Sand and gravel for Tent Community 2 have been provided by CRS, and the other materials needed for the construction of latrines will follow this week. CRS continues to deliver water daily to the 2 tent communities of Indahag, and has committed to do so until March 31.  Hence, a more stable and sufficient water delivery system needs to be put in place as each tent community needs at least 8,000 liters daily. This concern will be tackled by the CCCM cluster.

SENDONG UPDATES
Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response Updates (February 6 - 13, 2012)
As we persist in our work of accompanying the survivors of Sendong in Cagayan de Oro, we are realizing that disaster response has become a continuing challenge that might be with us for quite some time.  While the residents of Negros and some parts of Cebu continue to reel from the devastating effects and trauma caused by the February 6 earthquake and its aftershocks, communities in Mindanao, many parts of Visayas and Bicol are battered by rains, and threatened by floods and landslides. We are encouraged by your support that continues to come even sixty-seven (67) days after Sendong.  Last week, we received more generous donations from our friends in Action Asia of Orissa, India, relatives in USA, a very dear friend in UK, more from partners in Australia and Japan, and Filipino friends and colleagues who continue to join us in this journey.

SENDONG UPDATES
Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response Updates (January 30-February 6, 2012)
We share with you these updates still a little shaken.  As we were finalizing this report, we felt a dizzying shaking of the BM Operations Center.  We learned soon that a strong earthquake (6.9) hit Negros and other Visayas provinces, and was felt as far as Mindanao.  We hope that it has caused no damage or injury especially to the people and communities in the Visayas.  We pray that the feared tsunami does not come even as tsunami alerts have been raised in the coastal areas of Visayas and Mindanao. This morning’s experience has served as another not-so-gentle reminder of the urgency of facing the challenges of disaster preparedness, risk reduction, resiliency-building, and resource nurturance. Now, back to our report…  Fifty days after the disaster, we continue to be overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of friends and strangers, as they send more cash and non-cash donations to the Balay Mindanaw Operations Center to support our disaster response work.

SENDONG UPDATES
Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response Report as of 27 January 2012
We gladly and humbly share with you this first report two weeks after we decided to temporarily stop posting daily updates/reports on Balay MindanawÕs Disaster Response activities as we transition from primarily relief and rehabilitation work to a more long-term programmatic package of interventions. We have formulated a two-year program we now call the Balay Mindanaw Post-Disaster Recovery, Adaptation and Resiliency Building Program. We will be utilizing the remainder of your generous donations for the initial implementation of this Program. AUSAID has also expressed interest to provide some initial funds. We are now reaching out to you and other resource partners for possible partnerships. While mapping out strategic long-term interventions, we have also sustained our support work for the three tent communities and five barangays, expanded and strengthened partnerships, and continued exploring and mobilizing more resources.

Ignoring international humanitarian standards yet another disaster?
There are international humanitarian (SPHERE’s) standards when dealing with evacuees: such as 3.5 square meters as minimum floor space per person, or 20 persons per classroom, 15 liters of water per person per day, 1 latrine per 20 persons or for one family, also ensuring that the new or temporary dwellings are accessible to major transportation and communication facilities. The standards also include the layout of tents so that there is adequate space between houses, as well as access roads, spaces for children to play, spaces for women (lactating/breastfeeding, bathing, washing), and the first expiry-first out as to disposal of food supply. When consciously applied, such standards ensure that no further harm can come to the IDPs. Such standards, however, have not been strictly observed during the interventions of the last 40 days. Are the international standards just guides to consider or should they be strictly adhered to so that we can be sure that further disaster will not befall the worst affected? Is there really an argument that can justifiably say we should “contextualize” these humanitarian standards? Or is that just an excuse for an inexcusable compromise? Am I just too idealistic in saying these should be non-negotiables, and that it is our responsibility as local CSOs to establish the culture of adhering to these standards, that these should established as norms, that these should not be broken by simply invoking the word “context”?

• Part 1 - My Story… Their Story… Our Shared Story
• Part 2 - 8 days after …
• Part 3 - 18 days after, CDO will never be the same again if…
• Part 4 - Very tired but very fulfilled… 22 days after Sendong
• Part 5 - 30 days after

Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response:  Looking Back and Moving Forward…
Thirty-one days after Sendong struck, and 29 days after we went full-swing in our organized response to the disaster, we now share with you a summary and consolidation, and our initial plans for a more organized and sustained  response. The first day after the disaster was spent in ensuring that all the members of the Balay Mindanaw Group and their families are safe and secure.  We offered our Peace Center to be a home to those who were badly hit by the floods.  Then, we started looking at the bigger community. We issued a call for a more organized response to the disaster.  Among the very first to respond to the call were the Balay Mindanaw colleagues who were themselves “victims”.  Thus, we adopted the slogan:  “We refuse to be victims.  We choose to be resources.”

8 days after Typhoon Sendong...
By Ayi Hernandez
The Balay Mindanaw Relief and Rehabilitation Center is starting to get silent. Most of the volunteers are on their way home to join their families, only the children and the survivors of the flood are crisscrossing the hallways of what used to be a very busy center. Everyone is talking about a simple noche buena to thank the Creator and to bond as a community with shared experiences of near-death and anxiety, but now committed to help those who are in the same situation as, if not more affected than, us.

Balay Mindanaw assumes role as Action Asia Secretariat
A simple handing-over ceremony of the Action Asia Secretariat from the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPCS) in Cambodia to the Balay Mindanaw International Center for Peace in Mindanao was held on December 1, 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand. Present during the ceremony were Action Asia leaders and members, Emma Leslie, Kaloy Manlupig, Tabrani Yunis and Baht Latumbo, Tania Miletic and Patricia deBoer of the AFSC. The modest gathering was also witnessed by Peter Woodrow (CDA), Gus Miclat (IID), Willy Torres (The Asia Foundation) and Wiratmadinata from Aceh.

Security Sector Reform (SSR): Creating an enabling environment for peace and development
I remember the time when Ms Juvy Loyola, one of the faculty members of Balay Mindanaw Operation Peace Course (Op Kors!), was facilitating Security Sector Reform (SSR) session with some senior officers of the Armed Forces and key leaders of civil society organizations. Through a structured learning exercise called “word association (correct minus wrong),” she asked the participants a concept or thought that comes to their mind when they hear the words “security sector.” Most of the answers pointed out the military and the police only. The other elements in the sector – such as justice and rule of law, non-statutory security forces and security management and oversight bodies – are apparently seen as less crucial to security sector reform. She then proceeded to discuss security sector as the institutions, groups, organizations and individuals – both state and non-state – that have a stake in security and justice provision. These can be organizations providing security and justice services, and the organizations that oversee them.

Basilan stakeholders call for continuous dialogue and cooperation of all sectors for peace and security
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.

Judokas and Sensei: ‘We play Judo for Peace!’
Around 200 judo players, coaches and officials gathered here in Cagayan de Oro City to launch the 1st Mindanao Judo for Peace with a tournament of judo athletes (judokas) and judo clubs. Participants come from various schools and universities in the cities of Iloilo, Davao, Zamboanga, Pagadian, Cagayan de Oro and from Metro Manila as well. In the opening program this morning, Engr. Jose Aluyen, the President of the Southern Philippines Judo Association (SPJA), gladly welcomed the participants, saying: “This is an opportune time to renew friendship and camaraderie. While judo teaches us to clear our minds and sharpen our senses, we must also pursue discipline and become responsible citizens. Thus we must promote judo at the community level.”

Balay Aleosan partners met Mr. Gary Hawes, an icon of Local People’s Participation in budget process
Mr. Gary Hawes, Associate Director and International Budget Partnership Representative to the Philippines, visited the Municipality of Aleosan last November 2 to 3. He was accompanied by Balay Mindanaw Group of NGO President Kaloy Z. Manlupig, and Executive Directors Ariel Hernandez of KPMFI and Paul Paraguya of BMFI. Gary spent dinner with Balay Aleosan staff and some youth volunteers, including two promising peace champions from the state security sector: Lt. Col. Roy Galido and Lt. Col. Benjie Hao, both of the 40th Infantry Battalion. Gary asked about how local governance is being concretely affected by the peace and security situation, or vice versa.

Residents in 3 Lanao Norte towns light candles for peace
Balay Mindanaw was among the NGOs that participated in this peacebuilding event.
BACOLOD, Lanao del Norte (MindaNews/26 October) – Shoulder-to-shoulder, residents from the towns of Bacolod, Maigo and Kauswagan, came out and stood along the Iligan-Pagadian highway, lighting candles for peace last Sunday. Abel Jose Moya of Pakigdait, an NGO, said many of the residents came out and brought their own candles. Muslims on the other hand, brought placards with messages of peace. “It was overwhelming to see how the residents came out, even buying their own candles and bringing their own placards,” Moya said. Aleem Abdulkarim Ambor said the outpouring of support for peace proves that the residents of these three towns have moved on. The three towns bore the brunt of the fighting between Moro guerillas and the government in the past 30 years “yet we saw them together outside the highway last Sunday. No religion but only the desire for peace.”

A community in Lianga makes peace their ‘foundation of unity and harmony’
“Peace is the foundation of unity and harmony of the local people of Barangay St. Christine,” said Barangay Captain Merenciano Martizano in his welcome address during the local peace consultation (LPC) held at Purok 4 last October 12-14, 2011. Though it was their first time to experience LPC, the punong barangay happily expressed his gratitude of the peace effort being shared with them, being first of the 13 barangays of the municipality of Lianga, Surigao Sur to under this process. This workshop-gathering has two main objectives: 1) validating and updating the barangay profile; 2) for further analysis of present key issues and problems of the community; and 3) identify actions or solutions to the problems and make out possible areas of collaboration among the key stakeholders. The Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI), in partnership with the local government unit of Lianga, facilitated the three-day activity.

Breaking new grounds for peace in Aleosan
Last Friday October 21, 2011, amidst the noise from media on the violence in Basilan down south of Mindanao, a small community of mostly Moro families in the town of Aleosan in the Province of North Cotabato was making a peaceful sound as its men, women and children celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a Madrasa school building. Such a unique way of building peace, an exceptional response to the call for peace not only for Barangay Dunguan in Aleosan but also for the rest of Mindanao.

'Best Kept' secrets in Maguindanao
The Inquirer's Rina Jimenez-David talks about the “Good Wednesday Group for Peace,” which Balay Mindanaw helped organize months after the infamous Ampatuan Massacre in 2009

Reflections from Mindanaw: All-out war or all-out development?
Last week was a week full of irony and a lot of stress for Mindanawons while many Manila-based media feasted on the idea of an all-out war in the wake of the Al-Barka encounter between the Army’s Special Forces and MILF rebels along with some “lost command” MILF forces. This was further aggravated by another bloody encounter in the municipalities of Kabasalan and Titay in Zamboanga Sibugay over the weekend. Then another encounter erupted in Sultan Naga Dimaporo in Lanao del Norte, although it has yet to be confirmed if MILF forces were involved in the clash with Army troopers in the area. These incidents worry everyone in Mindanaw, especially when the media outlets in Manila add up to the fire rather than asking sensible questions to objectively understand the situation while grieving and giving full honors to the slain soldiers.

Mini Stakeholders' Forumi in Aleosan
The Local Government Unit of Aleosan, North Cotabato, in partnership with the Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI), organizes a gathering of various stakeholders working for peace and development. The activity is dubbed “Mini Stakeholders’ Forum: Enhancing Synergy and Meaningful Collaboration in Violence-affected Communities of Aleosan, North Cotabato” on 21 October 2011, 9:00 a.m. at the Municipal Hall of Aleosan.

Shifting paradigms and finding workable reforms within the security sector
It was in the middle of this year that Balay Mindanaw and the Western Mindanao Command of the AFP, headed by Maj. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, finally conceptualized another gathering of civil society and the military to once again embark on policy discussions related to peace building, conflict management and security issues in Mindanao. Despite Typhoon Pedring hitting Metro Manila and many parts of Luzon, a total of 59 participants joined the policy discussion workshop last September 27 at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in Makati. The gathering brought together key leaders and representatives from various sectors – civil society, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, local chief executives, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), National Security Council (NSC), Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), Australian Embassy, The Asia Foundation and Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Balay Aleosan and partners observe the International Day of Peace
The Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI) – in collaboration with the municipal local government unit (MLGU) headed by Hon. Mayor Loreto V. Cabaya Jr., the military and the police or state security forces, and some local civil society organizations – for the first time in history of the town, celebrated this year’s International Day of Peace on September 21.

Year of Service (YOS) experience in Tawagan
Every day comes a new experience, especially for a new volunteer like me in Balay Mindanaw. A new day of rediscovering who we are and what we are capable of is a big challenge. Each new day brings me an opportunity to see the many changes in my everyday life and a chance to acquire capabilities that would help me ensure the progress of my existence. It was last July 13, 2011 when our batch of the Year of Service (YOS) Volunteers was finally commissioned to various areas of work and responsibilities after finishing a 2 months of orientation program and 1 week area exposure in Aleosan, North Cotabato.

Another OPKORS! held at Balay Mindanaw
On Sept. 12-17, 2011, yet another 6-day Operation Peace Course (OPKORS!), a comprehensive course on peacebuilding and conflict management, was conducted at Balay Mindanaw’s International Center for Peace. Enjoy the pictures …

Community-based dialogues help keep the peace in Aleosan
Immediately after the observance of the Holy month of Ramadhan, the peace and order condition of Aleosan, Cotabato province was reportedly volatile. Mayor Loreto V. Cabaya Jr. called for the continued upholding of peace and solidarity in the entire municipality as stories of another violent conflict spread. Several armed men, allegedly members of the breakaway Moro rebel group of Ameril Umra Kato, were seen in five barangays, namely, Dunguan, Bagolibas, Pagangan, Tomado, New Panay and Lower Mingadeng, causing the municipal government to place these barangays on red alert and keep a 24-hour watch in the communities. It was reported that a number of Muslim women from said barangays had started to pack their belongings, bringing these to relatives’ homes in adjacent barangays or municipalities.

LANTAD: Reflecting on the process of…
A Peoples’ Journey in Quest for Peace
Lantad, a land whose soil has been consecrated by the blood of its own people! Long torn by armed conflict between the Armed Forces and the local people who were drawn into, convinced by and embraced the Maoist Communist doctrine as an alternative to the Philippine government. A people broken and wounded by the apathy and brazen neglect of and by government and its officials, aggravated by the intricate attitude of its people.

From an Ordinary Maranao Woman
I am just one of the many ordinary Maranao youths with an ordinary lifestyle. I thought finishing my four-year course is the most fulfilling thing I would ever have. However, I realized that it is not the case, as I discovered that my own battle is not yet over. I came to realize having a single certificate and diploma at hand is no longer my gauge of happiness. I felt like wanting to sail on finding the real meaning of happiness and fulfillment in life. So, I started soul searching and in a short span of time, I tried responding to the calling of the Year of Service (YOS) Volunteer Program of Xavier University, for a year, with full determination. YOS introduced me the spirit of volunteerism. The program has become my stepping stone to know myself better; it provided me the space to explore the world, with the communities. YOS introduced me to Katilingbanong Pamahandi sa Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (KPMFI), a social enterprise institution, which is one of the proud members of the Balay Mindanaw Group (BMG). I was with two of my batch mates – Arielyn Batoy (Lotie) and Jonathan Baja (Athan).

A Cebu-Longgo youth leader’s journey with Balay Mindanaw
I am just among those thousands of youth living in a small and quiet town of Aleosan, North Cotabato. Aleosan is an acronym for: A- Alimodian, LEO- Leo, SAN- San Miguel all coming from Iloilo, thereby Ilongo as to majority of people’s ethnicity. Our place seems familiar to every Mindanawan, for it is an AVATAR (or Area Violently Affected by War). Aleosan is known as a war zone, a very scary place, and a place of belligerents or lawless armed groups. Actually it is not. Admittedly, Aleosan for a time had been in violent conflicts, causing massive disenfranchisement among residents. But that was years ago. I couldn’t blame others thinking it this way because the media have also exaggerated the news on the actual incidents. I started my journeying with my community as a youth leader, almost 10 years ago.

The First Asian-German Dialogue
For the first time since the 70's, the Kondrad Andenauer Stiftung and its Domestic Programme Division based in Berlin, Germany had organized a 3-day Asian-German Dialogue among 70 of its scholars and fellows in Asia, and key KAS officers from Germany. Undertaken last June 23-25, 2011 in Singapore, the dialogue aimed at gathering its partners as well as consolidate the efforts their scholars and fellows in various areas of developments and focus. There were representatives from seven countries in Southeast Asia, namely, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Philippines.

Lantad: From a rebel stronghold to a model village
Way back in the 1980s, the village of Lantad was a model of governance. Problem was, it was the showcase not of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, but of the National Democratic Front (NDF) and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). Lantad, populated mostly by Higaunon indigenous people, is situated in a valley blessed with fertile soil that is ideal for farming. It is part of Barangay Kibanban of the municipality of Balingasag in Misamis Oriental. It is only 25 kilometers away from the present highway, but back in the 1980s, it was virtually impenetrable because there were no roads then. The village sat amidst a rugged mountainous terrain.

Balay Mindanaw hosts MILF talks with peace stakeholders
Balay Mindanaw has welcomed the MILF Panel and other peace stakeholders to its home in Cagayan de Oro City last June 12-13, 2011. Believing that dialogue is one major approach towards better understanding of the peace and conflict in Mindanao, BMFI hosted several discussions between the MILF on one hand and the indigenous groups, church leaders, civil society representatives and the local government unit of Misamis Oriental on the other. These activities were conducted in partnership with the Mindanao People's Caucus.Time may be short, but the encounter have sprung so much hope among the local leaders and groups for peace in Mindanao. Here are some articles written by Bong Fabe and BenCyrus Ellorin. (Click here for photos)

• Lumads, CSOs agree in principle with proposed MILF peace pact
• MILF peace panel dialogues with Mindanao lumads
• MILF, Mindanao lumads agree to ‘marry’
• MILF proposed pact wins lumad support

Glimpse in the Land of Fortress
Travel broadens our knowledge and enriches our experience as well. The more we travel, the higher we ascend in our perception. St. Augustine_ shared a similar viewpoint when he said that “The world is a book. Those who do not travel read only a page.” This is where I found my love for outdoors, travel and adventure. I always find it amusing to recall those moments when my cousins and I have to alternately get down from our motorbikes and help each other to either mount back on the bike or negotiate in one of the trickiest and slippery uphill tracks in our hometown in Talakag, Bukidnon.

2 Mindanao provinces agree to cooperate for peace
BMFI was mentioned in this news story at the CBCP news portal:
GINGOOG City, May 27, 2011—The provinces of Misamis Oriental and Agusan del Norte signed Thursday a joint statement of cooperation for peace in the presence of a member of the Reciprocal Working Committee on Socio-Economic Reform (RWC-SER) of the government panel negotiating peace with the National Democratic Front-Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (NDF-CPP-NPA). Officials of both provinces agreed to cooperate with one another in adopting “agenda addressing the root causes of conflict (insurgency) so peace can be achieved by bringing the government closer to the people.” “The purpose of this Joint Statement is to enable the two provinces and the other affected LGUs to devise a more responsive, effective and efficient joint responses to the [peace and order] concerns,” it said.

Poems from Bibing
Balay Mindanaw’s Rochelle “Bibing” Moreno has written two poems. “Batang Paslit” is about the difficulties many children in this country have to go through to survive, like sorting out garbage to help make both ends meet, or left neglected by their parents and society. It talks about her hopes for the children's brighter future. “Lens Reframing”, on the other hand, describes how Bibing -- daughter of a policeman during martial law years -- had to change her outlook to understand the military, despite first-hand experiences of soldiers' abusive behaviour toward civilians. But working with them side-by-side made Bibing realize the human aspect of the soldiers, of the need to be not judgmental against others. She eventually ended up working with soldiers for the attainment of peace.

Who’s unlucky? Not me!
Before I came to meet the people of Aleosan, I was all along thinking that all the misfortune in the world have been dumped on me. My values and principles in life have been challenged – me as a woman, a mother, a gender advocate, a Sustainable Integrated Area Development Organizer (SIADO). I’m feeling so unlucky because I was brokenhearted twice in my life; feeling so unfortunate because I can’t buy all the things that I really love, or asking myself “why wasn’t I born rich?” Out there working in the field, I have lots of complaints – the food is not good, it’s so damn hot in the area, no water, too much mosquitos, getting dark and blemished skin, the transport allowance is not enough, among other things. Though mine is a self-inflicted pain, those of the people of Aleosan are caused by external forces. (Although we know fairly well, they are part of a bigger solution.)

Local Peace Consultation: An effective way to get things started
Three sets of Local Peace Consultations (LPCs) have already been conducted in Barangays Dunguan, New Panay and Palacat in the municipality of Aleosan in North Cotabato. For the span of three days, residents of each barangay jointly discussed, prioritized and validated issues related to human resource development, land use, agriculture and aquatic resources, economic development, and development administration. They also jointly identified at least 10 sectoral priority programs and projects in response to each of the sectors’ concerns. With the Barangay Technical Working Group (BTWG) created, the consultation outputs were finalized and packaged as the Barangay Peace and Development Plans (BPDP) for 2011-2013 or as supplemental or an amendment to their existing plans.

Mindanaoan now heads CODE NGO
Balay Mindanaw warmly congratulates Ms Patricia Sarenas as the new Chairperson of the Caucus of Development NGO Network. Pat, as she is fondly called, is the newly elected Chairperson of CODE NGO. CODE NGO is the biggest coalition of NGOs working for social development in the Philippines. It has 6 national networks and 6 regional networks, representing more than 1,600 development NGOs, people's organizations and cooperatives nationwide. Pat sits in the National Board of Trustees of CODE NGO representing MINCODE where she is also the Chairperson. She is the current Chairperson of the Mindanao Congress of NGOs and NGIs or MINCON, a member of MINCODE.

To Our Friends in Japan: A Personal and Collective Letter from Mindanaw Peacebuilders
Even if words are powerless to express our personal and collective sadness, concern and care for you, we still would like to bring to you through this letter our deepest and sincerest empathies.

Balay Mindanaw alang sa Kalinaw
This is Rochelle "Bibing" Mordeno's reflection on how Balay Mindanaw will continue its peace journey in Aleosan, a conflict area in North Cotabato affected by the armed confrontation between the Philippine Army and the armed group led by Ombra Kato. This group is now known as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. For the past seven months, Balay Mindanaw has been engaged with local communities and has already conducted three barangay peace consultations with the support of the barangay councils. This coming together of local folks, both Muslims and Christians, has given them a space to talk after a long time, to dialogue about their own situations and to discuss lengthily about the issues and concerns confronting them.

Operationalizing Local Peace and Order Councils
In Misamis Oriental, members of the Local Peace and Order Councils (POCs) are geared towards taking a more hands on role in building peace in their localities, now with even greater participation of civil society groups. “Gone are the days when Peace and Order Councils are being associated with police and military work only. That’s how it was in the province of Misamis Oriental before. We were a ‘reactive’ peace and order council. Peace and Order Councils must be pro-active now.

MGB: Manifestations of Gender Bias
Isang tula ni Rochelle "Bibing" Mordeno
International Women's Day 2011

13 years later
Remembering Atty. Caloy Ollado and Atty. Bob Gana
By Rochelle "Bibing" Mordeno, Posted 15 February 2011
(On Feb. 2, 1998, lawyers Bob Gana and Caloy Ollado boarded Cebu Pacific Flight 5J-387 from Manila to Cagayan de Oro. They were on their way to Sumilao, Bukidnon to discuss with the Mapalad farmers their case that was then lodged at the Supreme Court. The plane did not reach its destination.)
It was through Atty. Kaka Bag-ao that I got to know lawyers Bob and Caloy. I remember when Kaka once showed me her space at the office of the Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal (SALIGAN) at the Ateneo de Manila University campus. She introduced me to someone whom I thought was the security guard. Turned out it was Caloy Ollado! Caloy was very accommodating, very friendly, and from the way he talked, I could sense he was a very down-to-earth person. It was the first time I got to know him, but it was as if we’d been friends for long, sharing some commonalities. He was then preparing a pleading on an eviction case against a group of slum dwellers who were pre-judged as or associated with squatters. He was very cool; he was walking here and there as he was consolidating his theory of the case. Once in a while he hummed a familiar melody, which I later learned was sung by Joey Ayala and Bayang Barrios in different renditions – “Walang Hanggang Paalam.”

Establishing bilateral and multilateral cooperation and solidarity: A Partnership between AMAN and ACTION ASIA seen
By Kaloy Manlupig, Posted 6 February 2011
In December 2010, Emma Leslie of Action Asia and Director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPCS) asked me to contact General Raymundo Ferrer (the “Filipino Peace General”) and request him to be a speaker in the Asia Muslim Action Network (AMAN) Conference. She also asked me if I would be willing and available to represent Action Asia, and present a paper and share my thoughts and experiences on peace education in the workshop titled “Trends and State of Peace Education and Peace Research in Asia.”Gen. Ferrer immediately said yes. Of course, I also immediately said yes. But the general’s travel was disapproved by the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) because of urgent beginning-of-the-year concerns and the very little time left to process his official travel requirements. I decided to go ahead with my trip to Thailand despite that development.

‘Garcia case’ auditor urges CSOs to monitor government finance
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – “Huwag ho nating hayaan na maghari ang kasamaan! (Let us not let evil reign!)” With this message, former state auditor Heidi Mendoza, who testified against ex-military comptroller Carlos Garcia, urged the citizenry to be vigilant in monitoring the budget process of the government. Mendoza, who talked with representatives of various civil-society organizations (CSOs) during the “Learning Session on Budget Process, Policy Advocacy and Budget Execution and Accountability” of the Budget Tracking for Transparent Accountable Governance (BTTAG) Project at the International Center of Peace (IC Peace) in Mindanao here said that each and every citizen has a responsibility to his/her fellow, especially in arresting corruption in government.

CSOs recommend policies for greater transparency in LGU finance
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Representatives of various civil-society organizations all over Mindanao are pushing for the immediate amendment of the Local Government Code of 1991 to allow greater CSO participation to enhance local government budgeting. During the Budget Tracking for Transparent Accountable Governance (BTTAG) Policy Dialogue Friday, the CSOs presented a policy paper to Senator Teofisto “TG” Guingona III and DILG Undersecretary Austere Panadero. The policy paper contains seven recommendations the CSOs strongly believed will allow for greater transparency and accountability in local government finance.

500 lumads and special children entertained by 'Santa Army'
STO. TOMAS, Davao del Norte – Army soldiers don’t have to wear fatigue nor camouflage uniforms all the time. In this season of merry making, they can don Santa’s costume, too. Thus, in an early Christmas party in this municipality held December 10, “Santa Army” entertained some 500 lumads and special children. “Santa Army” is actually Corporal Julius P. Bulatano, with his red Sta. Claus costume, eyeglasses and long white beard and moustache. He sang, danced and did various magic tricks to the children’s delight.

A Peace Prayer from a Peace Worker
[As the Mindanao Week of Peace ended last week, Toni Nobleza, who works with BMFI for 10 years as an administrative officer, completed it with a prayer which he shares in one Monday morning meeting among staff of Balay Mindanaw.Last week, he joined in the conduct of Local Peace Consultations in Barangay Palacat and the other week in Barangay Dungguan, both in the Municipality of Aleosan in North Cotabato. This is one new locale where Balay Mindanaw is now focusing its community-based peace building efforts for the next 3 years – now dealing with violent-affected areas.] Dios nga amahan, nagapasalamat kami nga naga katigum napud kami pag usab karong adlawa ug labaw sa tanan nagapasalamat kami sa mga kaayohan nga among natagamtam sa mga nilabay nga mga adlaw, sa mga grasya ug mga kadaugan nga nadawat ug labaw sa tanan salamat Ginoo sa proteksyon ug pag giya kanamo sa mga nilabay nga mga biyahe. Ania kami nagatigum alang sa paghisgut ug pagplano, pag giya sa among matag-adlaw nga buluhaton kabahin sa among paglawig alang sa pagserbisyo para kaangayan, kalambuan ug kalinaw.

A Reflection of the Maguindanao Journey
By Charmaine Mae "Xx" Dagapioso-Baconga
This reflection is an offering….
… to the lives lost in November 23, 2009, the most violent act in recent years dubbed as the Ampatuan Massacre,
… to the lives unborn who would have been the next generation of the Mindanao’s,
… to the lives of the living who are working towards transforming the violence into an energy towards peace despite the pain of being wounded,
… to the people who continually feel and support Mindanao regardless of tribe, nationality and ideology,
… to the people of Maguindanao and of Mindanao.

Reflecting on Cambodia’s National Day of Mourning
By Emma Leslie
The Water Festival is a time of great celebration in Cambodia. It is always celebrated around November but the dates are dependent on the moon. Some say it’s a chance to honour the rivers which replenish the soil for the harvest. Others say it’s to honour the spirits which make the river miraculous change direction and flow in the other direction.  Mostly it’s the time where the people from Cambodia’s countryside take over the capital! Phnom Penh is theirs. They sleep along the streets, they cheer on the boat of their district, they stay up all night and enjoy the myriad of free entertainment from fireworks to concerts and traditional dancing. It’s a grand celebration of life! The development of a new island in the river, accessed through such a beautiful bridge decorated with a Naga snake,  was this year such a focal point for the celebration. So many went to Diamond Island over the holiday period for the trade show, the fun park, the free concerts, the displays and because so many other people were there to see! Such a focal point of joy and happiness, amongst Cambodia’s rural poor.

To Increase Transparency, Make Local Budgets Public in the Philippines
We came across this article at The Asia Foundation website. Balay Mindanaw holds the Project Management of the Budget Tracking for Transparent Accountable Governance (BTTAG) project in three provinces and 17 cities in Mindanao. Nadine S. Ragonjan wrote: "Local government budgets in the Philippines are by nature public and are important instruments for policy making and planning. But, inequities often emerge when local officials monopolize allocation decisions, which do not always reflect the priorities of the people who rely on local government services such as health care, social services, and low-cost housing for survival. Historically, civil society organizations (CSOs) have played a critical role in improving the local budgeting process. Their engagement with local governments not only enhances transparency by revealing how funds are allocated, but also increases legitimacy by opening dialogue and building consensus."

Empowerment not Punishment: Mindanao
On the conference report of the international coference on “New Horizons. Linking Development Cooperation and Transitional Justice for Sustainable Peace” held in Berlin on January 27-28, 2010, BM’s Kaloy was cited: “From his work in Mindanao, Kaloy Manlupig from the Balay Mindanaw Foundation Inc. (BMFI) pointed to the historical dimension of land problems dating back to colonial times: ‘The dispossession of lands and the marginalisation of the indigenous communities can be considered as among the biggest unresolved historical injustices.’ Longstanding violent conflicts are also linked to this situation. Peace processes are under way in which the BMFI has been involved for some time. BMFI’s strategy is to include land reform – and linked with this – agrarian reform that also allows access to natural resources, finances, technology, infrastructure and other components without which land reform would not be effective. BMFI tries to ensure this by way of a bottom-up peace process that includes the poor and landless communities on the one hand and, on the other, the military and rebel forces. ‘Enemies have to be won over, not defeated,’ said Manlupig.” Download the PDF copy of the report.

Remembering a good man
Gail Tan Ilagan, a psychology professor at the Ateneo de Davao University, remembers Lt. Joseph Jake Paler, who died in the 2000 “all-out war” against the MILF and one of the subjects of her book “War Wounded: Combat Stress Sequelae of 10ID Soldiers,” in her Wayward and Fanciful column for MindaNews. Her book was launched at Xavier University last Oct. 8, with Jake’s parents attending. She told Col. Jose C. Paler (Ret.) and retired HS principal Angela M. Paler: “Your son Jake was a good man. You lost him in the prime of his life, and that must have been very, very hard for you. May you however be comforted to know that he remains to be well-remembered; that the good that was in Jake will always have the power to touch the rest of us – even those who never knew him in life – and that he continues to be an inspiration to his brothers-in-arms. We can never thank you enough for raising him to be a God-fearing, responsible and patriotic citizen of this land.”

Colombia: Can the military bring peace?
Kristian Herbolzheimer of Conciliation Resources (CR), in this article for BBC, looks at the military’s role in the new administration of President Juan Manuel Santos. CR is an international NGO based in the UK that pursues peace building, conflict resolution and works in partnership with local and international civil society groups and other partners in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Pacific. As CR's Adviser on Peace Processes, Kristian coordinates the Commulative Learning Project which aims to help understand the peace processes focusing on Colombia and the Philippines. He was responsible in the conduct of the Philippine-Colombia Peace Practitioners' Exchange this June and July 2010 where Balay Mindanaw was part in sharing our experiences in peacbuilding with the military and non-state actors with our Colombian counterparts. Kristian, representing CR, is also a member of the International Contact Group (ICG) for GRP-MILF Peace Process.

Robredo okays Mindanao Peace and Order Coordinating Council
Balay Mindanaw and Department of the Interior and Local Government-Region 10 go on board into a yearlong Mindanao-wide campaign of establishing the Mindanao Peace and Order Coordinating Council (MPOCC). This was affirmed by the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and DILG-10 Regional Director Loreto Bagwani during the 19th anniversary celebration of the Local Government Code of 1991 last October 8. “Yes this is an idea whose time has come,” said Bishop Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ DD.

19th Anniversary Celebration of the Local Government Code of 1991
Strengthening Local Autonomy through Transparent, Accountable Governance and Peacebuilding
In partnership with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the 5 regions of Mindanao, Balay Mindanaw Group, the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro and other civil society organizations celebrate the 19th anniversary of the Local Government Code of 1991 on October 8, 2010 at Pryce Plaza, Cagayan de Oro City. With the theme, “Strengthening Local Autonomy through Transparent, Accountable Governance and Peacebuilding,” the celebration highlights the launching of the Regional Peace and Order Council led by DILG Region 10 and an afternoon forum among local chief executives and stakeholders of local governance and development from Regions 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, together with DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo.

MisOr recognizes Lawig Kalinaw (Peace Journey) Movement
The Lawig Kalinaw (or Peace Journey), a movement of peace builders, has been acclaimed as new member of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of Misamis Oriental, thanks to the stories of learning from the community leaders who were graduates of Peacebuilding Courses. This has motivated the Council and its Executive Director, Teddy Sabuga-a, to consider the movement, based in the province, as part of the government-mandated mechanism to discuss resolutions to peace and conflict issues in the province. In a special meeting of the PPOC in September 8, 2010 presided by Vice Governor Norris Babiera in lieu of Governor Oscar Moreno, the Executive Order expanding the present composition of the council, specifically including the National Commission on Interfaith Dialogues and the “Lawig Kalinaw” Movement, was finally passed.

Caring for daycare workers as a move towards peace
Daycare workers are among the most neglected sectors in government, receiving meager salaries and benefits and enjoying no security of tenure. Moreover, most daycare centers face the perennial problem of having inadequate facilities and being at the bottom of the local governments’ list of priorities. At times, they even unwittingly get entangled in conflicts between local politicians. In addition, there are parents who question the individual capability of daycare workers. These were the common woes aired by daycare workers from Gingoog City and the towns of Claveria and Lagonglong in Misamis Oriental who attended a peace-building course, on August 19-24, at Balay Mindanaw’s International Center for Peace in Cagayan de Oro City. All of them in fact waxed sentimental upon watching the internationally acclaimed movie “Mga Munting Tinig” (Small Voices), as the story’s plot portrays the realities they confront daily in their barangays – a hardly functional school system, sense of helplessness amid abject poverty, armed conflict, and hard choices.

BMG takes part in the CAPDEV Expo 2010
Balay Mindanaw Group joined the first-ever Capacity Development Expo (CapDev Expo) held last Sept 22, 2010 in Cagayan de Oro City. Organized by the Department of Interior and Local Government in Northern Mindanao, the CapDev Expo 2010 was attended by almost 300 participants from the local government units, private sectors especially NGOs and academe of Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Bukidnon and Misamis Occidental. Some mayors and vice mayors from these provinces were also present in this regional meet.

Book on peace building in the communities launched
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/22 Sept) -- A book on peace building efforts in the communities was launched here on Tuesday, in time for the International Day of Peace and the commemoration of the declaration of martial law in the Philippines. The 92-page “Lawig Kalinaw: Mga Sugilanon sa Pagpanday og Kalinaw sa Katilingban” is published by the Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI) and its sister non-governmental organization, the Katilingbanong Pamahandi sa Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (KPMFI).

Paul Richard Paraguya, Balay Mindanaw’s new Executive Director
The Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI) Board of Trustees announces the appointment of Paul Richard A. Paraguya as the new Executive Director effective September 16, 2010. Paul succeeds Ariel “Ayi” Hernandez who has served as Balay Mindanaw’s Executive Director for the past five years. Ayi continues to be a member of the Board and at the same time the Treasurer of the Foundation. With Paul at the helm of BMFI operations, Ayi will now focus on ensuring the sustainability of the Balay Mindanaw Group thru creative and non-conventional approaches in resource mobilization.

Army, Church team up to promote peace culture in Mindanao
The GMA News reported this on 7 September 2010: The Philippine Army and the Catholic Church's Cagayan de Oro Archdiocese have teamed up with a non-government organization to promote a culture of peace there in Mindanao. Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma said he and Maj. Gen. Victor Felix, head of the Army's 4th Infantry Division, discussed peace issues on Saturday. “We talked about peace, which is everybody’s main concern, especially here in Mindanao," Ledesma said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news site on Tuesday. “Peace transcends boundaries. All our efforts are peace-building should also go beyond religion, culture and status," he added.

Budget Tracking towards Transparent and Accountable Governance (BTTAG) project launched
The election of President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III under a platform of genuine change brings with it a magnitude of challenges and opportunities for both those in government service and civil society organizations. Aquino’s election despite his being a reluctant candidate was the fruit of a concerted effort to effect good governance—one that is corruption-free, open, transparent and accountable. The role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in his campaign and eventual election as President was more pronounced during the last elections than previous elections.

CSOs play vital role in ensuring transparency and accountability in governance
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — To ensure accountability and transparency in all local government units, civil society organizations (CSOs) must get involved in governance, according to the regional director of the Department of Interior and Local Government in Northern Mindanao (DILG-10). “The wish of the Secretary (Jesse Robredo), in line with the vision of the President, is transparency and accountability in governance (TAG). But this cannot be done by us (in government) alone. This can be done with the involvement of others in the civil society organizations,” stressed Dir. Loreto Bhagwani.

Strengthening the fabric of society
Finding inner peace is difficult for somebody who had little time to enjoy his childhood and spent most of his adolescence picking up a fight. But at 38 years old., Lino Queroyla is well on his way. Lino grew up in the hinterlands of Kinoguitan. At a very young age, he had to help out in the farm so that his family would have food on the table. He’d walk the long road to school and make sure he was back home very quickly after class so he could help his family with the chores. While other boys his age were thinking of games and fun, Lino wanted to become a priest to be of service to his community by preaching about God.

El Capitan holds his punches
This story is among the articles that will be part of a book Balay Mindanaw is launching soon. “Lawig Kalinaw” will contain peacebuilding stories from the communities. This is about Barangay Chairman Leonardo Quidet of Panampawan in Claveria, Misamis Oriental, who was a boxer in his youth. He is enjoying the peace and quiet in the mountains, tilling his own farm. But then trouble came his way while trying to keep the peace, as drunkards challenged him to a fist fight. How did this peace builder respond? Read on...

Philippines and Colombia: Their conflicts and their efforts towards peace
Colombia and the Philippines have so much in common. Apart from being Spanish colonies in the past, having a presidential system and with newly installed presidents, both have strong varied ethnic and linguistic peoples and communities but with centralized governments. Furthermore, both countries have long histories of internal violent conflicts characterized by strong inequity, unequal distribution of land, discrimination of indigenous peoples, lack of institutional development set up by the state, militarization and the presence of diversified armed groups as well. No doubt that both countries have made efforts in peace negotiations with rebel groups, set up government peace panels and have let the international community play roles, though in varied levels and intensity.

Recalling the concepts, facing the challenges
Some 30 junior military officers and a handful of police personnel came to the recall session for graduates of the Operation Peace Course (Op Kors), a peace building program of the Eastern Mindanao Command and Balay Mindanaw Foundation Inc., at the 6th Infantry Division camp in Barangay Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao. But in what seemed to be a macabre twist of fate, the venue inside the camp carries the name Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan Peace Center. Two months before the recall session, some 60 people, including 32 journalists and media workers, were massacred in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao, the bloodiest case of political violence in the country’s history. The alleged masterminds are Datu Zaldy himself, governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and his father and brother. For the military the incident, which was then still fresh and vivid in the public psyche, was a big blow to their image as protectors of the people and could have caused a big dip in troop morale. In fact, in their sharing of experiences some of the participants cited the carnage as one of the saddest things that happened after attending the Op Kors training.

BMFI to hold peace policy forum with Mindanao’s key military officials
Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI) will be holding a peace policy forum with Mindanao’s key military leadership together with the academe, civil society, church and government agencies at the Ateneo de Davao on February 19. To be anchored by ANC’s Tina Monzon-Palma, the forum will tackle the question “Transforming Conflict and Building Peace in Mindanao Towards Security Sector Reform: An Option or a Policy?” To tackle issues on workable peace policies and peace interventions in the Armed Forces are panelists Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzalez, Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer of the Eastern Mindanao Command and Anak Mindanaw Party List Representative Ariel Hernandez.

I seePEACEinMINDANAW
Please check out "The Occasional Monograph of Balay Mindanaw Foundation Inc. (BMFI)." Kaloy Manlupig's thoughts on "The Work for Land Rights, Justice, Development and Sustainable Peace in Mindanao." You need Adobe Reader or other PDF readers to view the monograph. Download here. (Right click on link and "Save link as...")

Military and Police Officers push for peace education, prevention and management of local conflicts and building peace, amidst the Maguindanao incident
We, the military and police officers, declare our strong commitment to continue working for peace in our areas of operations. We, from the Eastern Mindanao Command, AFP (EASTMINCOM), and Directorate for Integrated Police Operations-Eastern Mindanao (DIPO-EM), assert our peacebuilding efforts and pronounce our plan to continue doing peace education and training.

Balay Mindanaw Statement on the Maguindanao Massacre
The latest reports say that more than forty innocent and defenseless civilians, including media persons, have been killed in Ampatuan, Maguindanao Province in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. This could be one of the darkest moments in our history. We are shocked and appalled by this madness. This is difficult to understand, much more accept. As peace workers, we have been made to understand that violence could just be an explosion (and implosion) of a deeper conflict. This is a jolting reminder of the deep historical, structural and cultural problems that we have to face. As we seek to analyze and understand this impunity and cruelty, we seek Divine guidance not to fall into the trap of anger and despair. More than ever, we are called to love and understand, really love and really understand.

‘Boodle fight’ to ‘boodle peace’: from warriors to peace builders
MindaNews' Walter Balane, after observing an OPKORS seminar for soldiers in Davao, wrote: "Counting how many battles fought, enemies killed, and firearms recovered has been among the usual indicators in an official’s military scoreboard. But it’s got to change, military officials tell new generation officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Mindanao. But it’s got to change, military officials tell new generation officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Mindanao. Col. Julieto Ando, of the Eastern Mindanao Command, has stressed this point to junior military officers who attended the Operation Peace Course (OPKORS), a conflict management and peace building training, now on its seventh in a series, organized by the AFP, Balay Mindanao Foundation Inc. and other partners."

The Philippines: Troupled times ahead?
Read this account by Paul Clifford on the GRP-RPM-M peace talks (from the Respond to Conflict website): I last visited Manila four years ago - not much has changed. The streets still jammed with too many cars and the papers still full of the latest political scandal and rumour-mongering. Top of the bill are the Presidential elections due next year. Under the constitution, formed in 1897, a President is not permitted to stand for office for two consecutive terms and there are now rumours that this might be about to change. Some papers speak about attempts to change the constitution to allow for a second term, that a state of emergency will be declared, the constitution suspended and the elections cancelled; that there will be a military coup; and others, that ‘people power' will rise up and overthrow the President. Choose your conspiracy theory! During my visit, there were in fact ongoing discussions about amending the constitution, alongside denials from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo that she wants to stand again as President or for the potentially created role of Prime Minister.

Daghang Salamat, Kapitan Pempe!
Balay Mindanaw is grateful to this leader because of the important role he played in the history of Balay Mindanaw. Balay Mindanaw and its staff will always be grateful to him for the gift of trust and support he has given to each one and to the whole institution. While we in Balay Mindanaw are very sad that he has left this world, it is also worthwhile to celebrate his life, the gift he gave to Balay Mindanaw.
Kapitan Pempe Casino died last July 30. In the last 13 years of his life, he had touched the life of Balay Mindanaw. He had also touched the lives of many of us – who are part of Balay Mindanaw then and now.

Hernandez: Where are the Mindanawons in GMA’s SONA?
ANAK MINDANAW Party-List Representative Ariel C. Hernandez expressed disappointment for not hearing more of the President’s statement on Mindanao, in as much as he also wanted to appreciate the recently delivered SONA of President Arroyo and the accomplishments mentioned in it. “I was waiting for her to mention clear statements that concern Mindanao and how her administration also invested in Mindanao, as it should have been reflected in her total budget. Rather, I heard vague statistics,” uttered Hernandez, who expected much from the President’s supposed-to-be last SONA. “Meanwhile, she allotted so much of her time stating most of her Manila-centered achievements and criticisms against her detractors,” he added.

More than winning wars, 6th ID officers work at winning the peace
Amidst a landscape of unrelenting combat between state security forces and the MILF dating back to June of the previous year, a series of command-detonated explosives going off and injuring many civilians in key areas of Central and Northern Mindanao, as well as the ARMM region, and snowballing hawkish public calls for an immediate AFP reprisal dotting news stories in the mass media, the agenda for peace stayed defiant and kept its presence felt last week (July 7-8, 2009) right in Maguindanao province, where the alarm bells of war seem to ring loudest. It found its voice in Balay Mindanaw Foundation’s orientation-seminar for the state security sector -- “Building Capacities for Conflict Management and Peacebuilding” -- and its message was heard by no less than leading officers of frontline units belonging to the 6th Infantry Division (6ID) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Eastern Mindanao Command.

Peace Journey
DAVAO CITY, Mindanao, Philippines -- Like the veeerrry looong and winding road that connects Cagayan de Oro City to Davao City, the road to peace is full of detours, potholes and challenges that every traveler must negotiate and traverse to get to his/her destination in one piece. And Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI), through its internationally-recognized and internationally-known International Center for Peace in Mindanaw (IC Peace in Mindanaw), and Kab-ot Gahum: Resource Center for Empowerment and Development (RCED), is now leading the journey to peace in the island of Mindanao.

IHL 101 pushed through in Mindanao
Twenty-five (25) key leaders from NGOs, PO federations and networks coming from Misamis Occidental, Lanao provinces, Cotabato, Maguindanao, Bukidnon as well as Cagayan de Oro City working for the promotion of human rights-international humanitarian law in Mindanao gathered for a two-day Consultative Forum on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) on 26-27 May 2009 at the Balay Mindanaw International Center for Peace in Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City. The activity primarily aimed at addressing the fact that while many human rights (HR) violations were documented and reported through fact finding missions, International Humanitarian Law (IHL) related incidence are rarely investigated and included in the over-all human rights reports. Evidently, people readily recognized HR violations but could hardly distinguish the difference between human rights law and international humanitarian law.

PEACE in Mindanaw Academy (PMA)
Full text of Rep. Ariel C. Hernandez at the House of Representatives, delivered on 18 May 2009, about the creation of a peace academy. Excerpts: "...this humble representation, molded by the institutional wisdom of Balay Mindanaw, which has been actively working for peace in Mindanaw these past years ... is proposing for the establishment of Peace in Mindanaw Academy (PMA). If war and unpeace have dominated the picture of our beloved island over the last 5 decades, Anak Mindanaw believes that by setting up a PMA, our beloved region of Mindanaw will be known as the center of gravity of all peace education and peace building initiatives not only in Mindanaw and in the country but also in the Asian Region."

EastMinCom CMO Unit officers complete Operation Peace Course (Op Kors!)
Twenty-five (25) officers from the various Civil Military Operations Units of the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as well as representatives from the Philippine National Police, the 104th Infantry Brigade (1ID) and the National Democratic Institute finally completed the four-day Operation Peace Course facilitated by the International Center for Peace in Mindanaw (ICPeace) of the Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. last May 2.

Balay Mindanaw’s Ariel C. Hernandez now a party list representative of the 14th Congress
Ariel “Ayi” C. Hernandez, the Executive Director of Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI), is now one of the newest sectoral representatives to the House of Representatives under the partylist of Anak Mindanao (AMIN). The Commission on Elections has proclaimed 27 party-list nominees to occupy the 29 vacant congressional seats to the 14th Congress following the order of the Supreme Court last April 25, 2009. On Tuesday, April 27, 2009, at 5 p.m., they took oath of office before the House of Representatives session hall with Speaker Prospero Nograles inducting.

Balay Mindanaw holds OPKors! training for CMO units
Some 35 soldiers from the various Civil Military Operations Units (CMOUs) of the Armed Forces’ Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) are currently undergoing a five-day Conflict Management and Peacebuilding training dubbed as the Operation Peace Course (OPKors!) starting April 27, 2009. OPKors! is a comprehensive peace building course design for peacebuilders in Mindanaw. It is a course that aims at building peace cadres coming from different sectors in the society, and multiplying peace constituency at the different levels of engagement. The course provides theoretical inputs with matching practical application based on community-based experiences and other peace initiatives. It has four core modules developed by Balay Mindanaw, and has been customized for different groups.

Peacebuilding and Conflict Management for Special CAFGU Active Auxiliary
“Ipasabot sa ila ang kaimportante sa kalinaw. Dili lang pagduty ang inyong trabaho. Dugang kamo sa solusyon sa problema, dili dugang sa problema. Kaya may Op Kors! tayo, para mas masabtan ninyo ang inyong trabaho.”(“Let them understand the importance of peace. Your work is not limited only to your tour of duty. You are part of the solution, not to worsen the problem. That is why we are having Op Kors! to understand our work.”) This was shared by 2LT Raul Obaob, one of the military trainors for OP KORS during the Peacebuilding and Conflict Management for Special CAFGU Active Auxiliary (SCAA). There were 66 SCAAs who underwent this training at the 403rd Infantry Brigade in Camp Osito Bahian, Malaybalay City last February 21-25, 2009.

People’s participation ‘key’ to peace
Check this SunStar article by Bong Fabe on a forum hosted by BMFI: "A key element in ensuring sustainable development efforts in conflict-ridden communities in Mindanao is people’s participation, a senior officer of the Philippine Army said. Col. Benito de Leon, commander of the Philippine Army’s 104th “Sultan” Brigade based in Iligan City, said people who have been educated about the root causes and effects of the conflict in Mindanao as well as the different approaches to building sustainable peace and development have a great chance of helping build foundations of a more secure society."

Whose Peace, Whose Building?
Keynote address of Simon Fisher during the Asia Peacebuilders Forum, October 2008, Nepal: "Friends, greetings. How wonderful it is to see all these familiar faces, and equally wonderful to see all the new – to me - faces….It is exhilarating to be here and to able spend some time with you, to share ideas and experience and inspirations. And to do so in Nepal, of all places, a country which, in the process of its transition, is gaining much from, and contributing a great deal to, the insights and expertise of peacebuilders, from grassroots to governmental levels. And in this region of the world where the constituency of peacebuilders is growing and becoming stronger all the time. Witness the numbers of us here. Peacebuilding is coming of age, coming to maturity."

ICPeace 2009 Operation Peace Works
Balay Mindanaw, through its International Center for Peace in Mindanaw (ICPeace), is opening its 2009 Operation Peace Works with a range of courses, trainings, study session, film showing, conferences and other events that deal with the knowledge, skills and experience of community advocates, youth, academe, military, local government officials and practitioners working in the fields of peace building, conflict transformation, conflict management, development work, governance and other related areas.

UN, NGOs avert mass starvation in flood-hit Mindanao
Check out this news article on the website of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) that featured the efforts of the Balay Mindanaw Group of NGOs, along with the Lutheran World Relief (LWR), to help raise funds for flood victims in Misamis Oriental.

Ferrer takes over as EastMinCom chief
Maj. Gen. Raymundo B. Ferrer, Balay Mindanao's partner in peace-building in the military, has just been promoted to head the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom). We partnered with him as early as his Basilan days as brigade commander some years back, later as 1st Infantry "Tabak" Division commander, then until his most recent assignment, as head of the 6th Infantry "Kampilan" Division. From dealing with Moro rebels, MGen. Ferrer will now be dealing the New People's Army. Here's a link of his promotion by MindaNews' Carol Arguillas. We wish him luck!

Balay Mindanaw Revisited
Girlie and I have just returned home to Quezon City after a heart warming visit to Cagayan de Oro. Ayi Hernandez and Kaloy Manlupig had invited us to a two-day assessment and planning workshop of Balay Mindanaw Foundation Inc. or BMFI. “But if you can,  come a day earlier,” they said, “so you can join us in the fiesta celebrations.” BMFI’s office is in Barangay Bulua of Cagayan de Oro, and its fiesta falls on December 8. It’s always a special treat when Girlie and I can travel together. In this case doubly so, since the last time we traveled to Mindanao was in 2006, and we also visited BMFI then. That was her first time to stay at BMFI’s Peace Center, and meet some of the people of Balay Mindanaw. (Republished with permission)

Lanao del Norte provincial employees attend seminar for peace
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Thirty-nine employees from the provincial government of Lanao del Norte attended on July 9-11, 2008 a seminar-workshop on peace-building at Apple Tree Beach Resort this city. Sponsored by the Provincial Government of Lanao del Norte in coordination with Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc., the workshop provided an overview of the national peace plan which is the blueprint of every local government's peace building initiatives. Read more at the PIA website

A personal journey with the 'bakwits'
"I did not have the chance to run and hide because of my poor condition. I am already old and weak. They caught me in the street. They beat me up all over, pushed me, and suddenly one of them hit my left ear with a bolo. They dragged and left me in the street. My ear was bleeding severely. After that experience, I have a hard time sleeping. I have these thoughts of that night’s events. I am afraid that they would come back." These were the words of 73-year-old Nong Tiburcio as he vividly recalled the events that happened to him during the first day of the attack of an MILF renegade group led by Commander Bravo in several towns in Lanao del Norte last August 18, 2008. It was a shocking experience for this old man. While he shared his plight, his hands and feet were trembling.

Reclaiming Peace Within: A Basic Training on Community-based Trauma Healing
“Pamatia kung unsa nga parte sa imong lawas ang sakit?” This is one of the basic questions asked of people who have experienced violence in helping them regain their confidence and their worth despite the pain and what violence has inflicted on them. This is also one of the questions asked when you are being taught how to be aware of your bodily responses to negative experiences. If the question is answered, then the healing begins. Thirty-two warm bodies gathered together at the Balay Mindanaw Peace Center in Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City for a three-day session on “Reclaiming Peace Within: A Basic Training on Community-based Trauma Healing” held last September 3 to 5, 2008.

"Healing in Lapayan"
A poem by Victor Peñaranda

Global Xchange volunteers hear Mindanao lecture from the experts
Amid the growing tension between government soldiers and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the province of Lanao del Norte and while all kinds of forums regarding the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) are being facilitated all over the country, 19 young volunteers of the Global Xchange Programme chose to seek better understanding of the Mindanao situation at the Balay Mindanaw Peace Center last August 26.

Healing in Lapayan
A poem by Victor Peñaranda, iligan city-lanao del norte

Balay Mindanaw shares Ateneo Peace Award on its 12th year
Last December 9, 2007, Balay Mindanaw received the Ateneo peace award. The award is bestowed on persons or groups, government or non-government, who have made significant contributions to the peace process and culture of peace. It is a recognition of work on peacebuilding, agrarian reform, sustainable development and democratic participation in governance. But for Balay Mindanaw, the award is not only for the organization itself but also, and most especially, to its partner communities, government and non-government organizations, academe and the religious sector, who have been with Balay Mindanaw. A shared award for the shared experiences, learning and reflections.

To Kaloy ... a message from the Board Members & Staff
Your constant journeying with us has given each and everyone of us the courage to face the challenges of fulfilling the mission of Balay Mindanaw towards attaining our shared vision of equity, development and peace for Mindanaw, for the Philippines, for the World.

East Timor martial artists learn peacebuilding in Mindanaw
Key leaders of the different martial arts groups of East Timor visited Mindanao last April 19-24 and had an exposure on the different peace initiatives of Balay Mindanaw. They had the opportunity to learn and share experiences with rural communities on community-based peacebuilding, the negotiation process between GRP and RPM-M, and also had a dialogue with military commanders who are now engaged in peacebuilding.

TSP’s Vic Hao Chin pushes for youth development
Balay Mindanaw recently invited Vic Hao Chin, President of the Theosophical Society of the Philippines, to hold a session on how to handle and help develop our youth. The topic is very important such that Balay Mindanaw is now looking at a more strategic intervention towards community youth development and peace.

Waging Peace in the Barangay
A movement is now slowly brewing in the barangays of Misamis Oriental, slowly transforming the once conflict areas into peaceful ones. A calm and gentle atmosphere is slowly creeping into the local people’s consciousness. As part of its strategy of educating towards a culture of peace, Balay Mindanaw has been continuously conducting comprehensive peace building courses dubbed “OP KORS! Operation Peace Course.” Silent, obscure and away from the limelight of media, these local people have been waging peace in their respective barangays. Right after their OP KORS Training, through their recalls, come stories of their journey of peace. They have told stories of how they have handled conflicts in their homes better (Peace work at home) and how as local leaders, they have managed and resolved conflicts better.

Play for Peace: A Dialogue Through Sports
Mindanao has long been torn by wars and conflicts. These displaced thousands of people, destroyed homes and claimed thousands of lives. For decades, peace has been an elusive dream. It is said that Mindanao has had a history of unrest partly due to the diverse characters of its population. That this diversity has led to conflict among the various groups. This has been proven wrong last January 25-27, when badminton players from all over the country and from the different sectors of society came and played for peace.

Peace through badminton attracts big crowd
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/26 Jan) -- It's just a game, but organizers of the first "Let's Play for Peace in Mindanao" badminton tournament here hope it can somehow contribute to the attainment of peace in the island. It seems to have gotten the attention of many a badminton enthusiast as the tournament attracted a total of 558 players (or 279 pairs) from all over the country, cutting across various sectors, including religious (both Muslims and Christians), soldiers, students, government officials, and many more. Organizers over a hundred more in the waiting list could not be accommodated anymore.

Balay Mindanaw receives Ateneo Peace Award
On December 9, 2007, Balay Mindanaw was conferred the Ateneo Peace Award during ceremonies at the Ateneo de Zamboanga High School Building, Tumuga, Zamboanga City. The award is bestowed on persons or groups, government or non-government, who have made significant contributions to the peace process and culture of peace. Read the speech of Sylvia Okinlay-Paraguya, Balay board chair. Read also the closing speech of Antonio F. Moreno, S.J., president of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University. Click here for the citation, and here for more info about the award.

Institutionalization of peace training among soldiers pushed
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The top brass in the military in Mindanao, as well as commanders on the ground, feel the need to institutionalize trainings on peace building and conflict management to help bring about peace in the island and as part of the efforts to transform soldiers to become responsible warriors.

Archbishop Ledesma backs ‘Baklay Sumilao’
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma has expressed support to the Sumilao farmers who have started to walk from Sumilao, Bukidnon all the way to Malacañang in an attempt to reclaim the 144 hectares awarded to them under the government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).In his letter to priests and vicars of Misamis Oriental, Ledesma asked them to show support to the farmers’ cause. He urged his flock to organize the parishioners to provide food, make posters manifesting their support, and interact with the farmers.

10 years later, Mapalad farmers still didn’t get their land
TEN YEARS AFTER they staged hunger strikes and stormed the halls of Congress, Sumilao farmers still did not get their lands under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Act of 1988. What is worse, the 144-hectare land in barangay San Vicente in Sumilao which the farmers wanted was sold by its owner, Norberto Quisumbing Sr., to business tycoon and former ally of late President Ferdinand Marcos, Eduardo Cojuangco, according to Kaloy Manlupig of Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI).

Peace Course with the military still going 
… despite war in Basilan and Sulu
THE NINTH BATCH of soldiers now undergoing the Course on Conflict Management and Peace Building at the Balay Mindanao Peace Center from August 13-17 may be the last. But the question still lingers: “What happens after the training?” This is one of the questions Col. Raynard Ronnie Y. Javier, commanding officer of the 103rd Infantry Brigade, posed as a challenge to his 33 officers and men who attended the Operation Peace Course, or OPKORS!

Remembering Isse Abdi Isse
Isse Abdi Isse, who attended last year's Action Asia Peace Builder's Fourm at the Balay Mindanaw Peace Center as an Africa representative, was killed in Mogadishu last Thursday. His group, the Kisima Peace and Development Organization, strongly condemns "the cowardly barbarian killing" in Mogadishu on Thursday, March 14th, 2007. Isse is remembered for his tireless work of defending the right of the defenseless for the last one and half decades. He left behind two widdows, three daughters and one son.

Workshop Unites Conflict Parties
Why would representatives from OPAPP, MNLF, MILF, CPP/NPA, CPLA, RPMP and RPMM¹ like to join one workshop? Whatever reasons the respective groups and the individuals had to join the activity, five out of the seven groups listed above have sent representatives to participate in the workshop on November 30 till December 2, 2006. The workshop, dubbed “Frameworks in Peace Negotiations,” was initiated by Conciliation Resources, a British based non-government organisation that is supporting negotiation and mediation processes in various countries all over the world. The meeting was hosted by BMFI, a local NGO in Cagayan de Oro that is facilitating and mediating one of the four peace processes in Mindanao.

Letter from Africa
Richard Smith, a South African who attended the Peace Forum at Balay Mindanaw in October 2006, writes from Africa: I am writing about a dire situation developing here in Southern Africa. The crisis in Zimbabwe has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. The police and army are out in full force in Harare, and in several other reported incidents across the country police and soldiers have dealt extremely violently with protests. People are being shot, beaten extremely brutally, and even killed. All of this on the back of years of intimidation by the state using rape and other forms of thuggery to subdue and scare people.

Meet a soldier who builds peace
A soldier into peacebuilding? Perhaps this may sound ironical because traditionally, people have feared the military and associated them with war and violence. Even with a relatively “trusted” military like the United Nations peacekeeping force, these negative perceptions still exist. However, in Western Mindanao, Maj. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, currently commander of the First “Tabak” Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, is trying hard to challenge these perceptions. But he made his mark as a peace builder as commanding general of the 103rd Infantry Brigade in the island province of Basilan from 2004 to 2006. He was also battalion commander in the area a decade earlier.

‘Manok Mindanaw’ transforms Libertad households
Earning a net income of P2,000 to P6,000 every two months -- added to whatever they could earn from selling copra, corn or rice -- has changed and continues to transform Barangay Libertad in Gingoog City. The additional income is derived from raising broilers on contract. But isn’t poultry contract growing a big agribusiness that only people with capital in the millions of pesos could afford? A happy synergy of social preparation by an NGO in cooperation with a responsive community, a businessman who recognizes the value of social discipline after failing in other communities, and a thriving market for a popular food item (lechon manok), these elements have converged in this bustling barangay less than 20 kilometers away from the poblacion of Gingoog City.

GRP, RPM-M sign agreement on ceasefire ground rules
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- As their Christmas gift to residents to Mindanaoans, representatives of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Mindanao (RPM-M) signed Dec. 19 an agreement detailing the ground rules of the ceasefire agreed upon over a year ago. Government chief peace negotiator Franklin Quijano said the agreement means that guns will be silent in villages under the influence of the RPM-M, which include at least six provinces. The main forces of the RPM-M are reportedly in Lanao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and the newly created Shariff Kabunsuan.

Can soldiers be peace builders?
LABANGAN, Zamboanga del Sur -- Can soldiers who are trained for war, also work for peace? The Army’s First “Tabak” Division (1ID) -- particularly its commander, newly promoted Maj. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer -- wants to prove that it can be done. Tabak’s area of responsibility is the western part of Mindanao which includes the Zamboanga provinces, Basilan and parts of Sulu. “We already have so much training on fighting, since our cadet days,” Ferrer, a member of Class 1977 of the Philippine Military Academy, told his soldiers. “Maybe it’s about time we teach soldiers to do peace building,” he added.

BalayMin to host ‘First Action Asia Peacebuilders Forum’
At least 50 peace practitioners from all over the Asia Pacific Region will come together in a 5-day forum to identify uniquely Asian approaches in the field of conflict transformation and peacebuilding, and celebrate the vibrancy and successes of peace building initiatives in the different countries in Asia. The First Action Asia Peacebuilders Forum with the theme “Exploring Asian Approaches to Peacebuilding”, will be held on October 26-31, 2005 at the Balay Mindanaw Peace Center in Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City. Dr. Johan Galtung, who is the recognized Father of Conflict Studies and founder of the PRIO-International Peace Research Institute in Oslo, and a member of the Advisory Council of the Committee for a democratic United Nations, will be the Forum keynote speaker. Galtung is also considered as the one who coined the term “peace journalism”.

BMFI's Ayi Hernandez chosen as one of young leaders
to represent the Philippines in South Korea forum
BMFI Executive Director Ayi C. Hernandez has been chosen as one of the participants in the First Philippines 21 Young Leaders Forum organized by the Asia Society-Philippines and HSBC for the group's efforts at building peace in the island. He and the nine other young leaders will represent the Philippines in the Asia 21 Young Leaders Forum in Seoul, South Korea in November. Read the story here as reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Dumalondong revisited
Lessons from the spiritual world of the Higanonons vs. the secular
FOR US WHO were schooled and products of the logical and scientific thinking, we could hardly comprehend anything related to the spirits. It is out of the realm of science and logic. However, there is a growing movement towards the recognition of their presence. While mainstream society has just begun to realize it, for the Higaonons, it has already been part of their everyday lives for centuries. We were invited to attend a Dumalondong ritual last August 21-24, 2006. It was a high ritual and a big cultural event for the Higaonons. The Dumalondong is the spirit that oversees all things.

BMFI leads Mindanao generals engage in peace building
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Early last Thursday (Aug. 25), the offices of Balay Mindanao Foundation, Inc. teemed with combat camouflage uniforms, some of them with stars on their collars, as if war erupted anew in Mindanao and the BMFI’s “peace center” converted into a war room. What was surprising, though, was that the generals, and some colonels, obliged to BMFI’s polite request not to bring firearms inside. There was no need to bring those instruments of war, because for the rest of the day, Mindanao’s highest ranking soldiers -- along with representatives from civil society, local governments, the church, the academe and others -- were attending a roundtable discussion on how to equip the Armed Forces’ Southern Command (SouthCom) with skills on conflict management and peace building.

The sun shines for the flowers in Kalagunoy
IT’S 5:00 o’clock in the early morning, the village is still very quiet as Rhodora “Tata” Vicente prepares her three baskets of chrysanthemum. While it breaks her heart watching her two small pre-school kids still asleep -- the other three are already awake preparing for school -- she just have to hurry to catch the only passenger jeepney going to the city, some 14 kilometers away. To be able to cope with the day’s work, her husband, Damaso, usually wakes up earlier and help in the household chores. Carrying her small handbag, she quickly slips her small figure through the small wooden door in the kitchen. Together with 10 other members of the Blooming Forest Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BFMPC), they carefully pile their delicate flowers inside the jeepney.

Going organic in Languyod, Libertad
EVERY time Adela Avian Dalapo, 48, and her family eat their home-grown fruits and vegetables, they eat their food with gusto, knowing they are among the lucky ones, unlike many people who get theirs from the market, not knowing how these were grown. “Me, I’m very satisfied with my vegetables and fruits because I know these are free from fertilizers and other chemicals,” said the 48-year-old housekeeper from the hinterland Sitio Languyod in Barangay Libertad, some 18 kilometers away from downtown Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental. Adela is lucky because she was among those trained by BMFI, starting in 2005, on diversified integrated farming system, which is basically sustainable agriculture covering, among others, organic farming.

Long-standing Higaonon conflict settled through ‘tampuda’ ritual
THE conflict that resulted to the death of several people from two opposing clans in the villages of Madaguing and Minalwang in Claveria, Misamis Oriental was finally resolved through the time-tested tampuda ritual, the Higaonon way of conflict resolution, last May. The conflict was originally between the Humaynon clan of Madaguing and the Asapons of Minalwang. But since the conflict had lasted for generations, as in many ridos among the Lumads, many had been dragged into the conflict -- their children and grandchildren and other relatives.

Tribal peace builders help settle 'Inluntod' conflict
AFTER years of conflict among Lumads in Inluntod, a hilly land straddling the northeastern part of Barangay Minalwang, Claveria, Misamis Oriental and southwestern part of Barangay Eureka of Gingoog City, the feuding parties finally settled their disputes, thanks to the help of community tribal peace builders -- Datu Dicno Mansumagan, Datu Manuel Pina-andel and Kagawad Rico Mansumagan.

BMFI honored by Lagonglong LGU
THE BALAY MINDANAW FOUNDATION, INC. (BMFI) was among those honored by the local government unit of Lagonglong in Misamis Oriental last June 30, the eve of the 57th Araw ng Lagonglong. It was the first time that the LGU recognized concerted efforts by various individuals, institutions and groups who have, in one time or another, helped the people of Lagonglong achieve their full potentials as one community.

Balay now a member of  Global Alliance for Departments and Ministries of Peace
Balay Mindanaw is now a member of the Global Alliance for Departments and Ministries of Peace. Thus, Balay Mindanaw through Kaloy, is invited to be involved in the Preparatory Meeting (in November 2006 in New York) for the 3rd Summit of Peoples’ Initiatives for Departments of Peace to be held in June 2007 in Japan.

Balay Mindanaw Attends 2nd Annual International People’s Summit for Departments of Peace
Kaloy Manlupig of Balay Mindanaw, together with Franklin Quijano, who is the Chair of the Philippine Government Panel for the Peace Talks with the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa sa Mindanao (RPM-M), attended the Second Annual International Peoples’ Summit for Departments of Peace in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on June 18 - 22, 2006. The Summit was organized by the International People’s Initiative for Departments of Peace and hosted by the Working Group for a Federal Department of Peace-Canada.

Another home for the lumad, of the lumad, by the lumad
Madagway ha pag-uma dini ta tulugan ta Madaguing [Welcome to our home in Madaguing]. Stuck along the road going up the hill, this is the wooden signage that greets everyone who visits the newly constructed tulugan or home of the Higaonon tribe. Today, the Balay Tulugan is happily inaugurated by the Higaonon tribe and the people who helped in the setting up of this tribal hall in Barangay Madaguing, Claveria, Misamis Oriental.

2 batches of peace course already completed
A new pool of 72 barangay leaders and community-based development workers participated in Balay Mindanaw’s recently concluded Operation Peace Course (OP KORS for short), a two-week training program. Teresita Torreon, Barangay Secretary of Barangay Lunotan, asked herself before the start of the training: “Ngano kami pa? Ug kamo na lang diay ang maglihok sa barangay kay kamo man ang nakamao?” She later realized how crucial their roles are as leaders in their community.

Peace Processes in Mindanao
There are actually at least six formal peace processes going on in the Philippines today.  Four of these peace processes have the conflicts in Mindanao as their focus. These conflicts are better understood within the context of the continuing poverty and powerlessness in Mindanao, the second biggest of the country's 7,107 islands. Despite the island's richness and giftedness, Mindanao remains as the country's poorest region. Its rural populace alone, despite their closeness to agricultural resources are among the poorest, mainly because 70% of those who work in agriculture do not own the land that they till. Mindanao remains marginalized economically, politically and culturally.  Decisions concerning the lives of Mindanaoans continue to be made by decision-makers in Manila, the Philippines' seat of economic, political and socio-cultural powers. 

Balay Mindanaw to hold more courses for peace and development practitioners
Balay Mindanaw will conduct another set of peace courses for key community leaders, local government leaders and development workers this year. This time, 10 batches are being targeted and prepared to undergo this training. As part of its new strategy of educating towards a culture of peace and thereby building constituency towards a mission of helping build peace in Mindanao, Balay Mindanaw continues to pursue this peace initiative by conducting comprehensive peace building courses for peace and development practitioners, dubbed as “OP KORS! Operation Peace Course.”

A new resource book for Peace Builders
A resource book for peace builders entitled “Panday Kalinaw” (“peace building” in the vernacular) has finally been produced by Balay Mindanaw with the support of Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF). This book is practically a guide for peace builders as they continue to implement their peace building plans and program in the barangays of Mindanao. It contains major and minor tips as well as practical strategies in promoting and sustaining conflict transformation and also provides ways and means of managing and resolving conflict towards building peace.

Balay Mindanaw Peace Center launched
Another dream came true. Marking another significant milestone in its nine-year old journey, Balay Mindanaw inaugurated and dedicated on January 18 its new Peace Center in the company of friends and leaders representing various sectors and partners coming from different parts of the globe. Japanese Minister of Economic Affairs Tetsuya Ishii and Adviser Munateshi Ishida represented Japanese Ambassador Ryuichi Yamazaki during the formal turn-over rite. The German Development Service (ded-Philippines) Country Director, Mr. Christoph Dehn, formally turned over facilities of the Peace Room, a resource center for peace-building and development work.

Balay Mindanaw to hold course for peace and development practitioners
The newly-inaugurated Balay Mindanaw Peace Center will conduct of a four-week course for key staff of the Balay Mindanaw Group of NGOs (BMFI, BDSI, BALAOD and RCED) and key community leaders and Local Government Executives on February 15 to 24 and March 14 to 24, 2005. This Comprehensive Course for Peace and Development Practitioners will consist of four modules including a seven-day actual work in the various peace zones in Mindanao. This course is a follow up to the CRS and KAF-supported 7-day course conducted during the last quarter of 2004.

A Peace Room opens for peace advocates
Inside the Balay Mindanaw Peace Center is a facility which aims to advance initiatives in peace-building at the community level and in the peace process. The Peace Room will provide an area for greater learning as well as access to resource materials on peace and other related information related to peace-building initiatives. A 60.43-sq.m. peace room may be a small area to talk about big issues like peace, but this will not limit peace workers and advocates to think big and envision peace.