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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.
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