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Tulay KAMI spearheads AOP Campaign launching in CDO/NorMin

Press Release1 AOP launching

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The Tulay Kalinaw sa Mindanaw (Tulay KAMI) is spearheading the local launching of the national campaign All-Out Peace (AOP) on March 6 (Friday), the 40th day of the tragic Mamasapano incident.

Tulay KAMI, convened by Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J., D.D., Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro (ACDO) and the Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI), is a multi-sectoral peace conversation among civil society organizations (CSOs) and agencies working and advocating towards peacebuilding and conflict resolutions in Northern Mindanao.Read More »Tulay KAMI spearheads AOP Campaign launching in CDO/NorMin

BMG Board call for peace amidst Mamasapano tragedy

The Balay Mindanaw Group Board of Trustees meeting at the Rey Magno Teves Hall.
The Balay Mindanaw Group Board of Trustees meeting at the Rey Magno Teves Hall.

“While we will not surrender our advocacy for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), let us move forward to think how we can prevent the escalation of violence in the conflict-affected areas.”

In sum, this was the call of the members of the Board of Trustees of the Balay Mindanaw Group. Last February 17, they had their 2nd Joint BOT Meeting and reflected on the conflict and peace processes in Mindanao over time. Each shared their thoughts and insights after viewing a short video documentation about the history of conflict and peace processes in Mindanao which cited Balay Mindanaw’s peacebuilding efforts. But altogether, they agreed to continue community-based dialogues, particularly in North Cotabato and Maguindanao, do more peace education campaign in our institutions, in schools, in our communities – “to further understand the history of Mindanao, its conflicts and the Bangsamoro people.”Read More »BMG Board call for peace amidst Mamasapano tragedy

Having faith in the mission: the Ruby Emergency Response in Catbalogan City

A man carries the ActionAid foodpacks in Barangay Cagutsan for relief distribution.
A man carries the ActionAid foodpacks in Barangay Cagutsan for relief distribution.

The aftermath of the Typhoon Hagupit was a damp and bleak. Electricity was out and one could hear the chorus of generators across the city. Daylight was a blessing; nighttime was almost a curse—streets were only lit by the lights coming from passing vehicles and stores relied on candles and emergency lights. It was as if the whole town was deserted.

The rains though, didn’t stop the team from Balay Mindanaw to respond to the needs of the people in the Barangays of Mombon, Cagutsan, Cinco and Rama. These island barangays belong to the greater Siera Group of Islands located an hour away from the mainland of Catbalogan City. Composed of seven island barangays, the islands is regarded as one of the tourist spots in Catbalogan City.Read More »Having faith in the mission: the Ruby Emergency Response in Catbalogan City

Judging the prospects for peace talks with the NDFP in 2015

By Soliman M. Santos, Jr.
Naga City, 21 January 2015

The hugely successful visit of Pope Francis, which took the whole country by storm, still reverberates.  Will its surging waves of goodwill, as well as calls for prophetic action, carry with it a soon enough resumption of peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP)?   The best recent sign that something is brewing on the NDFP peace front was Inquirer’s banner headline last December 28 that “Joma looks forward to meet with P-Noy.” This right after Jose Maria Sison, Chief Political Consultant of the NDFP, and founding Chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) which leads the New People’s Army (NPA), had said both parties might resume talks probably soon enough after Pope Francis’ visit.

Given the past long track record of more-off-than-on and more-failed-than-successful peace talks, the questions that come to the mind boil down to three:  [1]  What really in terms of peace talks is afoot this remaining one-and-a-half years of the Aquino administration?  [2]  What are the prospects that something good enough – in terms of tangible gains and moving that process forward — will come out of any new talks?  [3]  What needs to be done to push these talks forward?Read More »Judging the prospects for peace talks with the NDFP in 2015

TS Seniang Monitoring – Consolidated Update No. 1 29 DECEMBER 2014 | 7PM General Situation     Seniang started as a Low Pressure Area in… Read More »