COTABATO CITY—Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS) conducted the 2nd batch training-workshop for peace promotion in the region from September 28 to October 2, 2021 at Precious Cabana Resort, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.
According to Director-General Atty. Al-Rashid Balt, the activity aimed at actualizing the mandates of MPOS as an institution of peace-building, reconciliation, and unification. Most of the participants were youths and university students.
“It shall have coordinative function with law enforcement agencies such as AFP, PNP, BJP and so on, to maintain public order and safety […] we have a lot of joint programs with them pertaining to peace-building,” Balt said.
Program Officer Sittie Janine M. Gamao said, “ang peacebuilding activity na ito ay isinagawa upang maipon sa isang venue ang mga youths para magkakilala sa isa’t-isa at upang pag-usapan nila ang peace. Sila ay mostly coming from conflict-affected areas at biktima ng conflict from different provinces.”
The participants are coming from the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Special Geographical Areas of North Cotabato, specifically from the conflict-affected areas. Some of them are sons and daughters of the Abu Sayyaf returnees.
“Tulong na rin natin kung paano ma-cut ang cycle ng violence. In the future paano nila ma-appreciate na maraming ways how to resolve the conflict in a peaceful and collaborative manner, at ma-address ang grievances nila,” Gamao added.
Meanwhile, Fadwa Mohammad, a 19-year-old youth leader from Basilan said, “I am so thankful as one of the fellows. It is so helpful to improve myself as youth leader and bring something to my community as I get back.”
“We want to educate and promote peace to the youths by providing learning materials to the madrasah in one of the municipalities. It is written in our planning as immediate intervention,” she added.
Niman P. Datu, another fellow from a remote village of Tapocan Piagapo, Lanao del Sur, said partaking in with the said activity is a big opportunity for him.
“Isang big opportunity ito para sa akin na nakasali rito at maibahagi ko ang knowledge and skills na natutunan ko sa aming barangay, which is 10 percent lang ng populasyon namin ang nakapag-aral ng formal education,” Datu said.
Accordingly, MPOS will give away Php20,000.00 cash for each province to start up implementing their project proposals. (Bangsamoro Informatio
