Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.

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

Balay Mindanaw Peace Center launched
By Kaloy Manlupig, 18 January 2005

Click here for photos of the Peace Center launch

	The Peace Center

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. The Peace Center and the facilities in the Peace Room was formally presented by Mr. Ishii and Mr. Dehn as gifts to the representative of Balay Mindanaw’s local partner-communities who in turn requested Balay Mindanaw to be the steward of these resources.

The day began with an ecumenical Eucharistic celebration jointly presided by Fr. Loreto “Oret” Villahermosa, who was a Balay Mindanaw community organizer before becoming a Catholic priest, and UCCP Pastor Toto Baconga, who is considered a member of the Balay Mindanaw family being the husband of Charmaine Dagapioso-Baconga, the new Executive Director of RCED.

Barangay Bulua Chairperson Pedro Legaspi welcomed the guests to the morning conference. Ms. Sylvia Okinlay-Paraguya, BMFI and MINCODE Chairperson, delivered the keynote address. Key leaders and local government executives shared their insights and perspectives on peace and development. Among the speakers were Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno, Rep. Danilo Lagbas, Sugbongcogon Mayor Benedict Lagbas, Claveria ABC President Pempe Casiño and the Chairperson of the GRP Peace Panel with RPM-M and former Iligan City Mayor Franklin M. Quijano.

The other highlights of the whole-day program were the launching of the Balay Mindanaw website and the Stakeholders’ Forum where Balay Mindanaw friends and partners renewed their commitment and support to Balay Mindanaw’s peace-building and development work. Christian Aid Philippine Representative, Arthur Neame, Konrad Adenauer Foundation Philippine Representative Klaus Preschle, Lutheran World Relief Philippine Representative Gilda Echavez, Shinwa Management Systems President Higaki Yusuke, and other special guests such as the representatives from GTZ and Geneva Call delivered solidarity messages and statements of commitment. 

The Peace Center is expected to help Balay Mindanaw fulfill its mission of helping build empowered sustainable communities, and helping build peace in Mindanao. It is intended to be an integral part of the continuing peace-building and capability-building programs of BMFI by providing a physical venue for the continuing interventions towards peace and development. Its construction began in January 2004 with a grant of P4.5Million from the Japanese Embassy through its Grants Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GAGP).