Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.

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

Speech of Sylvia Okinlay-Paraguya, Balay board chair,
during the Ateneo Peace Award
9 December 2007

Click here for the citation, and here for more info about the award.

Magandang Hapon, Maayad ha hapon, Wassalam Alaikum, Buenas tardes!

Sylvia Paraguya, Chair of BMFI, delivers speech after accepting the award.

In behalf of Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc., we would like to thank Ateneo de Zamboanga for this award. As a 10-year old NGO, this is really inspiring.  
This award reflects Ateneo’s pursuit for peace; very relevant in an island where one of the longest running conflict in the world exists.

Balay Mindanaw shares this award with its partner communities. The representatives from the partner barangays, including barangay officials, peoples organizations, - their representatives are here with us today. A long road to peace… they have traveled all the way from their barangays to accept this award.

As the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, we recognize the efforts of the staff of BMFI. We also honor the person who started it all- Mr. Kaloy Manlupig. His passion to work with the poor has brought BMFI to where it is now.

With its vision – Kaangayan, Kalambuan, Kalinaw (in that order), BMFI started its community-based activities. BMFI worked with the barangays, Pos, local government units using the framework of Sustainable Integrated Area Development. Our experience in enhancing participation of community has been mainstreamed in the ongoing peace process of the Government of the Philippines and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa sa Mindanao. BMFI serves as the independent secretariat of the peace talks between the GRP and RPMM. The barangay plans based on the consultation processes among the multistakeholders in the barangay become part and parcel of the peace process. Thus negotiations include the participation of the barangays.

BMFI has also engaged the military. It has three major programs. One, “Education the Officers, Soldiers and CAFGU”. Second is Creating a Space for like-minded Generals and Colonels to elevate the peace practices to policies. Third is General for Peace. The latter has been conducted for the Generals in the Philippines and East Timor.

As we accept this award, we also honor the Sumilao farmers who walked more than 1,700 kilometers for their land. (Gandhi walked for 600 kms; the farmers almost tripled their walk). We would like to thank the Ateneos for their support to the plight of the farmers. We ask all of you to campaign for the return of the lands to them. The Lumads have been marginalized for long. Let us not allow that another mistake will be committed which will marginalize them once again. For there can be no peace without equity.

Let this award challenge us to continue to work for peace. Let us be steadfast in our support for the ongoing peace processes- GRP-RPMM, GRP-MILF, GRP-CNN. That we continue to live peace in our hearts, in our lives, in our communities, in Mindanao, Philippines and the world.

Thank you again for this award. Allow us also to give these token of appreciation to Ateneo de Zamboanga. Please accept these books. These are documentation of our efforts to help build sustainable communities, help build peace.

Muchos Gracias! Daghang Salamat!