Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.

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

Balay Mindanaw shares Ateneo Peace Award on its 12th year
Posted 8 May 2008

	A copy of the Ateneo peace award was extended to officers and staff of, among others, the Legal Resource Center ...

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.

... Kristohanong Katilingban sa Pagpakabana (KKP) ...

As a kick off to its 12th foundation anniversary, the Balay Mindanaw Group (now has 6 NGOs that has spun-off from the foundation) has been going around communities and offices of partner organizations giving out invitations to the 12th year anniversary on May 8, 2008 and also giving the exact same replica of the Ateneo Peace award.

It was also a time of rekindling relationships, of recalling shared memories and most especially of renewing the passion and commitment towards working for peace and development in Mindanao.

For old partners like the Year of Service program of Xavier University, the sharing of the award was an emotional one. Both organization have been together for years driven by a passion and spirit of volunteerism. The Executive Director of BMFI, Ariel Hernandez, is also a YOS volunteer, he is part of Batch 1, one of the pioneers of the program. Almost half of the development workers of Balay Mindanaw are YOS volunteers from earlier batches.

	... and Xavier University with the University President Fr. Jet Villarin.

One of the government line agency shared with the Award is the Regional Office of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), which has also been a long time partner of BMFI in its Agrarian Reform work. The President of Balay Mindanaw Group of NGO’s, Kaloy Manlupig, was once a regional director of the office.

Balay Mindanaw also shares the award with the 80 upland tribal communities of Misamis Oriental. They are located in the barangays of Claveria, MISORET and Gingoog. These are the communities who have journeyed with Balay Mindanaw as it pursues its vision of Equity, Development and Peace. It is sharing what is rightfully theirs, for working on the peace in their respective barangays.

A pose with KKP staff, students and volunteers.

The sharing of the Ateneo Peace Award is in line with the 12th anniversary theme which is “Back to Basics.” The most basic character of Balay Mindanaw is its Integrity, which through course of the years has gained the trust of many friends and partner organizations as it continually works on its mission of “helping build empowered and sustainable communities and helping build peace.” If Balay Mindanaw has shed off of its achievements, of its victories, of its physical infrastructures, what will be left in the glare is its Integrity.