Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.

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

Balay Mindanaw holds OPKors! training for CMO units

Some 35 soldiers from the various Civil Military Operations Units (CMOUs) of the Armed Forces’ Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) are currently undergoing a five-day Conflict Management and Peacebuilding training dubbed as the Operation Peace Course (OPKors!) starting April 27, 2009.

OPKors! is a comprehensive peace building course design for peacebuilders in Mindanaw. It is a course that aims at building peace cadres coming from different sectors in the society, and multiplying peace constituency at the different levels of engagement. The course provides theoretical inputs with matching practical application based on community-based experiences and other peace initiatives. It has four core modules developed by Balay Mindanaw, and has been customized for different groups.

For this particular batch, the training goal is to provide a learning opportunity on peacebuilding in order for them to mainstream peacebuilding efforts in the CMOU program and campaign plans. For this training, there are around 35 participants who represents the different CMO units who are directly handling the CMO in their respective brigades and sections.

The participants are the CMO officers at the Division and Brigade levels, having the ranks of Lieutenant Colonels, Majors and Captains. These are midlevel officials who are directly handling the operations. These officers are the direct links in the different lines units of command, the ones who will do the ground work and linkaging with the different agencies and units in their respective areas of responsibility.

At the end of the training, the participants should be able to:

1. Cite concepts and theories on conflict, peace and peacebuilding
2. Outline the different concepts, principles and approaches of peacebuilding work
3. Demonstrate basic skills on mediation, negotiation, dialogue
4. Identify ways how peacebuilding can be integrated in their own work context
5. Analyze/assess conflict in their respective Areas of Responsibility using tools

The Faculty and Training Team is composed of Charlito Z. Manlupig, President of Balay Mindanaw; Juvy Loyola, Cordaid Accompanyer; Antonio Angel Salangga III, Senior Consultant, RCED; Leonardo Bautista, ICPeace; Rochelle Mordeno, ICPeace; Gesibelle Garcia-Hernandez, ICPeace; Charmaine Mae Dagapioso, RCED and ICPeace; Sabrina Garcia, ICPeace; Col. Julieto Ando; and Col. Casiano Monilla.

The resource persons include Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, Commander, EastMinCom; Prof. Rudy Rodil, Mindanao historian; Timuay Alim, tribal leader; Prof. Saturnina Rodil, of MSU-IIT-IPDM; and Rolly Asuncion.