Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.

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

Peace journey
By Bong Fabe
Posted 24 July 2009

10thID participants

Peace is not a thing to possess, but a way of possessing.
Peace is not a gift to be given, but a way of giving.
Peace is not a topic to teach, but a way of teaching.
Peace is not a theory to learn, but a way of learning.
Peace is not an opinion to hold, but a way of holding.
Peace is not a resolution of strife, but a way of striving.
Peace is not a creed to preach, but a way of preaching.
Peace is not a god to serve, but a way of serving.
Peace is not a question to ask, but a way of asking.
Peace is not an answer to seek, but a way of seeking.
“Peace in not a journey’s end, but a way of Journeying.”

DAVAO CITY, Mindanao, Philippines -- Like the veeerrry looong and winding road that connects Cagayan de Oro City to Davao City, the road to peace is full of detours, potholes and challenges that every traveler must negotiate and traverse to get to his/her destination in one piece.

And Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI), through its internationally-recognized and internationally-known International Center for Peace in Mindanaw (IC Peace in Mindanaw), and Kab-ot Gahum: Resource Center for Empowerment and Development (RCED), is now leading the journey to peace in the island of Mindanao.

Together with the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Australian government through the Australian Assistance for International Development (AusAID), BMFI is leading the charge for the attainment of peace in Mindanao by empowering senior officials, officials and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) of the AFP with new “weapons” to better equip them in managing conflicts, and help bring about peace, in their areas of operations.

“It’s up to you if you want to become peace advocates, but we want to equip you with knowledge and tools that people can understand so that when you talk to them they will believe us that we are not just a force but rather we want to attain peace. We are aided by the community,” said Lt. Gen. Raymundo G. Ferrer, EastMinCom commanding general.

Peace. In Mindanao. That is the legacy that BMFI, through its executive director, Anak Mindanao Partylist Rep. Ariel “Ayi” C. Hernandez, and EastMinCom, through its commanding general, Lt. Gen. Raymundo B. Ferrer, would like to leave behind as leaders.

In partnership with AusAID, BMFI and EastMinCom are now journeying together to bring peace in Mindanao through its “Operation Peace Course: Building Capacities on Conflict Management and Peace-building for Eastern Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” wherein NCOs and officials are being equipped with other skills to win the peace.

“We are trying…to equip you with other skills you can use to win the peace,” Ferrer said.

Hernandez, however, admitted that peace course is not the definitive answer to the sporadic conflicts going on in Mindanao.

But he is very sure that the process “will provide a venue for players like us to think about new things and to explore other possibilities. I think that’s the source of wisdom and great learnings. When we start to ask questions, directly, that affects our frame of mind, that affects our mindset.”

According to Hernandez, most of the peace initiatives of various political leaders have failed because it is unclear to them what their legacy will be.

“Kaya nagpi-fail maraming initiatives kasi hindi malinaw sa leader ano ang legacy niya. Mas nalulunod tayo sa pressure, mas nalulunod tayo sa position ng mas nakakataas sa atin. Nalulusaw yung interest natin na gumawa ng bago, ng mas makahulugan,” he stressed.

But with Ferrer at the helm of EastMinCom and Hernandez at BMFI, and with the cooperation and help of local government officials like Gov. Oscar Moreno of Misamis Oriental and Gov. Rene Miguel Dominguez of Saranggani, there is a big chance peace will finally come to the island of Mindanao.

“Sa pamamaraang ito, sa programa na ‘to, Balay Mindanaw and Eastern Mindanao Command would like to give that venue to re-examine, or to provide a short yet meaningful engagement para sa tropa, para sa mga leaders like us, para sa mga travelers like us, na we define what is our legacy in each of the things that we do na we fully believed na may dalang pagbabago ‘to and most importantly, may dalang bagong pag-asa,” he said.

BMFI, EastMinCom and AusAID. Three entities that represent a very potent partnership for peace — the private sector, the security sector and the government.

All three must work together, hand-in-hand, in partnership and complementing each other to be able to make a difference in the communities, in the lives of Mindanawans and ultimately in the island of Mindanao.

But without the cooperation and help of the LGUs, Operation Peace Course will fail.

“This is actually the time to say what we can do. Combining resources to make things happen. Sabi pa ni Obama Yes we can!” said Dominguez.

“Pag hindi n’yo kasama ang LGU, pag hindi n’yo kasama ang komunidad, hindi niyo kasama ang mga barangay captains, sayang po ang investments, sayang po ang buhay ng ating mga sundalo, ng ating mga kapulisan. Because that will only be in the short term,” Dominguez added.

All three — private sector, security sector and LGU — must journey together for peace in order to make things happen.

“Kasama tayo sa biyahe, kasama tayo sa journey hopefully to make an impact to the communities, sa mga tao na for so long a time, talagang hopelessness ang frame of mind. Hopelessness ang attitude, hopelessness ang pagtingin sa kinabukasan,” Hernandez said.

While the AFP is tasked primarily to secure the country against internal and external threats, there is also a need for soldiers, most especially officials and senior officials, to increase their awareness of the issues that lead to conflict in Mindanao.

Changing a fighter’s mindset, however, is easier said than done.

And that is the number one challenge Operation Peace Course is trying to address with its Building Capacities on Conflict Management and Peace-building orientation-seminar.

While it is true that soldiers have been educated, trained and are operating in an environment of the gun, they are also searching for peace.

Perhaps Maj. Gen. Reynaldo B. Mapagu, commanding general of the Army’s 10^th Infantry Division, said it best when he said that Operation Peace Course “is an honor for us to share our insights and experiences so that we could journey together in our vision of peace in this part of the country.”

Sarangani Gov. Migs Dominguez (left) and BMFI's Ayi Hernandez.

And for the soldiers of the EastMinCom, Mapagu has this to say: “It is equally important that we keep increasing our awareness and deepening of understanding about the issues that lead to conflict, affect the security of the people and their communities and bringing unpeace.”

But “awareness” and a deep understanding of the issues that lead to conflict” will still not suffice.

The private sector, the security sector and the LGU must also show a credible face before the community.

But sadly, not all LGUs are credible, said Dominguez.

“Unfortunately, in the local government, many of us are not credible at all. And that compounds the problem, compounds the situation,” he said.

Credibility. That is the hinge that will open or close a community to peace-building efforts, whether by the private sector, the security sector, the government or a combination of all three.

And because the security sector — AFP and PNP — is the face of the government in the community where they are operating, it is very important that they show a credible face or else the battle for peace in Mindanao will fail.

“As long as government has no credibility on the ground, the armed forces will continually face an uphill battle in trying to win the hearts and minds of our people. However, with cooperation, with teamwork, despite limited resources…I’m the first one to say that we will be able to solve these conflicts. It may take time, it may take generations. However, top also to our responsibilities as civil servants is to make sure that we restore the credibility, restore the respect and dignity as civil servants facing people every single day in our mission to finally show that we are the best alternative and nobody else,” Dominguez stressed.

And for the soldiers who have undergone or will be undergoing the Operation Peace Course, Dominguez has this advise: “As you leave your tour of duties, sana naman masabi natin na mas maganda yung komunidad na sinerbisyohan ko kaysa noon. And you have made a difference and you have made a mark in building or rebuilding Mindanao.”