1st SEACHANGE PROGRAMME

You Can Meet These Agents Of Change At YES2009

500 free trips for Southeast Asian youth worth $2,500 each for you to be at the Youth Engagement Summit 2009 in Kuala Lumpur

for details go to: http://philippines.youthsays.com/seachange



Speech by Donald Steinberg, Deputy President of the International Crisis Group, to the UNICEF Program on Rehabilitation and Reintegration of War-Affected Children, Brussels, 22 October 2009

How can we ensure that programs that stress the needs of child soldiers do not create the impression among the broader population that we are prioritizing their requirements above those of the masses of other children who have suffered equally? (read more)

http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=6363&l=1

After a hard and prolonged discussion, the MILF and Philippine government peace negotiators finally signed the Agreement on Civilian Protection today at Kuala Lumpur. This historic agreement pushed further the GRP-MILF Peace Talks to formal resumption.

The Framework Agreement on the formation of the International Contact Group (ICG) and the Agreement on the Protection of Civilians are essential mechanisms to prevent the repeat of the debacle in Kuala Lumpur on August 5, 2008 when the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) was not signed by the government, as well resulting displacement of more than 600,000 people in Mindanao.

The ICG serves as guarantee that both the government and MILF comply with all signed agreements.

The GRP Peace Panel was composed of: Amb. Rafael Seguis, chairman; Atty. Bong Montessa, Amb. Ed Malaya, and Director Mark Ryan Sullivan, while the MILF delegation was led by Mohagher Iqbal, chairman,  Atty. Michael Mastura, Bobby Maulana Alonto, and Jun Mantawil.  Datuk Othman Bin Abdul Razak, as usual, acted as facilitator.

Nov 26- Dec 3, 2009

Forum with the Students (YOUTH) and Legislators (national & local)

Miriam College, 2-5PM November 26, 2009

Privilege Speech in the Congress: Mindanao week of Peace

House of Representatives, Dec 1, 2009

Forum with Civil Society Organizations

Venue TBA, December 2, 2009

Final event: Mindanao WEEK OF Peace, Usapang Kapwa Tao & Peace Bazaar

Venue TBA, December 3, 2009

September is a historical month for GenPeace. Incidentally, 21 September is the International Day of Peace, the Day of Commemoration of the Declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines, and also the End of Ramadan for our Muslim brothers and sisters. On October  6, the World Peace March of the World Without Wars visited and marched in the country.

Thank you all for participating and supporting GenPeace events during this period.

1. Peace Day Project

The Peace Day Project aims to popularize the 21^st of September as Peace Day, use the day as a starting point for the discussion of the different peace and conflict issues in the country, participate in the world wide celebration of Peace One Day through different local youth activities.

The Peace Day Project has 3 main activities:

a.)    Peace Mosaic and the Wall of Peace

The Peace Mosaic is a collective art intiative wherein 100 tiles are distributed to GenPeace network members across the country. The tiles are designed by youth leaders from different communities and youth organizations. Artworks were done in communities affected by conflicts, areas of indigenous peoples communities, peace zones, youth organizations working on peace, human rights, governance, environmental protection, etc.

The designed tiles were then transported to Quezon City, Manila, where a permanent art installation was granted by the government to create a Wall of Peace in a public park. The wall symbolizes the youth’s aspiration for peace and their efforts against war.

b.)    A GenPeace Mini-Documentary: A Story of Peace

Along with gathering artworks on tiles, GenPeace also collected different perspectives of youth vis-à-vis conflict and violence. The different youth peace stories were gathered and made into a mini-documentary which highlights the a)different realities of violence in the country, b) the youth initiatives on peace, and c) provide inspiration and hope that peace is possible. The documentary is designed as an educational tool that can be used as a material to start discussions on armed violence or as a very brief presentation on what the Philippine context is.

c.)    Peace Day Celebration

We celebrated the International Day of Peace by gathering different stakeholders to peace—government leaders, NGOs, youth and students organizations, religious, women and spiritual formations—in a half-day celebration that included the end of Ramadan prayer, interfaith prayers, songs, dance numbers, speeches from different leaders, making of a human peace sign, the unveiling of the Wall of Peace and the premiere screening of the mini-documentary.

1. World Peace March

The Philippines is the 3^rd stop for the historic 80-day World Peace March initiated by the World Without Wars movement. GenPeace supported the initiative, and marched the symbolic ½ kilometer-walk in Manila. Banners calling for peace, nuclear disarmament and non-violence were waved along the way. The international marchers from Latin America, Europe and Asia were also welcomed in a short program that included dances, messages and songs for peace. Schools and youth organizations mobilized participants to the event that had the gymnasium jam-packed and really festive.

The Philippines is the 3rd stop of the World Peace March, an 80-day trip around the world calling for peace, nuclear disarmament and non-violence.

Outside the venue, GenPeace members had exhibit tables where different issues and advocacies were lined up such as disarmament, small arms, advocacy towards a non-killing society, overview on the conflict in Southern Philippines, among others. We also took this opportunity to fund-raise by selling peace shirts to participants.

This is the list of verified relief centers where people can drop off their donations for the victims of “Ondoy:”

UP College of Arts and Letters

Go to: College of Arts and Letters (CAL)
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City

Hotline: 09296454102 (Prof. Roselle Pineda)

Look for: Guard on Duty (in UP CAL)

Operations: 24 hours until Wednesday tentatively

You can:

# Donate medicines, clothes, blankets, food to be distributed by Citizens’ Disaster Response Center.

Erica Paredes

Go to: Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City
(Call or text contact number for complete address) Contact #: 09174741930

Look for: Erica Paredes

Operations: Throughout the week tentatively, from 10 am to 6 pm

You can:

# Donate ready-to-eat foods like hard-boiled egg, bread, packed juice, sandwich filling

# Volunteer to prepare sandwiches and distribute goods

NoyMar Relief Operations – QC

Go to: Balay Expo Center, Farmers Market, Cubao or in White Space, Pasong Tamo Ext., Near BMW, Makati

Look for: Clare Amador or Jana Vicente

Hotlines: 09285205508, 09285205499, 0908-6579998, 0939-3633436, 9137122

Operations: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. throughout the week until further notice.

Website: www.marroxas.com

You can:

# Donate drinking water, old medicines, clothing, blankets, canned goods, noodles

# Volunteer to man stations and repack food.

Miriam Quiambao and World Vision Development Foundation

Go to: One Orchard Road Building in Eastwood or at the World Vision office at 389 Quezon Avenue, corner West 6th St., Quezon City

Hotline: 0917-8623209

Look for: The guard in the lobby (on One Orchard Road)

Website: http://www.twitter.com/miriamq, www.worldvision.org.ph

Operations: Until Sept. 28, 2009 (Monday), 24-hour operation

You can:

# Donate goods like clothes, blankets, canned goods, crackers, mattress, hygiene kits, noodles, bottled water, oatmeal, instant coffee, sugar (for relief pack to be distributed by World Vision)

# Volunteer to help repack relief goods for World Vision starting today at 7pm

# Deposit cash donations to World Vision Development Foundation, BPI savings account number 4251002415 and BDO savings account number 270043411

Philippine Army

Go to: Philippine Army Gym inside Fort Bonifacio, Makati or General Head Quarter’s Gym in Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, EDSA, Quezon City

Hotline: 892-3417 (direct line), 845-9555 (trunkline) local. 6464 and 6466

Look for: Any personnel on duty

Operations: Ongoing everyday for 24 hours until further notice

You can:

# Donate relief goods (no cash)

# Call hotline for rescue, evacuation or relief assistance.

# Call to report missing persons

Papemelroti Gifts and Decorative Accessories

Go to: 91 Roces Ave., Corner Scout Tobias, Quezon City or mall branches in Ali Mall Cubao, SM City North EDSA, SM Fairview, SM Megamall, Glorietta 3 in Makati, SM Centerpoint, SM Southmall

Hotline: refer to website for individual branch numbers

Website: www.papemelroti.com

Operations: Mall hours (10am-9pm), ongoing everyday until further notice

You can:

# Donate goods like canned goods, clothings, blanket, cooking utensils and other relief goods EXCEPT cash.

Ateneo de Manila University Disaster Response Group

Go to: Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights , Quezon City, Manuel V. Pangilinan Building Center for Student Leadership Lobby, University Dorm Cervini Hall

Hotlines: 09089977166, 09178952792, 4266001 local 5050

Look for: Gio Tiongson, President, Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral

Website: www.ateneosanggu.com

Operations: 24-hour operations for the entire week

You can:

# Donate goods like bottled water, sardines, canned goods, candles, cup noodles.

# Volunteer to help repack relief goods, administer basic first aid.

# Report missing persons.

# Seek evacuation/temporary shelter at University Dorm Cervini Hall.

Citizens Disaster Response Center (CDRC)

Go To: 72-A Times St., West Triangle Homes, Quezon City.

Hotlines: 9299820, 9299822

Operations: 8 a.m. onwards.

You can:

# Donate money, old clothes, blanket, bigas, munggo.

# Volunteer to help distribute goods.

Radio Veritas

Go To: Veritas Tower , West Ave. corner EDSA

Look For: Karla Turingan

Hotlines: 9257931 to 39, 0918VERITAS

Operations: 24-hours, tentatively until Tuesday.

You can:

# Donate old clothes, food, assorted goods, bottled water, cash.

Our Lady of Pentecost Parish

Go to: 12 F. dela Rosa cor. C. Salvador Streets, Loyola Heights , Quezon City

Hotlines: 632 4342397, 63 2 9290665

Operations: 7 a.m. till 10 p.m. Sunday, until further notice.

You Can:

# Donate packed meals, bottled water.

MAKATI/TAGUIG/MUNTINLUPA

Victory Fellowship – Fort Bonifacio

Go to: Victory Fellowship, Every Nation Building , across Market-Market, Fort Bonifacio

Look for: Pastor Bernard Marquez

Hotlines: 813-FORT, 8171212

Operations: Tentatively until 5pm, may may extend hours. Entire week until Friday.

Website: www.twitter.com/VictoryFort

You can:

# Donate canned goods, milk, bottled water, clothes, cash.

# Volunteer to help pack relief goods

Sacred Heart of Jesus Chaplaincy

Go to: Hillsborough Village, Cupang, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila

Hotline: 8428148, 8079847

Look for: Genelyn Sembrano, Meanne Cuneta

Website: www.sacredheartofjesus-alabang.org

Operations: Tuesday-Sunday (Sept. 29-Oct 4). 8 am to 12 noon, 2 to 6 pm

You can:

# Donate water, blankets, shoes, clothes and other goods

# Donate in cash

PASIG CITY

LUZON RELIEF: Volunteer / Donate / Pray

Go to: Renaissance Fitness Center, 2nd Floor, Bramante Building, Renaissance Towers, Ortigas, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City

Hotline: 0929-8713488

Look for: Warren Habaluyas, co-founder

E-mail: luzonrelief@gmail.com

Operations: Monday to Saturday (Sept. 28-Oct. 3), 9am-7pm

You can:

# Donate non-perishable food items, beddings, pillows, blankets, clothes

# You can donate cash but it is not encouraged

- Compiled by Annalyn Ardoña and Patricia Faustino, GMA NEWS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

What is Peace Stories/Kwentong Kapayapaan?

pikit, north cotabato (c) 2004

Kwentong Kapayapaan is a compilation of war and peace stories (in photo, video, or written format) told from the various perspectives of the young generation. It presents the harsh realities that the young generation faces in the armed conflicts in Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon. It speaks of the brutality suffered in invisible hands—that of structural violence. The youth in the stories cry out and clamor for peace in the Philippines. These are stories that present the essentiality and possibility of peace. Kwentong Kapayapaan shows us the youth’s compelling role in peacebuilding.

Kwentong Kapayapaan is your story told from your perspective.

About Kwentong Kapayapaan

Kwentong Kapayapaan is part of the Peace Day Project which celebrates September 21 as the International Day of Peace. Few people know that the date is a UN mandated and universally recognized day of peace.

Our aim is to institutionalize the celebration of the 21st of September as the International Day of Peace, in other words reach the point where awareness of Peace Day becomes self-sustaining, and engage the different sectors, particularly the youth, in the Day’s peaceful observance.

We would like to celebrate the Peace Day by: 1) Remembering and understanding the different conflicts that need to be resolved in the Philippines; 2) Bringing to focus the peace issues by highlighting different stories of peace and conflict and; 3) Creating a collective and creative space for youth organizations to discuss, participate and express their aspirations for peace.

So, to recap:
WHAT: Kwentong Kapayapaan: Stories of War, Peace and Peacebuilding in the Philippines
WHO: You! We want to tell to a broader audience your story as a Youth NGO working for Peace, as a youth living in a community displaced by armed conflict, as an indigenous youth aspiring for peace, and so on.
WHY: Because telling your story is the best reason for everyone to work for peacebuilding. The Stories will highlight the role of youth in peacebuilding, best practices in peace advocacy, as well as document the effects of war and conflict on the young generation. The stories aim to provide a “human face” to the advocacy of peace. We are now accepting submissions of human interest stories on peace and conflict.
WHEN: Deadline for submission of stories is on September 15, 2009
HOW: Mail your stories to: 21peacestories@gmail.com or send to:

GenPeace Secretariat
c/o GZO Peace Institute, 2nd Floor Hoffner Building, SDC,
Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights
Quezon City 1108
Guidelines:

1. Submission of your Kwentong Kapayapaan may be any or all of the following format:
• PHOTO (with captions)
• VIDEO (raw videos or completed works, include a one paragraph explanation of you story if needed)
• AUDIO recording
• WRITTEN (essay format or a one-page description of your story)
2. You may send your story submission by:
a. EMAIL: 21peacestories@gmail.com
b. SNAIL MAIL:
• GZO Peace Institute, 2nd Floor Hoffner Building, Social Development Complex, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1108

3. Topic: The story must focus on the Youth and one (or all) of the following:
a. peace and conflict Issues (personal, organizational, community, local or national in scope)
b. Initiatives in peacebuilding (best practices and success stories)
c. Aspirations for peace (Peace Philosophy)
d. Personal experiences or anecdotes in war and/or peace
e. Faith, Culture and Peace
f. Other possible subthemes such as:

• Forms of violence
• Women
• Children in Armed Conflict Situations
• Internal Displacement
• Islam as a religion of peace
• Christianity as a religion of peace
• Belief systems and cultures as vehicles of peace
• Community-based peace initiatives (Peace Zone, etc.)
• Self determination
• Agrarian Reform
• Education
• Youth Peace Initiatives
• Peace Aspirations
• Subcultures
• Indigenous Peoples
• Poverty
• Social Justice
• Governance
• Collective action
• Non-violence
• Support for the Peace process

4. The different stories will be compiled by GenPeace and presented during the 21 September International Day of Peace Celebration as a short documentary.

The Peace Day Project has 2 main components:

1.) Peace Mosaic

The Peace Mosaic will be composed of 100 tile pieces bearing peace messages/images coming from 100 different youth organizations/formations all over the Philippines. The Peace Mosaic will be displayed at a public venue on September 21 and a permanent installation of the artwork will be determined thereafter.

2.) Peace Stories

Peace Stories will be collected from the different peace youth groups participating in the Peace Day celebrations. The Stories will highlight the role of youth in peacebuilding, best practices in peace advocacy, as well as document the effects of war and conflict on the young generation. The stories aim to provide a “human face” to the advocacy of peace. We are now accepting submissions of interesting human stories on peace and conflict.

PARTICIPATE IN THE PEACE MOSAIC: ADD PEACE! (Ask, Discuss, Design Peace)

1. ASK.

Ask your school/organization to design a piece of 1×1 foot tile for the Peace Mosaic Project. You may also ask GenPeace for a piece for your organization. GenPeace is providing a limited number of tiles to be given to youth organizations for free. Of course, the offer is good while the supply lasts.

2. DISCUSS.

Discuss peace issues that affect the young generation. We want the designing of your peace tile to be a collective effort of your organization. Before designing your Tile, discuss among your colleagues your definitions of peace, the youth’s collective aspirations for peace, and your experiences of conflict. You may use some of the guide questions that are included in the Peace Tile Submission Form.

3. DESIGN.

Design your tile piece. (For the technical specifications, etc. Please refer to the Guidelines below.)

Guidelines for Peace Tile Designs

Material: 1ft by 1ft piece of white tile

Tools: Acrylic paint (or alternative paints such as oil or poster paints), brushes (or its alternatives)

Content: Images and/or Messages related to Peace

1. The Peace Tile Project is open to youth organizations, communities, schools and other youth formations.
2. There will be 100 Tile pieces to be designed by different youth groups that would illustrate their a) peace and conflict issues and/or b) aspirations for peace.
3. Peace messages, images or both can be illustrated onto the Tile pieces of the Peace Mosaic.
4. Paint (oil, acrylic, etc.) will be the art medium used for the project.
5. The best writing/painting medium is enamel paint. Pentel pen/marking pens can also be used. Avoid using lacquer-based paints/materials because it will melt paints and other enamel-based materials.
6. Whenever available, Valspar can be used to topcoat the tiles. There should be 2 coatings/stages of applying the valspar: a.) after paints or pen ink has dried up, valspar should be sprayed over the tiles; b.) after 8 hours or the next day, the second coatingof valspar should be sprayed over the tiles.
7. Brushes, and other alternative tools such as sticks, fingers, leaves, can be used for designing your tile piece.
8. Whenever possible, take a photo or a video during your making of your artwork and send it to the GenPeace secretariat. This will help in making a video/photo documentary that will be presented at the Peace Day celebration.
9. Only one Tile piece will be provided to each youth group so that more youth groups can participate in the Peace Tile Project.
10. Finished designs must be submitted to the contact details below together with a Tile Submission form on or before September 17, 2009.

GenPeace Secretariat

c/o Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute

2^nd Floor Hoffner Building, SDC,

Ateneo de Manila University,

Loyola Heights Quezon City 1108

1. The Tile pieces will be put together at the GenPeace: Peace Day Celeberation on September 21.

PEACE TILE SUBMISSION FORM

Name:

Youth Organization/Community:

Type of Youth Group:

Address:

Contact Number:

POSSIBLE DISCUSSION POINTS DURING YOUR ARTWORK DESIGN:

What is peace for me/us (i.e. as an organization, young generation, community, school, etc.)?

What are our aspirations for peace?

Share your peace/war story. Alternatively, share what you (personal and your youth organization) are doing for peace.

Send your Peace Tile designs to:

GenPeace Secretariat c/o Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute, 2^nd Floor Hoffner Building, SDC, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights Quezon City 1108

(26 NOVEMBER – 2 DECEMBER 2009)

Theme : “Think Mindanao, Feel Mindanao,
Bring Peace to Mindanao”

“Blessed are the Peace Makers, for they shall be called Children of God.” Matthew 5:9

“O you who believe! Enter into Peace (perfectly and completely)…”
Al-Qur’an, 2:208

“You will not enter paradise unless you believe. But you will not be able to believe unless you love one another; Do you want me to tell you a way by which you will be able to love one another? Give (and show) peace towards one another.” –Al-Hadith

In the spirit of fraternal collaboration and solidarity, we greet with respect our fellow Mindanawons as we celebrate once again the Mindanao Week of Peace.

Providentially initiated in 1998 by the Peace Advocates Zamboanga (PAZ), the MWP region-wide celebrations, later vigorously promoted by the BUC, have thankfully energized Mindanawons to express in many varied ways our need and aspirations for lasting peace. This variety of ways inspired by our respective faith and culture has repeatedly shown us that peace must begin with each and everyone of us.

Therefore, if peace has to be brought up personally to Mindanao by every Mindanawon, this need and aspiration must influence the individual thoughts and feelings of us all. Since our holy scriptures remind us always that each of us bears the image of the Almighty and Merciful Creator in our souls and spirit, this godly gift must always be in our minds when we think, in our heart when we feel, and in our behavior when entire Mindanao as one and solid community calls for a just and lasting peace.

So in the name of God/Allah we earnestly urge every Mindanawon: “Think Mindanao, Feel Mindanao, Bring Peace to Mindanao”.

Assalamu alaikum/ Peace be with us all!

(Sgd.)

FERNANDO R. CAPALLA, DD HILARIO M. GOMEZ, JR., PhD
Archbishop of Davao UCCP Bishop Emeritus

(Sgd.)

DR. HAMID A. BARRA
Ulama League of the Philippines

Mindanao Peoples Caucus
July 19, 2009

Aspiring candidates for the presidency and the senate have started selling themselves to the public, spending millions of pesos to look either “pro-poor” or “champion of the poor” so that the poor Filipino masses will vote for them.

Aside from the paid ads, these presidentiables and senatoriables have managed to squeeze themselves into noontime shows, showbiz talks and whatever opportunity there is for public mileage – again to reach out to the Filipino people and tell them “I am for the poor;” “I am poor;” “I used to be poor;” “my heart is for the poor,” “I will fight for you.”

But the real test for the packaging is not much on what their ads say they are, but on what they have done for the poorest of the poor in this country.

One case in point is the humanitarian crisis in Maguindanao and North Cotabato – constituting the most number of victims out of 745,763persons displaced by the renewed hostilities between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) from August 10, 2008 to May 18, 2009, according to the National Disaster Coordinating Council.

The Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre’s (IDMC) April 2009 report had said Mindanao’s 600,000 IDPs was “the biggest new displacement in the world” out of 4.2 million newly displaced in 2008, higher than the “massive new displacements” in Sudan (550,000) and Kenya (500,000).

As of June 30, 2009, records of the Department of Social Welfare in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Region 12 as consolidated by the Office of Civil Defense, show that a total of 71,662 families or 359,022 persons are still languishing in evacuation centers or with their relatives in the ARMM and North Cotabato.

Of this number, Maguindanao posted the highest at 56,685 families or 286,542 displaced villagers, followed by North Cotabato at 8,384 families or 40,069.

Records showed a total of 339 evacuees have died since August 2008: 19 caught in the crossfire in North Cotabato and 31 in the ARMM. But more evacuees died from ailment in the evacuation centers: 223 of them, the OCD report said. The NDCC casualty figure is higher: 372 have died and 160 have been injured as of June 4, 2009. Of the 372, 109 died from actual encounter while 263 died “due to illness at evacuation centers.”

Many of those died either from mortar fire or from preventable diseases in the evacuation centers were children and babies but did any of our aspirants bother to look their way? Did they send relief goods to these IDPs, these poorest of the poor, some of whom have no more homes to return to?

Walk your talk, Sir, Ma’am: Instead of pouring millions of pesos on paid advertisements, you may want to visit evacuation centers and elicit from the IDPs themselves, what is the real STATE OF THE NATION.

–
RICK R. FLORES
Communications Specialist
Mindanao Peoples Caucus
www.mindanaopeoplescaucus.org
florrick@gmail.com
0910-310-9178