GenPeace MOVE for Democracy (October 2018)

MYPEACE: Boses ng Kabataan – GenPeace School Tour. Aleosan National High School. October 5, 2018 Aleosan, North Cotabato

With 110 senior high school students, MYPEACE facilitated its school tour at Aleosan National High School, Aleosan, North Cotabato. There were two main speakers namely, Atty. Datu Omar Yasser Sema and Ms. Victoria Bat-Og who discussed Human Rights, Democracy, and the Bangsamoro Organic Law —one of the advocacies of the chapter. In discussing human rights and democracy, the students mentioned that they have gained ideas and a better understanding of what these concepts are, relating its relevance to what is happening around them and in the society which is also connected to the Bangsamoro Organic Law or the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. The participants mentioned that they are enlightened of the importance and impact that these topics can bring in changing their society and encouraging them to take part in raising awareness in their own communities. The Generation Peace Youth Network Human Rights Playschool (Karapatan Maze) has also conducted allowing the students to contextualize what they have learned throughout the sessions. It was facilitated by EDHRP participants Nasser Matula of MYPEACE and Abdul Rahim Balabagan of United Network of Young Peace Advocates for Development (UNYPAD). During the school tour, they were also able to establish MYPEACE Aleosan National High School Chapter enabling them to sustain their efforts and activities to promote the advocacy among the students.GenPeace Marawi – Local Learning Session Human Rights Playschool. Mindanao State University, Main Campus, Lanao del Sur. October 7, 2018

GenPeace – Marawi was able to gather a total of 24 participants from different colleges and tribes including 12 members from the MSU-Mountaineering Club Inc. to introduce basic human rights through GenPeace Human Rights Playschool. The local learning session helped the participants to deeply understand and conceptualize the importance of understanding the basic concepts of human rights. The gathering provided an opportunity among the students to discuss issues existing in the community including discrimination and biases and a space to appreciate the values of human rights.

Communities First – GenPeace School Tour. Social Hall, New Government Center. October 12, 2018. Sipalay City

Communities First conducted its first activity with 85 participants held at the Social Hall of the New Government Center in Sipalay City. There were three topics discussed: (a) Rights of Women in the Philippines presented by Atty. Jane Petralba, (b) Children’s Human Rights in Digital Highway and Social Media by Judge Amy Alabado Avellano, and lastly (c) Isang Komunidad: Girl, Boy, Bakla (Gay), Tomboy (Lesbian) presented by Jom Bagulaya, a councilor from Tacloban City. These topics are anchored with focus issues and advocacy of Communities First.

MYPEACE: Boses ng Kabataan – GenPeace School Tour Dualing High School. Aleosan, North Cotabato Province. October 12, 2018

MyPeace gathered 180 students of Dualing High School to discuss the Bangsamoro Organic Law, Basic Human Rights and Democracy, and Unarmed Civilian Peacekeeping. The students represented 19 villages of the municipality of Aleosan. Resource speakers included: 1) Ramon Plasabas of Non-violent Peaceforce to discuss Unarmed Civilian Peacekeeing, 2) Victoria Bat-oo, former Peace Education professor of Southern Christian College to speak about Basic Human Rights and Democracy, and 3) Floderick T. Sanico representing Balay Rehabilitation to present the Bangsamoro Organic Law. Among the activities to supplement the learnings of the students is the conduct of the Karapatan Maze of GenPeace’s Human Rights Playschool kit.

PASCRES – Learning Session on Education for Democracy and Human Rights. Barangay Bulihan, Zone 7, Silang, Cavite. October 21, 2018

PASCRES conducted a local learning session in Silang Cavite with 15 senior high school students and young people of Barangay Bulihan, SIlang Cavite. Faye Daguman, Zarah Mae Navarro, and Rubenjie Cadua led the facilitation in discussing the values and principles, categories of rights, and violation of human rights with the participants. The conduct of GenPeace Human Rights Playschool allowed the participants to contextualize the concepts through experiential learning. In the discussion, among the issues raised among young people are as follows: (1) non-inclusion of programs specifically for young people in the barangay, (2) lack of programs for the youth, (3) not all young people are given to participate in the different processes in their communities, and (4) there are young people who are not active and apathetic towards the society.

GenPeace Katipunan – Local Learning Session 1 and 2. Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute Conference Room, Quezon City. October 27-28, 2018

The Katipunan Cluster of Miriam College’s Center for Peace Education and Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan held its back-to-back learning session with 10 students’ leaders from Ateneo de Manila University and Miriam College. The aim of the two-day learning session was to raise awareness of the participants on the national situation of the Philippines, introduce advocacy and campaign work for democracy, social justice, and peace, and to provide a platform for the participants to create initiatives for their respective communities. Youth leaders RJ Naguit, M.D. of Youth for Mental Health Coalition to discuss advocacy work and experience, Rafaela David of CYAN on the role of youth in sustaining advocacy, Manuel Inigo Angulo of Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan discussed advocacy and campaign tools, and EDHR Participants Karlo Abadines and Karissa Chua led the discussion Advocacy work on Human Rights and Democracy. The speakers shared their experiences in advocacy and encouraged the young people to engage and participate in bringing forward the different issues revolving democracy, social justice, and peace.

PASAKK – GenPeace School Tour Indigenous Peoples Month Celebration. Manobo Tribal Heritage, San Teodoro, Bunawan, Agusan del Sur. October 28-29, 2018

In celebration of the Indigenous Peoples Month, PASAKK in collaboration with Generation Peace Youth Network held its celebration in Bunawan, Agusuan del Sur at the Manobo Tribal Heritage. The activity reached out to different agencies to sit in a dialogue on the issues of indigenous people and strengthen community awareness on the protection and promotion of the Manobo culture. The activity was participated by 111 participants with 65 female and 46 male present representing 5 municipalities of the province of Agusan del Sur. Federalism and the issues facing the community were also discussed.

Among the issues raised were: a) Municipal Tribal (Council) is not chosen by the people but appointed by politicians; b) There is no Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) serving in the council despite the high number of IP population in the different barangays; c) politicians allow “outsiders” to enter the ancestral lands of the indigenous peoples without consulting the elders and leaders of the community; d) women are still not allowed to be represented in the IPMR; e) a number of fisher folks who uses illegal equipment entering the territories of the Indigenous People; and, f) the younger generation does not appreciate and practice the culture of indigenous people.

Meanwhile, in the discussion of Federalism three issues were identified: a) will federalism be favourable for IPs?; b) Currently, federalism divides the indigenous peoples because of the position being offered/promised to other members of the community; and, c) there have been groups who have organized indigenous groups to endorse federalism in Mindanao without the community knowing their legitimacy and background.

Youth Advocates for Peace and Development Network (YAPDN) – Learning Session on Bangsamoro Organic Law. Calda Pizza, Alnor Complex. October 29, 2018. Cotabato City

YAPDN’s second learning session was attended by 30 participants representing the tri-people (Bangsamoro, Christian and Indigenous Peoples), most of which are students of universities/colleges and senior high school. It was held at Alnor Complex, Cotabato City. The focus of the learning session was the Bangsamoro Organic Law presented by Engineer Muhajirin Ali, a member of the Secretariat of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Peace Implementing Panel. The history of conflict including the discussion on the salient points of the law was facilitated, opening an opportunity to focus on discussing form of government, territory, powers, fiscal autonomy, intergovernmental relations, and justice system or the Shariah law, the essential components of the proposed Bangsamoro Government.

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