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Mindanao peoples push agenda for peace gets push from Vice Gov, sectors

March 2, 2011

A forum on the updates of the Government of the Philippines and National Democratic Front peace negotiations drew positive response from various sectors including Bukidnon Vice Governor Jose Maria Zubiri to push for socio economic reforms especially for Mindanao.

The forum “Ulat sa Mindanao Gathering for Peace” held at the Philtown Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City Tuesday is organized by the Sowing the Seeds of Peace, a Mindanao movement  supporting the peace talks.

Around 200 participants representing church, local government, academe, peace and human rights advocates, student councils, gathered and supported the Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Agenda to be recommended to the panels for the next round of talks.

The peace talks will continue in June to discuss on the socio-economic reform agenda , which both panels agreed on the Joint Statement to sign a comprehensive agreement by September this year.

The Mindanao Agenda called for immediate reforms on land, labor, social service, education, and people-oriented development.  The draft was created following a Mindanao Consultation hosted by the Sowing the Seeds of Peace.

Bukidnon Vice Governor Jose Maria Zubiri, who attended the forum, affirmed the proposals made by various sectors on Mindanao People’s Peace Agenda, particularly the agenda on land reform.

He said he recognized that landlessness is one of the underlying causes of the continued existence of armed struggle.  “Landlessness is the basic problem here.”

He proposed government a comprehensive support and subsidy to farmers: “Giving them land is not enough; they will just sell it and go back to the hills.”

Zubiri supported the ongoing talks, “let us listen to our brothers in the hills so we can have peace,” he said.

The Agenda also tackled issues on landlessness, labor problems, government neglect on people’s basic needs and welfare, exploitation of the country’s resources by multinationals, corruption, human rights violations and other concerns affecting the people.

“We are hoping that the talks will continue so that they may continue discussing how to solve our problems,” Jomorito Guaynon, a Higaonon tribal leader from Bukidnon said.

Guaynon laments that while people are happy that there are Jollibee food chains in Bukidnon, Lumads like him barely see health centers in their places in the rural areas.

For Guaynon, it is the people who stand to benefit from the talks especially if the discussion is anchored on finding solution to such issues.

Peace advocates took turns at expressing their views on the peace talks.

Sr. Franz Blando, a Board member of the Sisters’ Association in Mindanao (SAMIN) stressed the need “to take the side of the poor and ensure that it is their agenda that must breathe life into the text of any peace agreement.”

Atty. Carlos Isagani Zarate, secretary general of the Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao, said the talks  are looking positive as the panels are taking steps to stay the course of negotiations, “Both are cracking their heads to find the solution,” Zarate said.

The GPH, Zarate said, showed a departure from the stand of the previous government who called the other side terrorists.

The NDF, on the other hand, he said, has offered a truce if the government agrees to the program it has proposed to address the basic causes of the armed conflict.  “These are good indications,” Zarate said.

Also he noted that decision of both panels to start the meeting of the working groups as another positive development.

“We think it is good that both agreed even at this time to form working groups to study and discuss social and economic reforms,” Zarate said in referring to the agreement of both panels to begin convening working groups to discuss not only the agenda on social and economic reform but on political reforms as well.

The GPH peace panel apologized for not being able to attend the forum as panel chair GPH Alex Padilla and Presidential Adviser to the Peace Process Teresita Deles were at a meeting in Congress to discuss House resolutions related to the peace process, Maria Carla Munsayac-Villarta said in a communication sent via email to the secretariat of the activity. Instead, they sent the February 21 and 22 statements of the panel chair organizers read during the activity.

The convenors of the activity expects to conduct similar forums and discussions on peace believing that  that the discussion of social and economic issues in peace talks would be key to addressing the long raging armed conflict in the country.

The Sowing the Seeds of Peace had been convened by  church leaders, local government officials, and other sectors who see the need to express the Mindanao people’s aspirations for a just and lasting peace in the peace process.

Convenors include Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro; Bishop Melzar Labuntog, Ecumenical Bishops Forum; Bishop Felixberto Calang Iglesia Filipina Independiente; Mayor Vicente Y. Emano, Cagayan de Oro City and Vice Gov. Jose Maria Zubiri, Province of Bukidnon .

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