13th Batch of JDS Fellows to be Sent Off to Japan

Posted on August 7, 2015

Send-Off Ceremony for the 13th Batch of JDS fellows

The Send-Off Ceremony for the 13th Batch of fellows of the Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship Project or JDS Project was held on 6 August 2015 at Astoria Plaza in Pasig City. First Secretary, Hiroyuki Enoki attended the ceremony. Also in attendance were Deputy Director General of National Economic and Development Authority, Mr. Rolando G. Tungpalan, Director General of Foreign Service Institute of Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Claro S. Cristobal, and officials of Philippine Government agencies.

The JDS project is a scholarship project financed by the Government of Japan through its Official Development Assistance – Grant Aid Program. The aim of the project is to enhance the JDS Fellows’ expertise in their respective fields, such as “Financial Reform, Investment and SME Promotion Policy”, “Capacity Development of Government officials”, “Transportation infrastructure”, and “Regional development administrative in Mindanao / Support for establishment of Bangsamoro autonomous government”. The project also aims to help build a pool of future Filipino leaders from various governmental institutions as well as non-government organizations located in Mindanao region. JDS Fellows are expected to contribute to the country’s overall socio-economic development by returning to and working in the Philippines.

A total of 20 persons comprise the 13th Batch of JDS Fellows from the Philippines*. Including 13th Batch Fellows, the Philippines have a total of 279 JDS Fellows up to this date.

* Organizations of 13th Batch of JDS Fellows

– National Economic and Development Authority (including regional offices)

– Philippine Statistic Authority

– Civil Service Commission

– Department of Public Works and Highways (including regional offices and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao)

– Department of Agriculture (including attached agency)

– Office of the Ombudsman (including regional offices) – Local Government Unit (General Santos City)

– Bangsamoro Development Agency

– Moro Women Development and Culture Center (NGO)

– United Youth for Peace and Development (NGO)

* Accepting Universities Continue reading →

MWDECC facilitates Women’s Forum on the Status of the Bangsamoro Basic Law

Jul28

Cotabato City – The Moro Women Development and Cultural Center, Inc. (MWDECC) facilitated a Women’s Forum on the Status of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in partnership with Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) on July 23, 2015 held at BTC Office, Cotabato City. There were more than 25 women leaders from different civil society organizations operating in Cotabato City who participated the said activity. They were composed of tri-people such as Bangsamoro, Indigenous People and Settler.

Atty. Laiha Alba of BTC discussed the BBL in comparison with the AHCBBL Substitute Bill (HB 5811). Most of the participants expressed their frustration that most of the substance of the agreed version of BBL submitted by the Office of the President (OP) to the Congress were removed or deleted. They said that they are not supporting the HB 5811. They also said that they already submitted their Position Papers to the House of Representatives, Senates and other concerned agencies calling for the immediate passage of the mutually agreed upon Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and submitted by the Office of the President (OP) to Congress.

Various Sultanates in the Bangsamoro ask Congress to Pass BBL Agreed Version into Law

Jul27

Posted on July 27, 2015

Dialogue w/ Traditional Leaders

July 24, 2015 – The Traditional Leaders and Royal Ladies of the Bangsamoro representing various sultanates in the Bangsamoro core territory were gathered for a Peace Dialogue on July 22, 2015 at the Alnor Convention Center, Cotabato City came up with a Manifesto calling on congress to immediately pass the agreed version of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) submitted by the Office of the President.

“We are now worried, however, by the fact that the document crafted by the BTC and agreed upon by the Office of the President is now substituted with another version – HB 5811 – whose provisions are inconsistent with the CAB,” Manifesto said.

“There are also provisions that will inevitably result to a Bangsamoro government that is even less autonomous than the present ARMM, it further said.”

The group is firm in their stance that the amendments made are unacceptable.

“We want a basic law that will address the legitimate grievances of – and correct the historical injustices committed against – the Bangsamoro.”

The dialogue was organized by four local CSOs led by the Moro Women Development and Cultural Center, Inc. (MWDECC) together with Mindanao Action for Peace and Development Initiatives, Inc. (MAPAD); Kadtabanga Foundation for Peace and Development Advocates, Inc. (KFPDAI), and Bangsamoro Center for Justpeace in the Philippines, Inc. (BCJP).

Baina T. Samayatin, Executive Director of MWDECC, said that this is one of the series of activities under the “Popularizing the Peace Process program” that are currently implemented to ensure that the peace process is widely supported by all stakeholders.

Samsodin C. Amella, Executive Director of MAPAD, said that the dialogue is aimed at hearing the views and opinions of the participants on the peace process.

“The participants were composed of various Sultanates such as the Sultanate of Buayan, Sultanate of Kabuntalan, Sultanate of Dikaya, Sultanate of Linatangan Dar us-Salam, Paramount Sultanate of Linantangan Buayan Dar us-Salam, Society of Empowered Royal Ladies in Cotabato Empire, among other principalities in the Bangsamoro core territory, he disclosed.

Author: A’shadieeyah Faizeen

Source: http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/new/item/499-various-sultanates-in-the-bangsamoro-ask-congress-to-pass-bbl-agreed-version-into-law

‘A BBL worth its name’

Jun10

Posted on June 8, 2015

As members of the House of Representatives started plenary deliberations on the Bangsamoro Basic Law earlier this week, women leaders who gathered for the Peace Dialogue with Women Leaders at the Alnor Convention Center here in Cotabato City issued a statement calling for the immediate passage of the legislative measure that will establish a more politically and financially empowered Bangsamoro entity in place of the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“A BBL worth its name.” That was how they described the BBL they wanted passed by both houses of Congress.

“We cry foul for not getting what we actually deserve for so long when what we legitimately demand is full respect to our inherent right to self-determination,” the women leaders coming from civil society organizations, peace and development institutions, people’s organizations, peace and development institutions, cooperatives, and local government units bewailed in their statement.

“We… strongly appeal to our legislators – both in the Senate and Congress – not to turn a blind eye to the sufferings we experience whenever conflicts arise in our communities,” they said.

“We are compelled to flee from our homes and stay in evacuation centers and suffer hunger and other illnesses. Our economic activities are interrupted. Our children are forced to leave schools,” they added.

The women leaders are not the only ones who say this. Data gathered by various organizations bear out their claims. A Thomson Reuters Foundation report says the Mindanao conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and, since 2000, displaced 3.5 million people, citing the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). Continue reading →

Women Leaders strongly appeal the Congress not to turn a blind eye to their sufferings

Jun2

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Cotabato City – Women Leaders who are gathered for the Peace Dialogue with Women Leaders on May 28, 2015 at Alnor Convention Center, Cotabato City, issued a statement calling the Congress, both the Senate and the House of Representatives, to immediately pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that will give them opportunities to live in just and dignified peace and security.

“We cry foul for not getting what we actually deserve for so long when what we legitimately demand is full respect to our inherent right to self-determination,” they said in the statement.

“We, the women leaders who are gathered today for the Peace Dialogue with Women Leaders, strongly appeal to our legislators – both in the Senate and Congress – not to turn a blind eye to the sufferings we experience whenever conflicts arise in our communities. We are compelled to flee from our homes and stay in the evacuation centers and suffer hunger and various illnesses. Our economic activities are interrupted. Our children are forced to leave schools,” they emphasized in the statement.

“We believe that the passage of the draft BBL will give us opportunities to live in just and dignified peace and security,” they added.

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They call the Philippine legislators to immediately pass a BBL that is neither diluted nor watered down but must comply with the mutually agreed upon by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and submitted by the Office of the President (OP) to Congress.

“A BBL worth its name must not lost sight of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). And the would-be Bangsamoro Government must not be less autonomous than the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) that it seeks to replace,” they further said in the statement.

The Peace Dialogue was participated by women leaders composed of tri-people such as Bangsamoro, Indigenous People and Settlers coming from the different people’s organizations, civil society organizations, peace and development institutions, cooperatives, and local government units in Maguindanao.

Moro Women Development and Cultural Center, Inc (MWDECC) spearheaded the conduct of the said activity together with Mindanao Action for Peace and Development Initiatives, Inc. (MAPAD); Kadtabanga Foundation for Peace and Development Advocates, Inc. (KFPDAI), and Bangsamoro Center for Justpeace in the Philippines, Inc. (BCJP) in partnership with Australian Government and The Asia Foundation.

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