A Simultaneous Benefit Music Event dubbed as “USA KA BUNDAKAN SA MGA NAIG-AN” brings huge impact in support to the affected families of Mindanao Earthquake in Central Mindanao.

“USA KA BUNDAKAN SA MGA NAIG-AN” - a donation drive for the victims of the Mindanao Earthquake in Makilala, North Cotabato and Kidapawan City, was simultaneously conducted last November 16, 2019, at various bars and streets of Davao City particularly in Gio’s Cribs, Pete’s Point, Suazo, Top Budz, Calle Cinco, Tipsy Logan, Zero82 Lokal, Frog Kaffee and Roxas Night Market, also at YSP Avenue in General Santos City, Cerebro Bar in Tacloban City and The Barn in Tagum City. The event was initiated and organized by the State  of Mind Productions, Inc., in collaborations with Davao’s finest musicians, organizers, artists, and other local acts together with some local brands, groups and productions based in Mindanao.

The said event aims to raise and collect financial and in-kind donations, in support to the severely affected families of the earthquake in Central Mindanao. 

USA KA BUNDAKAN SA MGA NAIG-AN, brings huge impact and awareness to the people of Mindanao. 

By: HARRIS M. ISMAEL

“The Role of the Youth towards a peaceful and well-developed communities in the Bangsamoro.”

“The Role of the Youth towards a peaceful and well-developed communities in the Bangsamoro.”

The role of the youth in the Bangsamoro is the most valuable and important in today’s modern era. They have underplayed themselves in the field of politics and other related aspects. Our Young Moros are strong forces in social movements and a problem solvers.

We, as “Young Moros” have the ability to lead our fellow citizens into the right path. We fight for our identity in the society of equality, bullying, abuse, exploitation, extremism, poverty and other related problems which the nation’s faces today. 

The region is facing a lot of issues and concerns. We believe that our youths are capable of solving them. They just need to be given a chance to prove themselves. Our Youths have the power to unite individuals in the seven (7) ethnic tribes in the region namely; tausugs, maguindanaons, m’ranaws, yakans, samas, badjaos and the tedurays.

As part of the society’s development towards a peaceful and well-developed communities in the region, we just need guidance, support, good morals and values to handle conflicts in a positive way.

The primary role of our young moro people is to get a good education in order to become better citizens for tomorrow’s sustainable development. They just need to learn skills to do the job that out of the region’s economical needs. They also need to know how to write, think, understand, analyse, and discuss the issues of their community’s faces today. The entire success of the nation especially in the Bangsamoro region depends on our beloved youths. However, in order for continuous success to take place and make this possible, it is the Government’s responsibility to provide our young moros with proper facilities for getting equipped with the knowledge that can be use for today’s modern era.

Our Young people is the spring of life. It is the age of discovery and dreams. They have the power to transform our community into a better place. 

#BangsamoroYouth #YouthandPeaceEmpowerment #YouthEmpowerment #YouthandPeaceAdvocate #Unity #YoungMoro #TheRoleoftheMoroYouth

- Hadji Harris Mukaram Ismael

   Youth and Peace Advocate

A Moro Short Film entry, “LUBID” bagged as “Tinig ng Kabataan Film Festival Champion”

FILM is one of the most celebrated art forms then and now. It is a form of storytelling that gives freedom to the use of creativity and imagination. Its process, filmmaking, is composed of collaborative effort and a unified vision that brings life to such a unique art form.

This is the central theme at the Tinig ng Kabataan Film Festival, organized by the Good Neighbors Philippines International and recognized and honored the young talents in filmmaking held on November 17, 2019, at ABS-CBN Vertist Tent, Vertist North Ayala Mall, Quezon City, Philippines.

Lubid, a moro shortfilm entry directed by a young moro, vlogger, comedian and content creator named, Ruru Karisma a.k.a Prince Redzuan Mamalangkas together with his friends namely; Al-Shamarie Alon, Lincold Luna and Saudi Alipulo (Bangsamoro Vlogger), follows the story of an high school student who came from a poor family, using a  rope or “Lubid” to cross the river just to be present at school everyday. It bagged as Best Picture and Champion in an Amateur Category.m

The film entries this year were judged and deliberated by some of the names who have the talent and experience in filmmaking.

Tinig ng Kabataan is the official Film Festival of the Good Neighbors Philippines International that is participated by different Filmmakers, Film Enthusiast, Indie Film Actors and Actresses.

The 6th Philippine Farm Tourism Conference 2019

With this year’s conference theme: Building Community Relationship for Sustainable Development of Farm Tourism. The International School for Sustainable Tourism in partnership with the City Government of Cebu, organized the 6th Philippine Farm Tourism Conference 2019 held in Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Cebu City on November 6-8, 2019.

The event was participated by Private stakeholders, Farm  Owners, Entrepreneurs, Business Personnel and Local Chief  Executives from various Local Government Units in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao including the Bangsamoro Region.

Mr. Hadji Harris M. Ismael, The Moro Peace Project Promotions and Support Services, Inc. Managing Head, was the only participant to represent the culture and tradition of Farm Tourism in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

During the event, keynote messages are delivered by former President and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, DA Secretary William Dar and Senator Cynthia Villar, Author of the Farm Tourism Development Act of 2016.

According to ISST President and Event Director Mina Gabor, the conference will focus on the unique fusion of farming and tourism that helps empower local communities, provides diversified income for farmers, and encourages sustainable practices for food security. “Farm tourism attracts visitors and travelers to farm areas, generally for educational and recreational purposes that encourage economic activity to provide farm and community income. It is one of the country’s sunshine industries which can be developed because of the agricultural nature of the economy,” she said.

#6thPhilippinesFarmTourismConference 

#FarmTourismConference2019 #TheMoroPeaceProject #SupportPhilippineFarmTourism

#ParasaBangsamoro #BangsamoroFarmTourism

Kapihan sa Bangsamoro with MLG Minister

For the first time on September 5, the Bangsamoro Government and the Mindanao Humanitarian Team (MHT) conducted a joint meeting in one of the island provinces of the region – Basilan. 

“It is an important step to signify that there is relative peace in the islands, and that people from different countries can actually go there,” BARMM spokesman and local government minister Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo said during the 4th Kapihan sa Bangsamoro on Tuesday, September 10.

 “For a long time, the UN (United Nations) agencies as well as INGOs (International Non-governmental Organization) were prohibited to send their personnel in the island provinces for security reasons,” Sinarimbo added.

According to Sinarimbo, the reason for conducting meetings in the island provinces was for the Bangsamoro government and its partners from the humanitarian sector to see the actual conditions of the communities so that they can respond better to the people’s needs. 

He said the next joint BARMM-MHT meeting will be held in the province of Tawi-Tawi. 

During the Kapihan, Sinarimbo also said the Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG) is now working on the cascading of legislation from the parliament down to the Local Government Units (LGUs).

“Unang-una dahil meron tayong panibagong batas,” Sinarimbo said. “Dapat merong context yung mga kasama nating LGUs kung ano yung bago at kung ano yung maaring makapagpabago sa areas of legislation.”

The MILG is holding a 3-day orientation and enhancement of local legislation for BARMM vice governors and vice mayors which started Monday, September 9.

Source via Bangsamoro Government FB Page

The Decommissioning of the MILF-BIAF Combatants and Weapons

Photo Credits to: Jab LA (Facebook) 

 

1,060 MILF-BIAF Combatants, Moro fighters and their weapons turned-over and decommissioned in line with the group's peace deal with the National Government granted them greater autonomy in the Bangsamoro region. 

This is the second phase; of the 30% of the 4,000 MILF-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces members to be decommissioned until 2020.

The event was held at the Old Provincial Capitol of Maguindanao in Barangay Simuay, Sultan Kudarat Municipality, Province of Maguindanao.

According to Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman and now the BARMM Interim Chief Minister, Hadji Ahod “Al-Hajj Murad” Balawag Ebrahim, the  decommissioning of combatants does not mean they are surrendering their cause. “I would like to emphasize that the decommissioning does not mean we have given up on what we used to fight for. It simply demonstrate our sincere and full commitment to fulfilling our obligations and responsibilities in the peace agreement we signed with the National Government”.

Over a thousand MILF-BIAF Moro fighters and some 900 weapons, including rocket launchers, propelled grenades, was the first batch undergo to be decommission in   Maguindanao.

The process is a key component of the normalization structure in accordance to the Annex on Normalization of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and will be overseen by an International Decommissioning Body (IDB).

The IDB has guidelines and protocols to ensure that the decommissioning process will be conducted efficiently with utmost impartiality, integrity and confidentiality.

The decommissioned combatants will receive aid packages worth some P1 million. It will include P100,000 cash, housing projects and livelihood training, among others.

"The decommissioning is the first step in achieving the group’s goal to return the combatants to civilian but productive life," the BARMM Interim Chief Minister Ebrahim said.

The MILF camps will also be turned into civilians communities.

"Through this intervention, our combatants will be able to return to mainstream society. From revolutionary forces into civilian life," the BARMM Interim Chief Minister Ebrahim added.

The decommissioning event was witnessed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his presidential party. 

Last August 2019, more than 219 MILF and Moro fighters completed their basic military training in the Philippine  Army's 602nd Infantry Brigade in Cotabato Province. They are now part of the joint peace and security team that will help secure the BARMM region.

Photos Credits to the owners  

Phases of Decommissioning (Part of Normalization Annex)

Source: BTA-MP Lanang Ali

First Phase : Ceremonial decommissioning: 75 weapons and 145 MILF Combatants. 

Condition: submission of the BBL to the President of the Philippines then endorsement of the BBL to the Philippine Congress. (completed)

2nd Phase : Decommissioning of 30% of 40,000 MILF combantants which is 12,000 and 30% of 7,000 weapons of MILF which is 2,100.

Condition: Passage and ratification of BOL and establishment of Bangsamoro Transition Authority. (On-going process)

3rd phase : Decommissioning of 35% of combatants and weapons of the MILF. Condition : Establishment and Operationalization of the Bangsamoro Police as provided in Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro or CAB (Coming soon)

4th phase : Decommissioning of the remaining combatants and weapons of the MILF. Condition : Implementation of all signed peace agreements in CAB to be certified as such upon signing of the Exit Agreement by the GPH, MILF and the Third Party Facilitator (Malaysia).

(Coming soon)

Note: There is no agreed timeline between the two panels as to when the 100% Decommissioning of MILF combatants. What was posted in social media as to the timeline (2022) of the MILF decommissioning is the version of OPAPP alone. The MILF Peace Implementing Panel response to the query as to when the 100% decommissioning of the MILF combatants is AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

The Official BARMM Flag under its first law

After several months of deliberations in the parliament of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) unvealed its official emblem on 28 August 2019.

BARMM Chief Minister Hadji Ahod “Murad” Balawag Ebrahim, signed the law, creating the region’s official flag. The first law passed by the Regional Transitional Parliament.

The BARMM flag has four distinctive colors, a crescent, a