by Rene V. Carbayas
ISABELA CITY, Basilan – Selected army troops and policemen underwent a training on conflict management and resolution skills aimed at enhancing the knowledge and skills of soldiers in peace and development work in Basilan.
Some 47 soldiers of the 4th Special Forces Battalion, the 104th Civil Military Operation (CMO) Unit, some members of the CAFGU, and the Basilan Philippine National Police participated in the three-day training last May 11-14 at camp 4SFBn, SOCOM, Philippine Army in Barangay Cabunbata this city.
Miriam L. Suacito, executive director of the Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. said that the “Bayanihan” training-workshop was part of the Bantay Bayanihan program that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is implementing in partnership with Civil Society Organizations (CSO).
She explained that the AFP and some CSOs in Western Mindanao have formed a coalition that works on the civil military affairs whose aim is to maintain civilian-military relationship and changing the mindset of the security sector from military operations to doing peace and development work.
“The Bantay Bayanihan program is still a work in progress in Basilan Province in partnership with the 104th Brigade and all units under its command and some NGOs in alliance with peace and development work, where Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. acts as its secretariat,” she said.
Suacito added that the training specifically aimed at equipping our soldiers with knowledge and skills in community organizing, in handling conflict situations, and most importantly equipping themselves with right attitude and behavior that will contribute to peace-building in the communities that they will serve.
Resource persons from the Nagdilaab Foundation and the Philippine Information Agency led participants to various activities on personhood, values clarification, role playing on conflict resolution, and community organizing, among others.
With the AFP’s direction of winning the peace, rather than winning the war, the government forces are making a drastic move that may change public perception toward the military in the hope that the communities will appreciate the role of the soldiers in peace and development.