by Rene V. Carbayas
ISABELA CITY, Basilan – What does it take for Maluso to be more peaceful and developed?
This was the overarching question that the different sectors of Maluso Municipality pondered on at the Maluso Peace Conference held at Maluso National High School in Basilan as part of the weeklong celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace 2014.
Each sector, namely: the academe, barangay officials, youth, religious, women, security, fisher folks, and the local government of Maluso have expressed their thoughts and aspirations, including things that they can give up and or sacrifice in the name of peace and prosperity of Maluso.
Speaking on behalf of Maluso Mayor Indanan K. Daud, Engr. Merhaser Hassim, Municipal Engineer of Maluso reported to the participants the recent accomplishments of the municipal officials aimed at changing the landscape of Maluso towards peace and development.
“The mayor is trying to do anything in his power to change the face of Maluso by implementing projects, like the BUB (Bottom Ups Budgeting), four infrastructure projects in four barangays, and livelihood, among others,” he said.
He also cited the role of the local police and the military in maintaining peace and order in the municipality.
Miriam Suacito, executive director of the Nagdilaab Foundation Inc., expressed her gratitude to the participants for giving their time to attend the conference.
“This is part of the weeklong celebration of the annual Mindanao Week of Peace. This is not just a one-week affair but this week is the culmination of all other interventions that we are doing for peace and development,” she said.
At the conference, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Basilan put together all the aspirations of the different sectors in a synthesis. Common to the sectors’ aspirations for a more peaceful and progressive Maluso was the desire to acquire personalized capacities and genuine commitment, based on respect and other values in order to be empowered and make a difference in the community.
The Maluso stakeholders desire that these capacities and commitments be translated into effective law enforcement, good governance, people’s participation and community involvement, and human security in terms of education, economic development, and political maturity.
The participants agreed that these capacities and commitments must be founded on prayer and spirituality that is based on dialogue, inter-faith sharing, and communication, sense of inclusivity, altruism, and strong cultural founding.
Key government and non-government institutions gave their responses and disclosed their programs and plans that may contribute to Maluso’s peace and development. Among them are the Maluso City Social Welfare, Claret Samal Foundation Inc., Nagdilaab Foundation Inc., Maluso Health Office-DOH, the religious sector, the PIA, the local government, the 4SF Battalion of the Philippine Army and the local police.
Some 160 people from the different sectors of Maluso participated in the said gathering. The participants agreed to present the results of the conference to the mayor and also to organize a technical working group who will look into the next steps of the conference.
The conference was made possible through the support of the USAID, The Asia Foundation, the Nagdilaab Foundation Inc., DepEd-ARMM, the 4SFBn 14SFCo of the Philippine Army, the Claret Samal Foundation Inc., and the municipal government of Maluso.
