By Rene V. Carbayas
ISABELA CITY, Basilan – Government communications group is now facing a challenging
and tough job in communicating the peace process and in generating public
support for the ongoing peace talks between the Government of the Philippines
and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Throngs of negativity
haunted the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and the peace talks between the
government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and this has become
widespread from the ordinary street vendor to the politicians at the halls of
Congress.
Giant media outfits have
benefited a lot from the skyrocketing ratings and most views, as each and every
aspect and the blow by blow accounts of the gruesome fate of the 44 Special
Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who perished in that
fateful incident at Tukalanipao, Mamasapano in Maguindanao has been carried on the
airwaves and landed at every Filipino home.
As what a government
peace negotiator has said at a forum: “What could have been a ‘private grief’
has turned into a celebrated ‘public grief’.” Just like any other disasters
covered by the media such as the Zamboanga siege and Yolanda, etc., the media proved
to have again triumphed in capitalizing on emotions to spread societal ills and
ineptitude of institutions and human capabilities.
If there is one positive
effect (granting there’s a such) of the post-Mamasapano national discourse is
the fact that more Filipinos are getting interested in the proposed Bangsamoro
Basic Law (BBL), which was also considered by pro-peace groups as a casualty
together with the 67 Filipinos. Unfortunately, the interest is marred by
personal biases and prejudices, digging more holes in the already very rocky
and rough road to peace. And this has also betrayed the ignorance of most
Filipinos on the peace process, which has been going on for about seventeen
years.
The need to communicate
peace
There is no doubt that
every Filipino longs for peace, especially in the conflict-affected areas of
Mindanao. We may be at different levels in understanding peace but the desire
is still strong. With or without the BBL, the people must understand and
cultivate a culture of peace, which is the foundation of a stronger and
enlightened citizenry that respects other people’s traditions, beliefs, and
aspirations.
We need to stop labeling people
and isolating ourselves - such as being anti-Muslim, anti-BBL, or imperial Manila
- and learn from a child who knows no boundary of color, race, and beliefs. For
the child, it is the humanity that counts—the joy of friendship, of
togetherness at play, and the laughter shared are cherished and loved.
Many would argue that
this is easier said than done because we are only human. But, we are humans,
higher than the animal kingdom. Thus, we reason and are rational beings. Maybe
we have already dwelt so much in our emotional state, and, perhaps it is now time
for Filipinos to be rational and to find better understanding on the things
that happened at Mamasapano to further appreciate the need to pursue the peace
process.
Many still believe that
there is a ”greater good” that would come out of all the challenges that the
nation is facing. It is time for every Filipino to engage, and keep an open
mind to the possibilities and opportunities, including the exploration of
better alternatives to attain peace.
Quality information is
knowledge towards decision-making
In spite of the media
coverage on the peace process since President Cory’s time, many still claim
that they lack information about it. Since the enactment of the Framework
Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) to the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement
on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and eventually the drafting of the BBL with the MILF,
many remain ignorant of the peace negotiation especially the grassroots and other
stakeholders for two reasons: they are not interested because they don’t care
about the outcome or they have already taken an irreversible position on the
matter thus they refuse to listen to any explanation. The latter poses the biggest challenge to all peace
communicators.
Aside from dealing with
limited time and resources, both human and logistics, the government communicators
are also pressured to find the right and effective key messages that the public
would appreciate and accept through the different communication platforms.
For the anti- and pro-BBL
alike, quality information is still the key to arrive at an enlightened decision
in life. A massive information drive, therefore, must be launched now. To
dilly-dally is to drive the elusive peace away.
The Office of the
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) said that it would launch a
massive campaign on the peace process and the BBL with the end in view of
reaching out to all and sundry.
Recently, the Media ng
Bayan also gathered selected personnel from the Philippine Information Agency
(PIA) together with some Manila-based PTV and Radyo ng Bayan for a planning
workshop to guide the government communication pillars in a unified messaging
through coordinated actions with respect to the BBL and the Peace Process.