By
Rene V. Carbayas
ISABELA
CITY, Basilan – The Basilan Communicators Network Inc.
(BASCOMNET) in partnership with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the
Peace Process (OPAPP) has recently conducted a forum on the Bangsamoro and the
Philippine peace process to enlighten the communicators and information officers from the
different government agencies and non-government organizations in Basilan on
the issue.
The
forum dwelt on the rationale behind the peace process by understanding the
history of the Moro conflict and struggle in Mindanao.
Ma.
Krishna Sonza of OPAPP’s communications team walked the participants to the
time in the past that most people on Mindanao suffered injustices and discriminations
that led to the poor state of human and social development in the area today.
She
hopes that the people would further seek to understand first the root causes of
the struggle of the people in Mindanao and the overarching intention of the
government to provide the island genuine autonomy and peace.
However,
Sonza stressed that the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which is still
being deliberated in Congress and when passed and approved, it will not fully
guarantee peace but “it will already be a great step towards attaining genuine
peace.”
At
the same forum, the participants were illuminated on some pressing issues and
concerns of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission’s BBL draft, to include the
issue of the Bangsamoro police, core territories, creation of a separate
auditing body and civil service, among others.
She also told the BASCOMNET members that the
fate of the BBL is now in the hands of congress.
“Since
the BBL is now in the hands of congress, what the people need to understand
first and foremost is the content of the Comprehensive Agreement on the
Bangsamoro (CAB) signed last March,” she stressed, saying that the CAB is the
basis of the BBL and that the MILF and other peace advocates are hoping that
the final version would still contain the spirit of the CAB.
Sonza
also provided some updates on the ongoing deliberations at the ADHOC committee
of congress and encouraged the participants to wait for the final version of
both houses, as everything in the proposed BBL could still change and what is
important for communicators is to understand the CAB by heart.
The
recent forum was made possible through the support of the Inter-Faith Council
of Leaders (IFCL) in Isabela City, Basilan.
After
the forum, the newly elected board of directors for 2015-2017 were inducted
into office by Atty. Vivaniño Barrios of the Public Attorney’s Office in
Basilan. The officers and members of the board are Dr. Paysal Kasim (DOH-Rep)
as President, Hja. Lucia A. Kandum (DepEd-Isabela) as Vice-President, Marlyn M.
Anoos (DOLE-Isabela)-board secretary, and Melchora “Choi” Mangubat (ISAWAD),
PSI Daryl Vincent D. Bartolome (PNP Province), 2LT Sally Christine Magno
(104BdePA), Miriam L. Suacito (NFI), Nadzwa Abdulwahid (DAR), Socorro E. Torralba
(DPWH), and Jesielyn Puno, Treasurer (CPop).