Cotabato City, BARMM | The Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS) in partnership with Office of Member of the Parliament Abdullah E. Gayak – Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) conducted a three-day peacebuilding training and needs-based intervention to forty (40) widows of martyrs whom prior to the activity went through community scanning, beneficiary profiling, and needs-based assessment. The program was held on July 19-21, 2022 at Em Manor Hotel, Cotabato City, BARMM.
This peacebuilding intervention activity was implemented through the Transition Development Impact Fund (TDIF) of MP Abdullah E. Gayak of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) that aimed to uplift the socio-economic conditions of the widows of martyrs’ through capacity development and needs-based intervention towards social healing and recovery.
Ms. Sakina Pacalna, a widow of a Mujahideen when asked on how will she contribute peace in her community, she responded, we quote: “Mabi-build ko po ang peace sa aking komunidad sa pamamagitan ng pag-aadvise sa aking mga anak sa tamang paraan ng pakikitungo at paggawa ng magandang gawain sa ating kapwa. Ito ay batay sa mga tinuro ng MPOS at ng mga resource persons na nakasama natin sa training na ito.”
The participants underwent a series of lecture and discussion from esteemed resource persons on peacebuilding such as “Jihad and Peacebuilding in Islam” by Ustadh Habib Usman, Chairman of Hayatul Ulama in the Philippines, Maguindanao Province, “Building a Culture of Peace, Becoming an Active Citizen Towards a Peaceful and Safe Community” by Dr. Margie Fiesta of Mindanao State University, and “Kababaihan at Kapayapaan” by Mr. Joniel Gedoria, MPOS Peace Program Officer IV. Further, this activity became an opportunity and avenue for the participants to share their experiences and realities as widows of martyrs.
Towards the end of the training, participants received Php10,000 worth of financial assistance as support for their livelihood and transition to a conflict-free community. Moreover, the conduct of this program is one of the government’s commitments to sustain the gains of Bangsamoro peacebuilding towards normalization.
