AUGUST 16, 2021 – Notre Dame Review Center, Jolo Sulu | The Ministry of Public Order and Safety – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MPOS-BARMM), in partnership with the Office of MP Atty. Jose I. Lorena, conducted a two-day Multi-stakeholders Peace Forum in Sulu State College Gymnasium, Jolo, Sulu on August 13-14, 2021. It was attended by different peace stakeholders representing the local government units, academe, civil society organizations, law enforcement agencies, youth, women, and religious sectors. More than one hundred fifty (150) individuals were present in the two-day event.
The event aims to discuss the issues and challenges affecting peace and security in the province, identify the different sectoral roles contributing to the success of peacebuilding programs, create a safe space to discuss the root causes and contributing factors of conflict in the province, develop stronger collaboration between and among peace builders/stakeholders, and formulate policy recommendations for sustainable peace and development in the Province of Sulu. The theme for this event was “Crafting the Foundations of a Lasting Peace”.
Some key officials of the province, including Governor Abdusakur M. Tan, graced the event. He expressed his gratitude to the MPOS-BARMM, led by its Minister, Hussein P. Muñoz, for conducting the peace forum in his province. He emphasized the importance of regular communication between the Province of Sulu and the Regional Government. He was also appealing for the establishment of functional provincial offices of the different ministries and offices of the BARMM as well as for the localization of hiring of employees to be assigned in the province, as according to him, the problem of Sulu could be effectively addressed by its own people.
Atty. Jose I. Lorena, Member of the BTA-Parliament and concurrent Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Human Settlement and Development delivered his lectures. The first is about the History of the Peace Process between the National Government and the Moro Fronts (MNLF and MILF). He pointed out that the peace process lasted for more than forty (40) years. In his second topic, the Peace and Development Agenda of President Duterte, he enumerated the six (6) point peace and development agenda of President Duterte, one of which is the implementation of peace agreements with the Moro Fronts.
Other resource persons representing the different sectors were BGEN BENJAMIN G BATARA, JR., Brigade Commander of 1102ND Brigade, 11th Infantry (Alakdan) Division, Philippine Army; Deputy Provincial Director, Police Provincial Office of Sulu; NUR-RAEZ OMAR, Provincial Focal Person of task Force ELAC – Province of Sulu; DR. CHARISMA UTUTALUM, CESE, President of Sulu State College; AL-KHALIFA JILAH, Provincial Coordinator of Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society; NURUNIHAR MOHAMMAD, Commissioner of BWC- Sulu; NICKMAR M. ASJALI, Program Officer of Bangsa Sug Youth Council; USTADZ ABDURAHMAN ALHARI, Executive Director of SUCPD: and FATMA JINNO Broadcast Program Announcer of Radyo Pilipinas – Sulu.
#MPOSingPEACE
#SuluPEACEFORUM
#Sustainthegains
