Community leaders join hands with
gov’t to sustain peace in Zamboanga Sur

Community leaders, religious elders and government officials recently signed a peace covenant to pursue peaceful resolution of conflicts in Zamboanga del Sur through open dialogue.

“We want peace not only in our families but in the whole community,” said Ustadz Camar Dagadas of Dinas Municipality, one of the signatories to the covenant.“We want to help settle conflicts in our communities through peaceful means.”

The other signatories were Datu Tucan Dacula VI, Datu sa Sibugay (Prince of Sibugay); Sheik Esmail Calalagan, president of the Association of Islamic Development-Philippines; Sultan Comie Gandawali of Pagadian City; and Naguib Mantolino of Mabait Multi-Purpose Farmers’ Cooperative.

Zamboanga del Sur Gov. Aurora Enerio-Cerilles also signed the covenant together with Dr. Vizminda Serrato of the Department of Education; Tarhata Daligdigan, provincial director of the Office of Muslim Affairs; Hadji Abcede Asjali, provincial director of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); and James Ali Abdul of the Government’s and United Nation’s ACT for Peace Programme.

The mayors and other officials of the province also supported the initiative. “With the peace covenant, the Muslim leaders become partners of the Government in settling conflicts in their communities,” DILG Provincial Director Asjali said.

The Provincial Council of Elders for Peacebuilding was also created following the signing of the covenant. The Council, whose members include community and religious leaders of the province’s 21 municipalities, is assisting the provincial government in resolving disputes in the communities, particularly family-related feuds that could result to damages on lives and properties.

“The Council of Elders mediates the settlement of conflicts through community-based mechanisms that are familiar among conflicting parties,” Asjali added. “This helps in fast-tracking the resolution of rows in the community.”

The Council and the provincial government are also supporting the incorporation of peace curriculum in all madaris (Islamic schools) and elementary schools in the province to develop the children’s abilities to peacefully settle conflicts.

According to 2000 Census of the National Statistics Office, about half of the 1.3 million population of the province were below 18 years old. Zamboanga del Sur, the most populated among the three provinces in Western Mindanao, is home to Subanons, Maguindanaoans, Kalibugans, Tausugs, Samals, Badjaos, Maranaos and Visayans. (MEDCo)