16/07/2019
“MYPEACE: It became My Home”
By: Nash M. Matula
In the year 1998 up to 2000, Mindanao suffered crisis when the conflict happen between Moro Islamic Liberation Front (M**F) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines Armed Forces. The affected areas are the province of Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, and North Cotabato due to the declaration of former President of the Republic of the Philippines Joseph Estrada the “ALL OUT WAR”. This conflict destroys economic stability of the communities; burnt houses and many were killed especially children’s and lost their families. Pikit, North Cotabato was tagged heart of the conflict in North Cotabato, hundred thousands of people were evacuated, and forced to stay in a crowded places, such as school, gymnasium, churches, and covered courts, open space and even in a safe places where in they felt secured from other atrocities. Relationships of both lumad, muslim and christians were damaged that resulted of high discrimination. Classes were disrupted.
Nanatili at hindi humupa ang kaguluhan sa mga nagdaang mga taon, Nakatanim sa pusot’t isipan namin ang hindi pagkakaroon ng hindi magandang reslasyon ng lumad, muslim at kristiyano. Masasabi ko na ako ay walang pakialam sa mundo ngunit nasa puso parin ang galit sa kapwa ko kristiyano. Wala akong kamuwang muwang sa mga gawain na napapatungkol sa usaping pangkapayapaan, bilang isang kabataan noon ay isang ordinaryong tao lamang ako na walang tiyak na patutunguhan at hindi alam kung ano ang direksyon sa buhay. Ang iniisip lang ay papaano ang aking seguridad. Wala akong kaibigan na kristiyano sa mga panahon na iyon. Tumira kami sa evacuation center ng madaming beses at napatigil sa pag-aaral.
Lately, several NGO’s both local and international intervened. They extended their help through relief services during the evacuation and rehabilitation upon return. The most formidable task among the leaders is how to rebuild the relationship being damaged that remains a challenge nowadays. As one of the victims, I never surrender my selves; I open my eyes in different opportunities such as I joined community activities, seminars, dialogues and workshops for me to be trained to become active and participative youth and to help create spaces for peace. I meet people from different places; I interact and mingle to other tribes. I fell in love to other practices and customs of my colleagues; I undergone psychosocial process not to inject and entertain biases in my mind and hearts for me to achieved peace within my selves.
Ngunit hindi parin natapos at nabigyang solusyon na mabigyang halaga ang aktibong partisipasyon ng mga Kabataan sa usaping pangkapayapaan at marinig ang mga boses.
Year 2008, MYPEACE became the center of love and peace among young people from different region of Mindanao, this group of young people have different views and understanding on peace advocacy but we are united in common aspirations. It is a big gift to be part of MYPEACE, which became our shelter to enhance and develop our skills and our capacity to make something new in our self and in our community. MYPEACE became my inspiration to work together to achieved lasting peace in Mindanao which is one of my ultimate dreams in life. I want to see Mindanao as a happy community where Christians, Muslim and Lumads are living together without biases, discriminations, prejudices and inequality, and which the young people having efforts active participation in the peace process and other peace building activities.
MYPEACE was founded by a group of young people leaders from different backgrounds over Mindanao Island. MYPEACE is a staunch advocate of peace and founded on promotion of human rights, respect and protection, justice and freedom, and cultural diversity.
MYPEACE things mean a lot. It may mean a lot for me who am not familiar with peace works before. Dito ko natutunan kung papaano makibagay sa ibat ibang klase ng tao, at noong kami ay nagsasama mahigit isang buwan ay namulat kami sa ibat ibang bagay at sa mga katotohanan na ang mga kabataan pala ay malaki ang ginagampanan sa usapin pangkapayapaan, dahil tulad ng kasabihan ng ating mahal na bayaning Jose Rizal na ang kabataan ay siyang pag-asa ng ating bayan.
It’s because, I was then became a peace advocates. By the help of key development that MYPEACE transferred to me, I had significant experiences working with Nonviolent Peaceforce Philippines, an international NGO which is not funding and humanitarian agency, as National Civilian Peacekeeper (NCP). Closely working with local CSOs and grassroots communities working in conflict affected areas in North Cotabato. I hold the position of Field Associates then promoted as Project Officer for Early Warning, Early Response (EWER). I am the Contact Point Person of NP North Cotabato Field Team. I also became a member of the International Monitoring Team (IMT). I also worked with OMI-IRD as Crisis Intervention Worker (CIW)-a church based local Organization based in Pikit. After years, I was then employed at Balay rehabilitation as full implementing staff for youth peace organizing project. I was also invited as one of the Resources Person for trainings and workshops, also Moderator for dialogues and forum for several times.
For now, I am the MYPEACE General Secretary, I believe that in my years of experiences in handling and overseeing this young people organization, the ability to build and maintain productive young people, relationship with partners community and colleagues through learning and contributions, is one I can bring to the role. I have loved working for young people and I wish to continue these aspirations with my organization. That over a years, our groups made differently in the communities where we conducted peace camps, duyog pasko, duyog Ramadan, dialogues and forum, sports fest and psychosocial interventions. Also, we did lobbying, networking, linkaging, and we created income generating projects and among other peace advocacy works. And for the peace to hold, MYPEACE (young people) wanted to be consulted, reach other young people from fur flung areas and heard “Boses ng Kabataan”.
BOSES NG KABATAAN!!! Kung iyong iisipin, masasabi mo na madali lang ito. Ngunit hindi ganun kadali para gampanan na ikaw ay magiging boses ng milyun-milyong kabataan. Magpaganun paman, ang MYPEACE ang siya naming ginawang instrument para maabot ang titulong “Boses ng Kabataan”. May tumulong at sumuporta sa pangunguna na Balay rehabilitation center na matutugunan ang ganitong adhikain at adbokasiya sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng isang technology, ang Radio Program, entitled MYPEACE: Boses ng Kabataan.
Siyam na araw na pagsasanay ang ginawa bago sumabak sa radio program. Hindi ito sapat na araw para mapag aralan kung paano maging isang radio anchor. Pero sa kadahilanang kami ay sabik na matuto at makatulong, itinaya naming ang aming sarili para harapin ang mundo ng media. Sari-saring emosyon ang aming naranasan, sa una, hindi maitago ang kaba na aming nararamdaman. Pinipilit namin ang aming sarili na maging matatag. Sa kabila noon, lubos ang aming kasiyahan dahil patuloy parin ang aming programa na nakukuhanan namin ng mga leksyon, aral maging inspirasyon para ipagpatuloy ang aming adbokasiya.
Marami kaming naging karanasan habang nagtatrabaho sa radio. Hindi naming maikaila na minsan nahihirapan kami lalo na pag nagtetechnical error at higit sa lahat pag hindi nakokontak ang resource person. Sa kabila ng aming dinanas, lubos ang aming pasasalamat dahil marami kaming natutunan at naibahagi sa aming mga tagapakinig lalong na ang mga kabataan. Dagdag pa rito ay napaigting at nadagdagan ang partisipasyon nila sa usaping pangkapayaan.
Nakakatuwang tingnan ang mga kabataan na determinadong matuto at willing na sumali, mangarap at gumawa ng pamamaraan para makatulong sa pagkamit ng kapayapaan. Dahil naniniwala pa rin kami na posibleng makamit ang kapayapaan kung tayo ay magtutulungan. Sa ngayon ay may presinsiya ang MYPEACE sa mga Bayan ng Pikit, Aleosan, Midsayap, Tulunan, sa Probinsiya ng North Cotabato, Cotabato City, Damulog Bukidnon, at sa Maguindanao. That assists and empowers young people towards their peace advocacy initiatives; protection, justice and freedom. Reaching out young people in far flung areas, cultural tolerance, gender equality and human rights are fully enjoyed and respected.
After a long run of working together, it’s been a year when young people of different views on peace are working and sharing common goals. MYPEACE would like to move forward to another stage of development, to continue making changes and become a model to others. MYPEACE felt that the war and other atrocities that may resulted of many form of disruptions, should stop and brokered for the cessation of hostilities and for the parties to sit down and talk with the participation of multi-stakeholders. The dialogues and other peace activities follow to affirm that despite of differences, PEACE is still possible to attain. And for the PEACE to hold and be lasted, MYPEACE were consulted, involved, and voices be heard.
As a MYPEACE Secretary General, I commit to envision a sustainable peace in our area where young people share common aspirations that ultimately take role in achieving it. It is in our dream that MYPEACE to create their own organizational group and be known as a registered group of entity. Set of clearer directions, objectives and plan of activities were followed and be attained. I will continue in collecting various ideas on how could I transfer and continue my legacy I’ve started to become an epitome of real peace in my home, MYPEACE.
