DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 18 August) — Mindanao’s sole Cardinal, Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, will host a gathering of representatives from the government, MILF peace implementing panels, and civil society organizations on August 19 and 20 in Davao City to facilitate dialogue on sustaining peace in the six-year-old Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The event precedes the October 13 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections campaign period starting August 28 and addresses challenges in implementing the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), signed in March 2014, including the MILF Central Committee’s call to suspend the decommissioning of combatants and weapons. Established in 2019, the BARMM is in an extended transition period ending October 30, when the first elected Members of Parliament (MPs) will take over. Currently, the BARMM is governed by the 80-member MILF-led Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) appointed by the Philippine President. Quevedo, lead convener of the Friends of Peace, previously organized a forum in April 2016 titled “TITAYAN: Bridging for Peace,” emphasizing inclusive political transitions in the Bangsamoro. “Titayan,” meaning bridge in Maguindanao and similar to the Cebuano term “taytayan,” reflects the need for dialogue to address peace process challenges. The CAB, signed in 2014, faced setbacks after the 2015 Mamasapano Tragedy, which stalled the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). The Organic Law for the BARMM (RA 11054) was enacted in July 2018 under the Duterte administration, ratified in a 2015 plebiscite, and implemented by the BTA in March 2019. Former MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim served as interim Chief Minister until March 2024, succeeded by Abdulraof Macacua. “Titayan 2: Bridging to Sustain Peace in the Bangsamoro” seeks to assess the peace process, address trust and solidarity issues, and enhance civil society participation. The August 19 event will feature opening remarks by Quevedo and an inspirational message from Prof. Rufa Guiam. Panel discussions will include updates on CAB implementation by government and MILF chairs Cesar Yano and Mohagher Iqbal, civil society perspectives from Guiamel Alim, Yasmin Busran Lao, Myla Leguro, and Farjana Almar, and a talk by interim Chief Minister Macacua on transition accomplishments and priorities. A panel on the October 13 elections will include Atty. Joyce Moran representing Bangsamoro Election Office head Ray Sumalipao and Alexa Yadao of the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE). The August 20 session will focus on civil society discussions on challenging topics in the Bangsamoro peace process. Titayan 2 is organized by the Friends of Peace in collaboration with the Consortium for Bangsamoro Civil Society, Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Foundation, Initiatives for International Dialogue, Konsyensya Dabaw, MindaNews, and Mindanao Peoples’ Caucus, with support from the Australian Embassy, KAICIID, UNDP, and The Asia Foundation. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)
