Tag: Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)
The Bangsamoro peace process stands again at a crossroad. The first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), envisioned as a key milestone in the democratic transition from armed struggle to self-governance, have been postponed—again. What was once scheduled for May 2022, later moved to October 13, 2025, is now uncertain after the Supreme Court’s latest rulings on the constitutional validity of Bangsamoro districting laws and the exclusion of Sulu province from BARMM. As peacebuilders, we must not only analyze these legal and political developments; we must also discern their ethical and social implications. The question before us is this: What does it mean for justice and peace when democracy itself is delayed?
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/10/when-democratic-transition-waits-barmm-election-postponement-and-justice-based-peacebuilding/
Over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to promote gender justice and economic empowerment in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), with Bangsamoro women playing a crucial role in peacebuilding and development. Oxfam and The Asia Foundation (TAF), supported by the Australian Government, have implemented programs that provide marginalized women with training, mentorship, and access to financial resources to help them thrive as entrepreneurs. These initiatives culminated in the Bangsamoro WEE Learning Exchange in 17-19 February 2025, which highlighted policy support, Islamic Finance, and inclusive growth strategies. As a panelist at this event, I shared insights from my work with Coffee for Peace, reinforcing my belief in the transformative power of inclusive economic growth as a path to lasting peace in the region.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/02/building-peace-through-economic-empowerment-the-role-of-bangsamoro-women/
Upi, Maguindanao Del Norte – As a long-term advocate for justice and reconciliation in Mindanao, PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) joins the Indigenous Peoples (IP) of Bangsamoro in celebrating the historic passage of the Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Act of 2024 by the Bangsamoro Parliament on 10 December 2024. This landmark legislation strengthens the rights, recognition, and empowerment of Indigenous Peoples within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), marking a major step forward for peace and inclusivity in the region. For decades, PBCI has walked alongside Indigenous communities in Mindanao, advocating for their land rights, self-determination, and cultural preservation. The Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Act of 2024 provides a long-overdue legal framework that formalizes these rights, ensuring mechanisms for ancestral domain recognition, cultural preservation, access to government resources, and active participation in governance.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2025/02/pbci-celebrates-passage-of-bangsamoro-indigenous-peoples-act-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-peacebuilding/
At PBCI, we join our peacebuilding colleagues in calling on the National Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to accelerate the full implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), with a particular focus on the Annex on Normalization, while ensuring inclusivity for marginalized groups such as women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples. Our call stresses the importance of unity among the Bangsamoro people, rejecting divisive initiatives, and urges a clearer process and understanding on Sulu’s historical and political relationship with BARMM. PBCI also emphasizes the need for prompt resolution of election-related petitions to avoid undermining self-determination and calls for strengthened protections for vulnerable communities and ancestral domains. Lastly, it appeals for collective solidarity to hold leaders accountable and advance peacebuilding efforts that promote justice and inclusivity.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/12/a-call-on-the-gph-and-the-milf-to-move-with-greater-urgency-in-completing-the-implementation-of-the-cab/
From November 15 to 20, 2024, a joint Field Operations Team of PBCI and CFP accompanied a delegation of Canadian Mennonites on a Partnership Appreciation Tour in Mindanao, Philippines. The tour featured meaningful activities that strengthened relationships and celebrated shared commitments to peacebuilding, including the dedication of the Malipayon Peace Hub in Davao del Sur, led by Bagobo Tagabawa and Talaandig elders; a Sunday worship service at Managa Alliance Church; a reflective visit to the Bagobo Tagabawa Peace Shrine; a learning tour of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government center; a dialogue with leaders at Camp Darapanan, the headquarters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF); and bonding with the Baraguir Clan of the Maguindanao Sultanate. This journey deepened partnerships and underscored the critical role of collaboration in advancing peace, justice, and reconciliation.
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/11/pbci-cfp-field-ops-team-accompany-canadian-mennonites-to-appreciate-and-strengthen-partnerships/
“Transforming MILF into a social movement: The most viable option in a democratic struggle.” This is the theme of the 2024 General Assembly and Consultation of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), held last Monday, 23 September 2024, at Camp Darapanan, Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte. Our team from PeaceBuilders Community, Inc., and Coffee For Peace was invited by the Hon. Mohagher Iqbal (Chair, MILF Peace Negotiating Panel) through MP Mary Ann Arnado (Bangsamoro Parliament). Before a crowd of 300,000+, I was invited to be one of the speakers to express support to their transformation from being an armed revolutionary group to becoming a social movement. As the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) governance continue to take shape, I found myself reflecting on the MILF’s future. With the transition period nearing its conclusion, the MILF faced a critical decision: What comes next for a movement born out of armed revolution?
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2024/09/from-armed-revolution-to-social-movement-milf-embraces-path-of-peace-and-transformation/
The Inclusive Development Team of PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) and Coffee for Peace (CFP) is exploring a partnership with People in Need (PIN) in doing peace and economic development initiatives in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The PBCI-CFP IncluDev Team is composed of community development and social entrepreneurial advocates and practitioners. They also provide training on peacebuilding and conflict resolution. “A partnership between PBCI-CFP IncluDev Team and PIN would be an energizing servant for good in BaSulTa,” says Joji Felicitas Pantoja, President and CEO of Coffee for Peace and a 2020 honoree of the Oslo-based Business for Peace Foundation. “The two organizations,” adds Ms Joji, “would be able to combine our expertise and resources to help the people create a more sustainable and peaceful future for their Island Provinces within the BARMM.”
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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2023/08/pbci-cfp-includev-team-explores-partnership-with-p-i-n-in-coffee-social-enterprise-basilan-sulu-and-tawi-tawi/
