Amidst the ceaseless struggle between the government and the radical Islamic groups in the Philippine island of Mindanao, a new hope for peace and unity has dawned in this "Promised Land," as Mindanao is often called. On August 18, due to the failed signing of the Memorandum of Agreement declaring parts of the province of Lanao del Norte to be under the autonomy of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the MILF group attacked three towns in Lanao del Norte, setting houses, schools, and communities on fire and killing dozens of children and other civilians. This unpleasant incident triggered the war in Mindanao.
As we were preparing for the Global Peace Festival in Mindanao, we decided to postpone the event because of the current situation in some parts of the island. Gen. Alfredo S. Cayton Jr., Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Director Emelyn Libunao of the Philippine Information Agency, and Dr. Samuel Salvador, Vice President of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines all advised us to either cancel or postpone our activities. However, we found out that the area where GPF was going to be held is not within the danger zone and more so; all our partners there are really bent on pushing through with this project.
The governors and mayors, the heads of different government organizations and NGOs, the youth sector and particularly the Department of Education made the preparations for GPF in Mindanao. The resources that they offered and all their preparations had a value of US $2.44 million. All our partners begged for us to push through with this endeavor for it is their last remaining hope. We checked with our advisers, with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines and we were assured of maximum security and protection. When President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo started visiting the sites where the armed conflict is going on, the security network within the area became more intense.
Finally, on September 19-21, the Mindanao leg of the Global Peace Festival was held in the city of Cagayan de Oro, culminating a series of conferences, service projects, and other initiatives all organized for the sake of bringing peace in the island and making its people owners of the vision of “One Family Under God.” Co-chaired by Dr. Haja Esnaira Estrella Abid-Babano, Regional Director of the Department of Education-Region X, and Hon. Constantino G. Jaraula, Mayor of Cagayan de Oro, this Global Festival was a big step towards the realization of peace in Mindanao and the entire nation of the Philippines.
Festive Welcome at the Airport
For three consecutive days, the Department of Tourism together with Department Education principals and supervisors and selected students gave a festive welcome to the delegates at the Lumbia Airport. Wearing their traditional Subanen costumes, the teachers offered garlands to the coming local and international guests including the artists and the dignitaries while the students played their drums and bugles and offered special dances to warmly welcome everybody. The local government of Cagayan de Oro, the Department of Tourism, and the Department of Education even prepared an 80-foot banner in front of the arrival area of the airport.
Peace Village Exposure
Opening the Global Peace Festival Celebration was the Peace Village Activity on September 19 in Tubod, Lanao del Norte. The program, which was organized and sponsored by the Department of Education Region X, gathered 4,000 teachers and 4,000 students together with the International Leadership Conference and International Youth Summit participants, Global Peace Festival staff, and several international guests. The teachers and students who had to travel far to come to the Peace Village bought their dance costuems with their own money.
Governor Khalid Q. Dimaporo supported the event together with a number of mayors and other officials from the different local government units in the province. Governor Dimaporo was touched seeing all the international guests flocking to Tubod. After all the media reports describing the southern part of Mindanao as a haven for terrorists, the young governor almost lost hope of reviving the province. However, when he saw the international guests coming without fear, all for the cause of bringing one global family of peace in Mindanao, he was very encouraged and inspired.
The distance from Cagayan de Oro to Tubod is 250 kilometers. On the way to the Peace Village, all felt the tense situation as everyone saw the communities that were burned down by the Muslim extremists. The ten vans were escorted by several policemen, and guards were scattered along the way to provide security. Despite the tension, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines ensured the protection and safety of everybody.
The Peace Village Activity proved to be an eye-opener for everyone. A part of the Mindanao Peace Initiative, this Peace Village project is a living example of how young Muslim and Christian students can live together harmoniously respecting each others' religious traditions, customs, and beliefs, thus proving that everyone despite his or her religion is a part of one human family under one divine parent. The Peace Village exposure served as practicum for the ILC participants. There, everyone witnessed how it is truly possible to learn the ways of peace and unlearn the ways of violence.
International Leadership Conference
The International Leadership Conference at the Pryce Plaza Hotel in Cagayan de Oro brought together 287 supervisors and superintendents from the Department of Education, congressmen, governors, mayors and councilors from different local government units, as well as heads of the diverse tribes in Mindanao. With the theme “The Need for Vision and Leadership at a Time of Global Crisis: Building Partnerships among Governments, Faith-Based Organizations and NGOs,” the ILC stressed basic universal principles that could guide the people of Mindanao in achieving peace and harmony.
The conference itself was well attended. Senate President Manny Villar, as represented by his brother Mr. Virgilio “Jojo” Villar, gave the keynote speech during the opening plenary. Mayor Constantino Jaraula of Cagayan de Oro welcomed all the guests to the “City of Golden Friendship,” as it is commonly known. In the evening of September 20, he hosted a welcome banquet for all of the guests and participants. For his part, Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Jose de Venecia gave the congratulatory remarks on the morning of September 21.
As a response to the call of the times, the Mindanao Peace Initiative (MinPI) was also officially launched during the ILC. MinPI was adopted by the chieftains of the different tribes of Islam and indigenous peoples, imams and Christian bishops and pastors together with Department of Education, Philippine Information Agency, the youth sector, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the young political leaders of Mindanao. Without a doubt, this initiative will create a strong social impact to revive the peace process in Mindanao.
International Youth Summit
On the morning of September 20, 800 students from Cagayan de Oro College cleaned the coast lines along Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City while 3,500 high school students participated in the tree planting project at the Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan. The International Youth Summit 2008 held September 20-21 with the theme “A Culture of Love: The Fuel Towards Peace and Development” was the first activity in which the youth leaders of the city joined forces as they offered their time, talent, and treasures taking ownership of this earth-shattering event.
Around 3,000 youth from different high schools, colleges, and universities shook the grounds of Limketkai Mall as they participated in the first day of the conference. Bands, singers, and dancers gave entertainment to all the guests. Inspirational messages from Governor Dimaporo of Lanao Del Norte, Mr. Yequing Victor Lee, Mr. Aya Goto, and Senate President Manny Villar moved the hearts of the young and young at heart, not to mention the vibrant speech of the energetic UPF Regional Chair, Dr. Chung Sik Yong. Former Miss Teen Philippines 2007, Ms. Maxine Monasterio, hosted the conference.
The second day of the summit took place at the Dynasty Court Hotel. Leaders from the youth sector convened to upgrade their leadership skills and convictions as they listened to the sessions given by Dr. Ann Montejo-Arevalo and Dr. Robert Kittel. Hon. Jose de Venecia and his son Joey de Venecia paid a surprise visit and gave very stirring speeches. Three hundred leaders were appointed Youth Ambassadors for Peace. The conference ended with Dr. Michael G. Zablan, President of Youth Federation for World Peace-Philippines, launching the YFWP Cagayan de Oro Chapter as well as the Mindanao Youth Peace Initiative (MYPI). On the day of the conference, a free legal assistance clinic for the indigent people was set up by volunteer lawyers from Fraternitas Scintilla Legis at Barangay Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City.
Over all, the summit was a success not just because of the number of people it gathered but the excitement and the bonds it created among the young leaders of the city. The youth proved themselves as owners of the vision of “One Family Under God.
Global Peace Festival Main Event
The Global Peace Festival Main Event was held at the Provincial Capitol Grounds of Misamis Oriental in Cagayan de Oro on September 21. Coincidentally, it was also the celebration of the International Day of Peace. All the vibrant colors of Mindanao were unfurled as the 8,000 members of the different ethnic tribes including the Subanens, Higa-onons, Balangas and others performed their traditional dances during the parade and pre-program. Garbed in bright costumes, they danced along the streets of Cagayan de Oro to the delight of the people until they reached the main venue of the program in front of the Capitol Building.
For almost three hours, all the bystanders in the establishments and shops in the city stopped and watched the parade and street dancing. The lively and heart-stopping performances from the delegation of the different tribes in Mindanao with their rich and colorful costumes added more joy and festivity to the event. In their dance presentations, they shared about their unique culture, traditions and customs. In the spirit of festivity, they freely performed their sacred rites in front of the audience in the name of the Global Peace Festival. Their dance numbers showed how unity is achieved even in diversity.
From the moment the parade started, ABS-CBN, the top TV network in the country, covered the whole event until the end of the program. The Global Peace Festival Mindanao was on breaking news of the local and national TV.
Before the main program officially started, high school students along with the audience recited the Pure Love Pledge, as they committed themselves to keep their purity before marriage and fidelity within marriage. True Love Power International offered the 1.4 million signatures of high school students who pledged to keep their purity to Senate President Manny Villar, who was again represented by his brother, Mr. Jojo Villar.
International families were also called onstage to share about their unique experiences as they live together despite their differences. They showed how the family is indeed the school where children learn the values of love and peace so they can practice it in society.
To officially open the Global Peace Festival Main Event, Hon. Governor Oscar Moreno of the Province of Misamis Oriental gave the 13,000 people in the audience a warm welcome. He emphasized that only through peace that is all encompassing can we achieve peace and prosperity in the nation and the world.
Dr. Estrella Babano, as Co-Chair of Global Peace Festival-Mindanao, challenged everyone to work for peace with the recognition that since we came from one Creator, we are all one family under God. She urged everyone not to waiver until they see the beginning of peace in their midst.
Former Speaker de Venecia gave a powerful speech about the need for peace in Mindanao. He praised the Universal Peace Federation for initiating substantial peace initiatives that can truly bring change to the world. He stressed that UPF is the only solution to the problems of unrest in the world.
Mr. Jojo Villar read the prepared speech of Senate President Manny Villar, who could not come because of an important trip to Jordan. In response to the peace initiatives of UPF, he pledged his support to the vision of the Global Peace Festival in its endeavor to bring peace and harmony through realizing the vision of “One Family Under God.”
A video of the Global Peace Festival 2007 in the Philippines was shown to all the audience. It was immediately followed by the Global Peace Address of Dr. Hyun Jin Moon as read by Dr. Chung Sik Yong, Regional Chair of UPF-Asia. Dr. Moon in his message stressed the centrality of the family in building peace in the society, nation, and the world. The audience resonated with the main message of building one family under God, one family under Allah.
The presentation of Ambassadors for Peace certificates ensued. Governors and mayors as well as members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines including artists Ms. Iya Villania, Mr. Kris Lawrence, Billy Crawford, Jay-R and Miguel Escueta, were appointed Ambassadors for Peace.
Before the Peace Concert began, everyone sang the Global Peace Festival Theme Song, “Where Peace Begins.” As they lit the candles together, they gave peace signs and called for everybody to give peace a chance.
The Spirit of Ownership
The success of the Global Peace Festival Mindanao can be attributed to the spirit of ownership of the people. Most especially, Dr. Estrella Babano, the Co-Chairperson of GPF Mindanao, made preparations together with her colleagues at the Department of Education. She believes in the vision of “One Family Under God” and she wants it to become a reality in the whole island of Mindanao. The teachers and students, most of who come from very poor families, spent money to join the festival. The lumads (tribal leaders) even had to cut trees and sell the lumber to the lowlanders in order to come to the city and participate in the ILC. For them, staying inside the conference hotel was almost like heaven.
City Mayor Hon. Constantino Jaraula organized all the agencies in Cagayan de Oro in support of the GPF.
Last but not the least, the youth leaders, headed by Mr. Kristoffer Rivera, took it on themselves to mobilize all their resources in order to hold the International Youth Summit. From stage design to the program itself, the youth made all the preparations. They inspired the other youth of the city with the vision of One Family Under God.