Tri-people Hold Mindanao Peace Summit

By JULIE GANTES

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Dec.14PFM)—Convergence of the officials and representatives of the tri-people of Mindanao will be held today dubbed as Mindanao Peace Summit 2015 Lumads, Muslims and Christians in pursuit of Peace, Unity and Development to be held today (Dec. 15, 2015 Tuesday) at the Garden Orchid Hotel, this city.

The gathering is sponsored by the World Philosophical Forum (UNESCO) and the International Movement for Peace and Reconciliation.

Shariff Ibrahim Albani, lead convenor and founding chairman of the International Movement said the historic event will be attended by Mindanao multi-sectoral organizations and cause-oriented groups from all walks of life coming from different regions of Mindanao and the NCR. National as well as international guests and dignitaries will also grace the event at the Orchid’s Convention Center at Camins Road.

Albani, who hails from Mindanao said that the summit will be presented by all stakeholders and inhabitants from all different sectors and will reach out to a wide spectrum of society and build a broad-based popular movement for peace, unity and progress.

“Without this involvement from the grassroots component, our socio-economic and political efforts cannot succeed,” Albani disclosed.

He said one way to promote peace and development is to encourage inter-community dialogue and cross-cultural inter-action by the inhabitants of Mindanao.

“We believed that the solemn and keen understanding of religion, culture and tradition as well building mutual respect and cooperation can be formidable instrument in the pursuit of harmony and peace,” Shariff also said.

The Summit is aimed to promote interfaith harmony, respect, cooperation and understanding; identify causes of problems in the different sectors of society which are often economic or political in nature rather than religious issues; to harness mutual cooperation and good social relations among the tri-people; to build trust and confidence; and to break down the barriers and stereotype, which lead to distrust, suspicion and bigotry.

He said Mindanao is rich in natural and human resources as it is strategically located in the heart of Southeast Asia, hence, making the regional economic potential quiet immense and needed to be tapped for  benefits  of its inhabitants.

 “Indigenous Peoples (IPs), Muslims and Christians have an indispensable role to play in the development of the region. However, he emphasized that peace and unity are pre-requisites to the progress and development.

He appealed to the participants to grasp the importance of peace and unity through continuous dialogues and interactions, so that a sustainable if not permanent development can be established in our regions for the sake of the new generation and those that yet to come.

An open forum and signing of manifesto of support and commitments and cooperation to peace and unity will be forged by the participants, according to organizers. (With reports by Bernie Concepcion)

5th ASIAN Organic Rice Conference successfully held in Dumingag

 Butch Cabilan, Municipal Administrative Officer

By JONG CADION

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur --- To strengthen the networking among the organic rice farmers, farmers to producers and farmers to consumers relationship was agreed upon during the 4-day 5th ASIAN Organic Rice Conference 2015 held in the nearby town of Dumingag in this province on December 1-4, 2015.

Butch Cabilan, Municipal Administrative Officer said the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Dumingag expressed his gratitude to all sectors in the municipality for their cooperation and support in the intensive preparation that resulted in the successful hosting of the international activities.

Cabilan said the 5^th ASIAN Organic Rice Conference 2015 was a very successful events participated by 117 Organic Rice Famers, 20 visiting LGU Officials from different municipalities of Bislig, Surigao; Bindoy, Negros Oriental; Daran, Samar; General Nacar, Quezon; Goa, Camarines Sur; Iligan City; Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte; Lanao del Sur; Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte and the 26 municipalities of this province in the country and from the South Korea.  

Cabilan also said that out of the expected 20 ASIAN countries only South Korea delegations were able to attend the conference after their Embassy granted the LGU of Dumingag letter of appeal due to Travel Ban Advisory because of security issues in Mindanao.  .

 

Mayor Nacianceno Pacalioga, Jr.

Gov. Antonio Cerilles

The LGU of Dumingag request was granted to proceed with the hosting of the 5th ASIAN Organic Rice Conference 2015 with the assurance of security measures to be implemented during the activities.

South Korea is one of the Organizers of the activities after it hosted last year 2014 the 4^th ASIAN Organic Rice Conference, he said.  

The hosting of 5^th Asian Organic Rice Conference Cabilan said is in coordination with the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movement–Asia (IFOAM-Asia) and Organic Producer Trade Association of the Philippines (OPTA Philippines).

This is the second time that the LGU of Dumingag under the leadership of Mayor Nacianceno Pacalioga, Jr. hosted the international gathering, he said. The first was the hosting of week-long Organic Leadership Course for Southeast Asia (OLC-SEA) being spearheaded by the IFOAM on September 20 to 28, 2014.

Cabilan disclosed that the Asian Organic Rice Conference has developed from the annual exchanges among organic rice farmers in Asia (Philippines, India, Indonesia, Bhutan, Malaysia) as the farmers realized the importance of sharing their knowledge on organic rice production and techniques.

In the recent conference, topics expanded to include biodiversity, food security, climate change, community building, environmental preservation, seed saving and exchanges and preservation of the values of traditional farming, Cabilian said.

He added that the 5^th Asian Organic Rice Conference hosted by the local government of Dumingag wherein Mayor Pacalioga, Jr. won the prestigious One World Award in 2012 by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) of which Mayor Pacalioga, Jr is now IFOAM ASIA Honorary Board of Director.

For almost 10 years, Cabilan said the Dumingag Municipality embraced organic agriculture as its main strategy to effect positive changes among others in the local policy, planning and investments, poverty and economic development, values transformation and education and cultural development.

The Asian Organic Rice Conference has three Objectives: First, to promote exchanges among organic rice practitioners in Asia and other parts of the world on production, processing, marketing and trade, guarantee and certification, policy development and support, research and development, financing and investment and others; Second, to present local innovation on different organic practices related to seed preservation, inputs preparation using indigenous materials, farming systems in the lowland and upland areas establishment of organic villages, extension and training by official village leaders, community based trading and marketing and farmers participatory guarantee system and third to showcase organic products and services by the Barangays or villages of Dumingag Municipality and other local players from the government, business, academe, people’s organizations, cooperatives and non-profit organizations.

IFOAM ASIA President represented by Patrick Belisario, OPTA Board president during the conference expressed his gratitude to Mayor Jun Pacalioga for his enthusiasm and commitments to making successful hosting of the international gathering for the promotion of organic farming and for giving high moral support to the farmers in the community for bringing them into a global perspective.

Gov. Antonio Cerilles in his speech was amazed and proud of Mayor Pacalioga’s fulfillment of his mission and vision in joining global activities of promoting environmental-friendly farming.