Interfaith led the MWP 2016 Celebration in Pagadian City

By Jong Cadion

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (November 24, 2016) - The Pagadian City-Zamboanga del Sur Interfaith Forum Solidarity and Peace will once again spearhead the annual week-long celebration of Mindanao Week of Peace (MWP) 2016 Wednesday November 23 and to be culminated during the celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 2016.

Ibrahim 'Bong' Balimbingan, this year 2016 MWP chairman of the steering committee said that the celebration is the 16th year after the Presidential Proclamation No 127 by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on November 2000. This year's celebration carrying the theme "Respecting and Protecting Life: A Celebration of the Filipino Spirit".

Balimbingan disclosed that the week-long celebration program showcasing different series of activities started at 2pm with a press conference hosted by the Police Provincial Office headed by Provincial Director Senior Supt. Sofronio P. Ecaldre who dicussed the status of Peace and Order in this city and province including the ongoing War against Illegal Drugs and followed immediately by a Candle Lighting and simple program at 5pm in front of Rizal Park, City Hall Complex in this city.

The candle lighting is also in collaboration with the celebration of the 7th year Maguindanao Massacre that were jointly hosted by National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Pagadian City Chapter, ZamboSur-Pagadian City Press Club Inc. (ZPPI), Amnesty International (AIPh) Pagadian Group Region 9-B and the members of Interfaith.

The participating organizations had read their respective statement regarding their stand on the situation of the Maguindanao massacre especially the protection of some witnesses of the incident that were killed and the delayed of justice given to the victims and the demand to stop impunity of killing journalists in pursuit of public service to the Filipino people in the Philippine media industry. While the Amnesty International also strongly demand the present administration to respect human rights and passing of Freedom Of Information bill or law (FOI), and also the local press club and the interfaith has the same statement of support.

Joining also the MWP activities were the members of Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS), Ummah Fi Salam (UFS), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Business Community and National and Local Gov't Agencies, and different schools, he said.

He said that one of the highlights from the series of activities of MWP is the community dialogue that reduces criminalities and personal conflict like family or clan feud (Rido) participated by the multi-sectoral group including Muslim and Christian leaders, Local Government Units (LGUs) of the city, PNP’s municipal chief of police from 26 municipalities of this province and this city, Army’s 53^rd Infantry Battalion and DILG.