16
Apr

Groundbreaking Ceremony Marks Milestone in Lanao del Sur Peacebuilding Efforts

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MSU Main Campus - Marawi City > 16-Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions (SDG Goals) > Groundbreaking Ceremony Marks Milestone in Lanao del Sur Peacebuilding Efforts

Aliah P. Cali-Pascan, DPA, JD

Butig and Lumbanague, Lanao del Sur – April 10, 2025 – A significant step towards lasting peace and development was marked today with the groundbreaking ceremony for two multipurpose buildings in the municipalities of Butig and Lumbanague, Lanao del Sur.

This initiative is a key component of the ongoing peacebuilding programs in the region, undertaken in partnership between the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). The implementation of this project is bounded by a memorandum of agreement between OPAPRU and Mindanao State University (MSU) as a system.

The construction of these vital infrastructure projects falls under the MNLF transformative program, generously funded by OPAPRU. The need for these multipurpose buildings was directly identified through a comprehensive profiling of MNLF combatants in Butig and Lumbanague.

This grassroots approach ensured that the projects directly address the needs and aspirations of the communities transitioning towards peaceful civilian life. The project proposals were meticulously crafted by dedicated proposal writers from the Institute for Peace and Development in Mindanao (IPDM), reflecting a collaborative effort to ensure the relevance and sustainability of the initiatives.

The groundbreaking ceremony in Butig was graced by the presence of Mayor Dimnatang Pansar, underscoring the strong local government support for these peacebuilding endeavors. Also present during the groundbreaking was Prof. Corazon Mangelen. Representing the IPDM at the event were esteemed members of the project team: Prof. Raihan Yusoph, Prof. Almahdi Alonto, and Prof. Mojahid Baraki. The IPDM project team is headed by its dedicated Executive Director, Dr. Acram Latiph, whose leadership has been instrumental in bringing these projects to fruition.

These multipurpose buildings are envisioned to serve as vital hubs for community activities, skills training, livelihood programs, and other essential services. They are expected to play a crucial role in fostering social cohesion, economic empowerment, and overall development in the two municipalities.

This groundbreaking ceremony signifies not just the commencement of construction but also the deepening commitment of the government, the MNLF, and local stakeholders towards building a more peaceful and prosperous future for the people of Lanao del Sur. The collaborative spirit and community-driven approach of this initiative serve as a beacon of hope for continued progress in the region’s peace journey.

About the author

The institute for peace and development in Mindanao (IPDM) was created by the MSU Board of Regents during its 182nd Meeting on December 7, 2001. The institute assumed the functions of two defunct units: the Muslim Christian Center for Peace Studies and the Muslim Mindanao Development Institute. It is now the central coordinating unit for all existing peace and development programs of the campuses of the University. MSU was established on September 1, 1961 as one of the government responses to the so-called “Mindanao problem.” The problem includes a violent struggle of segments of the Filipino Muslim population to redress long-standing grievances and assert Muslim selfhood and identity in the face of real and imagined threats of cultural and spiritual assimilation by the majority Filipino Christian population. The University was mandated to accelerate the “integration” of the cultural communities in Mindanao into the mainstream body politic and to accelerate the development of its service areas through instruction, research, and extension. In the pursuit of these objectives, the University also seeks to infuse spiritual and moral values, national consciousness and solidarity, and mutual understanding among Filipinos, which are necessary for peaceful coexistence and sustainable development. IPDM was therefore, created with the expectation that it would contribute to the easing of tensions and the promotion of justice and peace between Filipino Muslims and Christian by expanding knowledge, improving understanding and heightening sensitivity in relations between the peoples of Mindanao in particular, and the Philippines in general.

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