Prof. Clarita Carlos says ASEAN Parliament is the future, hence the need now isto look beyond the “walls”. Carlos pitches the idea of a harmonized curricula and instructional materials under an integrated ASEAN against the backdrop of federalism during the Kusog Mindanaw 2018 conference in Davao City. Dr. Stefan Jost, new country representative of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Philippines Office, opens Day 2 of Kusog Mindanaw in Davao City. “What happens in Mindanao is important not only to Mindanao but the whole Philippines and the region... Freedom, democracy, peace and inclusive development are important for the future of Mindanao”, Dr. Jost says. 51Annual Report 2018
DELACSE Bangsamoro Basic Leadership Seminar, 21-22 November in Davao City and 28-29 November in Cagayan de Oro City DELACSE Bangsamoro devoted the whole month of October to a series of strategy meetings with more than 80 old and new partners for the second phase of the project. The purpose of the strategy meetings is for civil society organizations and political groups to have an avenue for proactive and meaningful engagement in light of the recent political developments in the region. The meetings were held in the five core territories of the proposed Bangsamoro region highlighting the activities lined up for the 24-month project as well as the opportunities for civil society groups through which they can be empowered. 52 INSTITUTE FOR AUTONOMY AND GOVERNANCE
Participants of the the very first DELACSE Phase 2 Basic Leadership Seminar spent the 2-day leadership seminar with group exercises and workshops on Networking and Coordination with other CSOs and Political Organizations. 53Annual Report 2018
First DELACSE Phase 2 Basic Leadership Seminar tackles intricacies and implications of BOL The Democratic Leadership and Active Civil Society Empowerment in the Bangsamoro (DELACSE Bangsamoro) opened the second phase of the program with a 2-day Basic Leadership Seminar (BLS) held in Davao City. Dubbed as “Empowering the Civil Society Leaders of the Bangsamoro,” the seminar was attended by various civil society organizations and emerging local political parties in the Bangsamoro region. The BLS serves as an educational forum or extended support to dialogues on the intricacies of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL). Narciso Jover Jr., Project Manager of DELACSE Phase 2, told the participants that the main objective of the BLS was to empower the CSO and Political Party leaders by educating them on what the impact of the BOL will be on their lives. He added that for the people of Bangsamoro to have sound judgment of the BOL, they need to understand the law, and to increase their awareness and address misconceptions about the law. Prof. Christopher Ryan Maboloc of Ateneo de Davao University discussed the Implications of the Bangsamoro Agenda. He said the ratification of the BOL is part of the promise of President Rodrigo Duterte to deliver genuine autonomy to the Moro people in Mindanao. Maboloc added that it is also in line with the President’s directive to implement all the signed peace agreements with the Moro fronts. For his part, Atty. Mohammad Al Amin Julkipli, a consultant of UNDP Philippines discussed the salient features of the BOL. The current BOL, he said, includes the concept of “block grant” which automatically gives the future Bangsamoro regional government an annual fund on top of its internal revenue allotment and other socioeconomic funds. Atty. Julkipli added that the law allows for the people of the Bangsamoro to be given greater political power to enable them to chart their own course. Chairman of the Regional Board of Investments (ARMM) Atty. Ishak Mastura discussed about the Parliamentary Setup under the BOL. 54 INSTITUTE FOR AUTONOMY AND GOVERNANCE
He explained that residents will vote for the representatives of the 80-member Bangsamoro parliament, with chief minister and two deputy chief ministers shall be elected by majority votes from among the members of the Parliament. Atty. Mastura added that the 80-member Bangsamoro Parliament is composed of 50% party representatives, 40% district representatives, and 10% reserved seats and sectoral representatives with two reserved seats for non-Moro IPs and settler communities and settler communities. The enactment of an organic law that will formally create the Bangsamoro territory is a big leap towards the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people, says Atty. Michael Henry Yusingco of the Ateneo School of Government. However, he added that the path ahead still needs to hurdle legal challenges, one of which is the actual plebiscite on January 21, 2019. Atty. Yusingco also gave a lecture on the fundamentals of Parliamentary and Electoral Systems. A plebiscite for the ratification of the BOL is scheduled two months from now in the areas identified in the law, which includes the core territory of the present Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 6 towns in Lanao del Norte, 39 barangays in North Cotabato, and the cities of Cotabato and Isabela. Lastly, Mr. Lambert Ramirez, Project Coordinator of Libertas Philippines, and former DELACSE Bangsamoro Phase 1 Project Manager April De la Cruz-Faderan, talked about the role of Civil Society and Political Parties in the New Bangsamoro Government. Both discussants agreed that good governance is the key to a successful implementation of the BOL. They also emphasized the importance of inclusivity in local governance, saying a big responsibility falls into the shoulders of CSOs and Political Parties to help implement initiatives under the new Bangsamoro territory. The BOL, called the Bangsamoro Basic Law during the legislative process, is the enabling measure for the replacement of ARMM with a more administratively and politically-empowered Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, or BARMM. The new region will initially be led during transition by the MILF, which negotiated for the peace agreement that the BOL is meant to implement. 55Annual Report 2018
56 INSTITUTE FOR AUTONOMY AND GOVERNANCE
Launching of Lanao del Sur TWG on Preventing, and Transforming Violent Extremism, November 28, 2018, Cagayan de Oro City. The Provincial Government of Lanao Del Sur launched its Technical Working Group on Preventing and Transforming Violent Extremism in Cagayan de Oro City. The event was attended by more than 100 key stakeholders from the academe, Ulama, Sultanate, Local Government Units, CSOs, International and Local Partners. The TWG is a Tri-Leadership network of the Ulama, Royal Sultanate of Lanao and the Provincial Government - working towards achieving good governance and preventing violent extremism. The creation of the working group was facilitated by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance, with support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Australia. 57Annual Report 2018
IAG 2018 Publications IAG’s regular publication titles: Autonomy and Peace Review (semi- annually or 2 issues yearly), Policy Brief (bimonthly or 6 issues yearly), and Transition Monitor (also bimonthly) aim to disseminate to the public relevant news and analyses culled from its activities and insights contributed by its pool of experts to foster a more well-rounded perspective on key issues critical to peace and good governance in the southern Philippines. These publications are integral in IAG’s strategic work as a trusted and credible home-grown think tank. Two issues of Autonomy and Peace Review were published in 2018. The first semester issue entitled “Pathologies of Terrorism Post-Marawi Siege” explores (1) the dynamic ties between illegal drugs, terrorism and the Marawi siege and (2) the vulnerability of young people in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to violent extremist (VE) ideology. IAG hopes that the publication of these studies will contribute to the critical understanding of the drivers of VE in the region and ways to effectively address this phenomenon. The second semester issue entitled “BOL and Federalism: At the Crossroads of Reform” is a compendium of insights and analyses delving into the dynamic links between BOL, charter change and federalism. This publication is conceived during the historic period when a Bangsamoro Organic Law has been enacted by the Philippine Congress for ratification in January 2019. At the same time, the drive for federalism appears still in play with the House of Representatives approving Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) no. 15 that calls for amending the Constitution to pave the way for the shift to a Federal Philippines. As well, the information campaign on federalism is in full swing spearheaded by the Department of the Interior and Local Government. “Transition Monitor”, a bimonthly newsletter carried news and information relevant to Mindanao peace and development. Six issues of this publication were published according to schedule. IAG Policy Brief, also a bimonthly publication, carried more in-depth insights and analyses on the other hand. The six issues published in 2018 are the following: 58 INSTITUTE FOR AUTONOMY AND GOVERNANCE
• January-February: ‘‘Towards a Just and Dignified Peace” • March-April: ”Proceedings of the Roundtable on the Implications of Federalism to Indigenous Peoples” • May-June: ”Ten Fundamental Constitutional Reforms” • July-August: “Diagnosing Pathologies in the 1987 Constitution” • September-October: “Hopes Raised with the Bangsamoro Organic POLICY BRIEF 59Annual Report 2018
transition monitor 60 INSTITUTE FOR AUTONOMY AND GOVERNANCE
AUTONOMY AND PEACE REVIEW 61Annual Report 2018
IAG SERVICES IAG is a service provider of the following programs: Political Party Building and Development The Political Party Building Course is a short-term course conducted by IAG in association with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) to orient groups and individuals on “genuinely principled” political parties and help them build it. IAG believes that a genuinely principled political party is the basic building block and catalyst for change in the current and future political system in the ARMM and the Philippines as a whole. This course gives a chance for individuals to be able to appreciate and interact with co-participants and speakers on politics and political parties in a different perspective. IAG and KAS will seek to expose individuals and groups to the possible roles and responsibilities of joining a political party and the mechanisms that makes an authentic party work. The course as a whole tries to steer clear from the current political system into the right track of political process: active participation in politics and the entire political spectrum through the political party. Our speakers are composed of experts with experience and advocates of change in the Philippines. The course aims to: (1) deepen the understanding of the nature, history, concept and practice of political parties in the Muslim region and the Philippines; (2) develop a critical awareness amid the current realities of how political parties are practiced in the Philippines and consequently, here in Mindanao; (3) familiarize the participants on the important processes and principles of building and joining a “genuinely principled” political party; and (4) start a foundation of principled and sustainable political parties banking on informed minds (graduates/recipients of the course) that promote healthy political competition and citizen participation in nation building beneficial to the advancement of democracy, contributing to further democratic growth. IAG was officially acknowledged by the Interim Committee for the Formation of the Bangsamoro Political Party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as a prime technical assistance provider and consultant. On April 1, 2014, the Committee issued an official mandate requesting IAG in partnership with the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies to scale up its technical assistance, counseling services, and capacity building programs for United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP). 62 INSTITUTE FOR AUTONOMY AND GOVERNANCE
Promoting and Mainstreaming Indigenous Peoples’ Rights in the ARMM The project “Recognition of the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for their Empowerment and Sustainable Development” (IPDEV) was launched in February 2012 and completed in February 2015. It was co-funded by the EU and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS). The project worked towards the protection and promotion of rights of Indigenous Peoples (IP) in 76 barangays in the ARMM. With a cross-cutting approach, IPDEV sought to address the absence of an enabling law in the ARMM that recognizes indigenous peoples’ rights and social justice as embodied in the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), the 1987 Philippine Constitution and other existing international laws for IPs. The activities focused on capacity building for the empowerment and strengthening of IP self-governance, advocacy for socio-legal and administrative reforms in the ARMM, as well as lobbying for the inclusion of IPs in the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). Overall, IPDEV is aimed at the development of IP communities in the ARMM that recognize and practice the rights of minorities at all levels and the improvement of living conditions of the most marginalized population. Promoting Policy Environment to Secure the Rights and Welfare of Children, Youth and Adolescents in the Proposed Bangsamoro Region and Constituent Local Government Units Launched in 2014 and in line with the UNICEF Peacebuilding component, this project aims to broaden the discourse on good governance, promote public participation, frame the issues and generate options to the end that the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and the subsequent regional local government code and other local laws will entrench systems that promote good governance in local governance and a nurturing environment for peaceful communities especially for children, youth and adolescents in the region. The public policies and mechanisms generated as a result of this project will institutionalize and sustain the initiatives for the protection and welfare of children, youth and adolescents in the region. All throughout the project, governance experts will be involved in workshops and roundtable discussions centered at creating a venue to craft better regional-LGU relations and entrench policies for children and youth. The proceedings will be timely published and conveyed to appropriate bodies. The project implementation will also focus on creating options for Bangsamoro-LGU relations founded on good governance and securing in 63Annual Report 2018
the BBL international standards and principles enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of Children and adequate mechanisms and resources for the protection and welfare of children, youth and adolescents. Promoting Political Climate and Stability for Peace in the Bangsamoro Promoting Political Climate and Stability for Peace in the Bangsamoro (Pro PolitiCS for Peace) is a three-year project that seeks to help shape a stable political environment in support of the Mindanao peace process. It engages political leaders in dialogue, capacity-building, researches and studies to enhance their informed and principled participation in the crafting and implementation of the roadmap and processes for sustainable peace and development in Mindanao. Pro PolitiCS for Peace is a platform to enhance the productive role and participation of political leaders and local government units in the evolution and implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). As well, it is a bridge between political leaders and key stakeholders and peace process mechanisms to promote constructive and productive inter-governmental relations in the envisioned Bangsamoro regional government. Pro PolitiCS for Peace will provide technical assistance in institutionalizing the constructive role of political leaders and LGUS and their relations with the regional government in regional legislations such as the regional local government and administrative laws. Pro PolitiCS for Peace is engaging Provincial Peace and Order Councils (PPOCs) to enhance their contribution to processes and programs for securing security and peace in communities. It is a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration between the PPOCs and the normalization structures of the peace process. In its activities, Pro PolitiCS for Peace shall promote the role and participation of women, indigenous peoples and Muslim religious leaders. Launched in 2015, the project embarked on its Phase 2 starting in 2018 and is now called “Enhancing Political Dialogue for Inclusive Peace in the Bangsamoro” or Enpold Bangsamoro. Through this project, IAG continues to foster an arena for political dialogue to build consensus and ownership of the political reforms and peace process as key to sustainable and inclusive peace. Enpold Bangsamoro is implemented by IAG in partnership with the Bangsamoro Women Services Center Inc. (BWSC), Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), Institute for Bangsamoro Studies (IBS), Organization of Teduray and Lambangian Conference (OTLAC), and Zamboanga Basilan Integrated Development Alliance (ZABIDA). The project is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Australia. 64 INSTITUTE FOR AUTONOMY AND GOVERNANCE
Rule of Law The Rule of Law program seeks to promote access to justice in a conflict and post-conflict environment. In the envisioned Bangsamoro, the justice system shall have three sub-systems: Shari’ah law, civil courts and indigenous tribal justice system. Alternative dispute resolution is a theme across the 3 sub-systems. IAG contributes to the promotion of the rule of law by strengthening the policies and practice in the 3 sub-systems of justice in the Bangsamoro. This program adopts the following strategies: 1. Research and developing accurate and relevant baseline data on access to justice towards the formulation of a justice index in the Bangsamoro; 2. Policy research and advocacy towards progressive policies and implementation of the Bangsamoro justice system; 3. Training and capacity building for lawyers, law professors, counsellors, para-legals and court personnel; 4. Developing modules for law schools and public administration courses in colleges and universities; 5. Awareness raising on the state and measures to make the Bangsamoro justice system relevant and effective in resolving disputes. IAG is partnering with relevant institutions such as the Supreme Court and the Philippine Judicial Academy and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), Philippine Association of Law Schools (PALS) and laws schools and centers for Shariah Law and Islamic Studies in the Bangsamoro. Promoting good governance in the Autonomous Regional Government and Local Government Units This program trains, mentors and provides technical assistance to promote efficiency, transparency, accountability and citizens’ participation in the affairs of the autonomous regional government and local government units. It adopts the needs-driven, participatory and collaborative approaches in introducing, developing and entrenching good governance practices in regional and local laws and policies. It helps LGUs optimize their potentials for local resource generation through tax mapping and efficient collection of taxes and fees, tax information campaigns and client-friendly and efficient business licensing and regulatory practices and in promoting the environment for enhanced business activities in their localities. 65Annual Report 2018
It trains and assists LGUs in achieving milestones in transparency and accountability such as getting the Seal of Good Housekeeping and compliance with the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA). This program promotes civil society participation in local governance by strengthening local development bodies and local special bodies which by law have strong citizen participation. It orients LGUs on accreditation of civil society groups for membership in local bodies. The program provides training to civil society organizations (CSOs) on ways by which they can actively monitor ad participate in local governance. Strategic communication programs to promote dialogue and interaction between LGUs and citizens are developed with LGUs and CSOs. Enhancing Security Governance This program provides training and technical assistance to raise capacities of local governments in promoting peace and security in their localities. This program trains and strengthens the Local Peace and Order Councils on conflict resolution and in designing and implementing relevant and effective programs to promote local security and peace. The program strengthens local and indigenous mechanisms for conflict prevention and management. Policy Advocacy This program conducts researches, workshops and trainings and discussions on political, economic and security issues. It provides technical assistance in crafting public policies and local or national laws, resolution or ordinances especially on the protection and welfare of vulnerable groups such as indigenous peoples, elderly, women, children and people with disabilities. Capacity-building for lawmakers and policymakers forms part of this program. Through publications, roundtable discussions and use of traditional and social media, this program can conduct campaigns towards putting in place relevant policies that effectively address public and social concerns. Developing Economic Clusters This replicates the successful Iranun Development Council (IDC) project where five (5) municipalities in Maguindanao BARIRA BULDON MATANOG PARANG and DATU BLAH SINSUAT were assisted by IAG in constituting their areas as one economic development cluster. This program involves raising capacities of LGUs in alliance-building and research, survey and mapping to identify areas for economic collaboration among others. It trains local economic development managers in feasibility studies, business planning and marketing. This program also provides technical assistance in accessing loans and grants and public-private partnerships (PPP) for local economic development. 66 INSTITUTE FOR AUTONOMY AND GOVERNANCE
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