Special Issue

AKMK holds 9th peace camp INITAO, MISAMIS ORIENTAL –

Over 300 multi-sectoral youth mem-

bers have attended the 9th Mindanao

Summer Youth Peace Camp here on

June1-5 organized by the MPPM

youth powerbase Alyansa ng

Kabataang Mindanao para sa Kapa-

yapaan (AKMK).

The camp was supposed to

feature President-elect Rodrigo

Duterte as the keynote speaker on

the second day. However, the presi-

dent of PDP-Laban Region X and

former Iligan City Mayor Atty Frank-

lin Quijano attended on his behalf.

Atty Quijano emphasized the

short-term advocacies of Duterte on

freedom from crime, corruption,

drugs, poverty and isurgency. “Ang

gusto ni Duterte talagang dapat

ihinto na ang kurapsyon.” He added

that the community and the society

have to be included in the peace

process, further saying that the

youth should become vanguards of

peace.

Youth solidarity spaces were

also opened on the second day that

focused on gender, food sovereignty

and climate, peace and human

rights, cultural and art, and social

media and information.

The plenary session on the

third day talked about the updates

on the peace talks between govern-

ment and revolutionary groups.

Legal officer of Bangsamoro

Transition Commission Atty. Lanang

Ali, Jr. stressed that the struggle of

the Moro Islamic Liberation Front

(MILF) is more of self-determination

and of claiming their rights on their

ancestral domain, than a religious

cause. “Laban ng karapatan, hindi

laban ng relihiiyon,” adding that, “we

are brothers, we are not servants of

you (sic).”

Executive director of Sustaina-

ble Alternatives for the Advance-

ment of Mindanao (SALAM) Inc.

Charity Care Lavandero discussed

on the peace talk of the Rebolusy-

onaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-

Mindanao (RPMM) with the gov-

ernment, focusing on the kind of

process the group had adapted.

She said that the peace accord is

anchored to the people’s participa-

tion and community involvement

so they will have to stand or them-

selves, citing the case of Brgy Ma-

hayahay in Sultan Naga Dimaporo

in Lanao del Norte.

New set of council represent-

atives was elected on the fourth

day, with Rena Marie Gahum as

the re-elected secretary-general

(Sec-Gen). Former sec-gens were

also featured in the afternoon.

Ludz Marcelino, Vhong Fenis, RJ

Neyra and Aldren Manisan shared

their journey as head of the alliance.

“Ang AKMK and pinaka-

demokratikong organisasyon… hindi

kayo makakakita ng alyansa na

binibigyan ng espasyo ang lahat,” said

Neyra.

Attended by multi-sectoral or-

ganizations from all over Mindanao,

the camp did not only feature socio-

political issues but also physical activ-

ities, games and cultural presenta-

tions.

AKMK was established in 2002

through the help of Sumpay Minda-

nao, Inc., and since its conception, it

has achieved its pillars on culture and

peace, sustainable development, soli-

darity with other people in the world,

good governance and youth empow-

erment.

AKMK names new council

Now on its 14th year, AKMK has

elected on June 4 new set of officers

that will represent the different clus-

ters, peoples and sub-sectors of the

organization.

“Sana makaambag ako sa

pagbabago [ng Mindanao] sa pama-

magitan ng aking boses,” said Young

Women People’s Representative Pem-

raida Andoy, 19, from Midsayap, North

Cotabato. “Maraming sangkap ang

Kapayapaan pero hindi ito imposibleng

makamtan,” added Pem, who just af-

firmed her membership to the alliance

on the same day.

Laida Musa of TRY Change and the

cluster representative of Maguindanao

Cont. to page 2

Special Issue

Former Iligan City Mayor Atty

Franklin Quijano in June 2 has at-

tended in the 9th MSYPC in behalf of

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.

The president of PDP-Laban

Region X in his speech has expressed

his opinion about the ‘number of

expectations’ the Alyansa ng

Kabataang Mindanao Para sa Kapaya-

paan (AKMK) set on Duterte. “By

looking at what you want to accom-

plish, marami tayong expectations na

pwede na dapat niyang gawin,’ add-

ing that, “Isa sa pinakaimportante

nating intindihin, ilagay natin sya sa

ating point of view… mabigyan ng ma-

liit na pag intindi kung saan sya nang-

galing.”

A few points brought up during

his talk were on issues on the passage

of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, to which

Atty Quijano answered that Duterte is

pro for an inclusive BBL. He was also

asked about the coal-fired power plants

especially that in Kauswagan, Lanao del

Norte which is believed to be the larg-

est coal plant in Mindanao. “We’ll

have to follow the rule of law,” further

saying that if the companies had al-

ready secured Environmental Compli-

ance Certificates, it will become an

issue if they will be stopped from

operating. Atty Quijano in his speech

also stressed about the plans of

Duterte on national industrialization,

saying, “He (Duterte) wants to see a

Philippines na hindi mahirap.” Hefur-

ther said that the youth should have

Proseso ng Kapayapaan

Lakbay AKMK ng

mga kalihim heneral

Cotabato is elected as the new fi-nance officer, saying, “Kung ano man ang nakita nila sa akin…sana maga-wa ko ‘yon hangga’t sa kaya ko.” Re-elected Secretary General Rena Marie ‘Kaking’ Gahum, together with the new council representatives, shall continue the pillars of AKMK and shall forge a new declaration containing the consolidated de-mands of the different youth sectors of Mindanao. Secretary General: Rena Marie Gahum Deputy Secretary General: Charlene Saliga Finance Officer: Laida Musa Migrant People’s Rep.” Thristine Jay Dulang Alternate: Gilbert Fenis Young Women People’s Rep.: Pemraida P. Andoy (BAYA) Alternate: Reyna Villa Gomez Cultural People’s Rep: Rena Marie Gahum Alternate: Mary May Belos Lumad People’s Rep: Charlene Saliga Alternate: Jady Cago Bangsamoro People’s Rep : Jeramin Bantas Alternate: Esnairah Masukat LGBT Rep: Red Sebron Alternate: Stephanie Abis

Marami na ang mga usaping

pangkapayapaan na nailunsad sa

ating bayan. Ngunit iba-iba naman

ang kanilang mga pamamaraan ng

paggawa ng isang matiwasay na

kapayapaan. Isa lamang ito sa mga

natalakay noong ika-9 MSYPC na

inorganisa ng AKMK.

Ayon kay Atty. Lanang Ali ng

Bangsamoro Transition Commis-

sion, ang mga sinusulong ng MILF

ay ang hindi pantay-pantay na

paglaan ng pundo ng gobyerno sa

mga nasasakupan nito; ang pag-

bigay ng sariling pagkakakilanlan

at pag-pangalaga sa kanilang kul-

tura; at ang pagrespeto at pagkilala

sa kanilang saring pagpapasya.

“Laban ito ng karapatan, hindi

relihiyon,” dagdag ni Atty Ali sa

pagpapalalim pa ng kanilang

pakikibaka.

Dagdag pa Atty. Ali, ang MILF-

GRP peace negotiation daw ay may

dalawang yugto pero magkaisang

mithiin, ang tapusin ang Bang-

samoro Problem.

Duterte’s rep talks in peace camp

to assert and ask questions on such

issues.

Regarding people’s participation

on governance, Atty Quijano said, “Isa

sa dapat gawin ng government ay

magkaroon ng sapat na ideyolohiya na

makipag-kaibigan sa lipunan.” “Let us

therefore bring the issue to the com-

munity and tell them that change is

coming,” he added.

It can be remembered that for-

mer Davao Mayor who are facing myri-

"Progresibo talaga yung plano ng

kabataan sa pagsulong sa kapayapaan".

Ang mga katagang ito ang pinahiwa-

tig ni Ludz Marcelino, unang kalihim hen-

eral ng Alyansa ng Kabataang Mindanao

para sa Kapayapaan sa taong 2002. Ibi-

nahagi ni Marcelino, isang Teduray, na ang

tuon ng adbokasya ng AKMK noon ay ang

gulo sa Mindanao.

Parehong mga istorya ng pagwawagi

at pagsubok naman ang kinuwento ng

tinaguriang may pinakamahabang termi-

no sa alyansa bilang kalihim heneral na si

Valtimore “Vhong” Fenis. Sa kanyang

mahigit anim na taong termino mula 2004

hanggang 2009, marami na ang mga naga-

wa ng alyansa katulad na lamang noong

mga nagdaang peace camp na idinaraos

tuwing taon. Kasali na dito ang

‘pagkakamali’ ni Vhong na siyang nagturo

at nagpamulat umano sa kanya upang

mas mahalin at pagbutihin ang kanyang

pananatili sa kilusan.

Ayon naman kay RJ Nyera, kalihim

heneral sa taong 2009 hanggang 2011,

"Napaka empowering ng alyansa". Sa

panahon daw niya nagkaroon ng PEACEta

o PEACEtival na siyang naglalayong ipag-

bunyi ang patuloy na pag-asa ng kabataan

sa pagkamit ng mapayapa at malayang

Mindanao. "Kailangan natin habiin ang

kasaysayan para malaman natin yung

patutunguhan natin (alyansa)," dagdag pa

niya, nang kanyang binalikanan ang mga

nangyari sa karanasan ng mga nauna

sakanya.

Nakapaghayag pa rin ng kanyang

karanasan si Aldren Manisan na nagsilbing

kalihim heneral noong taong 2011 hang-

gang 2014. Sa kabila ng kanyang absensya

ay nagawa parin niyang ihayag ang

kanyang mensahe para sa mga campers.

Pinaalala din ni Aldren ang patuloy na

pagsulong ng adhikain ng alyansa - isa na

doon ang paglilingkod sa bayan, katulad

ng immersion, fact finding mission,

paglibot sa mga lupaing nasasakupan at

pagtulong sa oras ng kalamidad na siyang

naisagawa ng kanyang administrasyon.

"We cannot fully build the future for

the youth, but we can build the youth for

the future", ang mensahing bilin ni Aldren

sa buong delegasyon.

Sa kasalukuyan naman, tuloy ang

pakikibaka ng administrasyon ni Rena

Marie Gahum na nagsimula pa noong

taong 2014 nang siya ay mahalal sa

puwesto. Nagpatuloy ang kanyang termi-

no matapos siyang muling iluklok bilang

kalihim heneral ng bagong konseho ng

AKMK na nabuo sa ika-apat araw ng nasa-

bing peace camp.

Isa sa mga mekanismo ng BTC

ang consultations kung saan pumu-

punta sila sa mga iba’t ibang rehiyon

na parte ng core area ng magiging

Bangsamoro government kung saan

nagkaroon din ng mga pag-uusap

kasama ang LGU sa mga lugar, dag-

dag niya.

Nagbigay din ng pahayag si

Charity Care Lavandero, isa sa secre-

tariat ng panel ng peace talks sa

pagitan ng Rebulosyonaryong Par-

tido ng Manggagawa ng Mindanao

(RPMM) at Government of the Re-

public of the Philippines (GRP).

“Ang peace process ay hindi

dapat makacompromise ng develop-

ment,” sabi ni Lavandero.

Ang isa sa mga pinagmamalaki

ni Lavandero ay ang pagsagawa nila

ng local consultations at partisipasy-

on ng komunidad at ng mga Non-

Government Organization (NGOs) at

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

Kalakip din nito ang pag-implement

ng mga development plans na pinag-

sang-ayunan ng mga komunidad.