Prof. Esmael A. Abdula, KDFI Senior Programs Advisor and BLMI Steering Committee Member, delivered his lecture on the History of MindanaoConflict, including the root causes and status. He explained that the Bangsamoro People in Mindanao had experienced oppression since the coming of the colonizers. Because of oppression and tyranny, the Bangsamoro started their struggle to defend themselves against foreign colonizers.
He stressed that the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro is the key towards the establishment of a Just, Peaceful and Humane society in Mindanao.
“ Let us advocate peace and justice towards genuine governance in our homeland, the Bangsamoro. We are fighting for justice, so we must be just in seeking our right to self-determination”, he said.
Nasrullah Mohammad, MILF focal person for the Humanitarian, Rehabilitation Development Component of the International Monitoring Team, also delivered a presentation on the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed by the GPH and the MILF. He shared inputs on the Bangsamoro Territory, Identity and the Bangsamoro Basic Law to be framed by the Transition Commission. He also shared insights on the current conversation on the Revenue Generation, Wealth and Power Sharing, Basic Rights and Normalization.
“If ever the Agreements of both panels are implemented, there will be social, political, economic, cultural and traditional empowerments in our homeland. We have to work harder to support the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro”, he concluded.
Madam Susan “Toots” Ople, the President of Blas F. Ople Policy Center & Training Institute shared strategies and techniques to become good communicators. Participants she divided the participants into five groups during the workshop to measure the participants’ intellectual capacity on certain topics.
“To become a Speakers’ Bureau member is a responsibility, mission, and struggle of individuals to inform the people thru information campaigns in support to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro. Knowing Bangsamoro is an excitement to everyone who is looking for peace and justice in Mindanao. It is an opportunity for all to invest in businesses, build infrastructures, livelihood projects, big institutions of learning and develop beautiful landscapes in Mindanao,” she said.
Ms. Estelle Ople Osorio, Director for Training and Education of Blas F. Ople Policy Center & Training Institute, walked the the participants through public speaking tools and techniques for effective speech delivery. A workshop provided an opportunity for participants to apply those techniques.
The participants said that the training will guide them in further developing their communication skills to advocate the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro in their communities.
The said training was attended by community leaders from the provinces of Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat. (Kalilintad Development Foundation, Inc.)