Tag: Datu Pugawang
Over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to promote gender justice and economic empowerment in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), with Bangsamoro women playing a crucial role in peacebuilding and development. Oxfam and The Asia Foundation (TAF), supported by the Australian Government, have implemented programs that provide marginalized women with training, mentorship, and access to financial resources to help them thrive as entrepreneurs. These initiatives culminated in the Bangsamoro WEE Learning Exchange in 17-19 February 2025, which highlighted policy support, Islamic Finance, and inclusive growth strategies. As a panelist at this event, I shared insights from my work with Coffee for Peace and PeaceBuilders Community, reinforcing my belief in the transformative power of inclusive economic growth as a path to lasting peace in the region.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/02/20/building-peace-through-empowerment-the-role-of-bangsamoro-women/
08 February 2025, Upi, Maguindanao Del Norte — As a long-term advocate for justice and reconciliation in Mindanao, PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) joins the Indigenous Peoples (IP) of Bangsamoro in celebrating the historic passage of the Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Act of 2024 by the Bangsamoro Parliament on 10 December 2024. This landmark legislation strengthens the rights, recognition, and empowerment of Indigenous Peoples within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), marking a major step forward for peace and inclusivity in the region. For decades, PBCI has walked alongside Indigenous communities in Mindanao, advocating for their land rights, self-determination, and cultural preservation. The Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Act of 2024 provides a long-overdue legal framework that formalizes these rights, ensuring mechanisms for ancestral domain recognition, cultural preservation, access to government resources, and active participation in governance.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/02/10/pbci-celebrates-passage-of-bangsamoro-indigenous-peoples-act-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-peacebuilding/
22 January 2025. A pioneering agroforestry initiative is set to take root in the ancestral lands of the Bagobo-Tagabawa community in Barangay Binaton, at the foot of Mt. Apo. Spearheaded by PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI), Coffee for Peace (CFP), and the Indigenous Ancestral Domain Association (IADA), this project seeks to rehabilitate deforested lands in the foothills of Mt. Apo while fostering sustainable livelihoods for indigenous farmers. The initiative will commence with a 2-hectare demonstration farm, serving as a model for best practices in agroforestry. This initial phase will allow farmers to refine cultivation techniques, integrate traditional ecological knowledge with modern scientific approaches, and assess the economic viability of the project before scaling up operations. The long-term goal of this initiative is to expand up to 32 hectares, contingent on funding availability. This ambitious expansion plan underscores the project’s commitment to widespread environmental restoration and economic empowerment.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/01/31/bagobo-tagabawa-farmers-and-pbci-cfp-team-launch-agro-forestry-project-in-mt-apo-together/
My journey in using AI within the framework of social ethics and peacebuilding has been a process of discernment, balancing the potential benefits of technology with the ethical challenges it presents. AI can serve as a tool for justice, conflict prevention, and reconciliation, but only if it is framed with human dignity, fairness, and accountability at its core. I have explored its role in early warning systems, mediation, and restorative justice, recognizing both its promise and its risks. Ethical AI must be human-centered, participatory, transparent, and committed to nonviolence. As peacebuilders, we must ensure that AI amplifies the voices of the marginalized rather than reinforcing systems of oppression. The future of AI in peace work is not just about innovation but about moral responsibility—using technology to build a world rooted in justice, equity, and peace.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/01/21/my-journey-in-using-artificial-intelligence-framed-in-social-ethics-and-peacebuilding/
I am Emil Jonathan Soriano, living in San Pedro, Laguna, with my wife and our three sons, aged 17, 13, and 9. I currently serve as the Theology Network and Engagement (TNE) Manager for Tearfund and as the focal lead for Reconciled and Peaceful Societies (RPS) in the Asian region. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of the East and a Master of Divinity degree in Cross-Cultural Missions from the Asian Theological Seminary. Additionally, I am the Chairman of the Board for PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI), a position I assumed in 2024 after several years as a board member. I have known Rev. Dann “Lakan” Pantoja and his wife, Joji, for over a decade. Our shared advocacy for the Bangsamoro struggle for self-determination brought us together, and we have since collaborated in various forums and peacebuilding initiatives.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/01/06/thankful-for-the-opportunity-to-grow-and-learn-on-this-justice-based-peacebuilding-journey/
Last 30 October 2024, the Office of the Indigenous Political Structure (IPS) of the Bagobo Tagabawa Tribe bestowed upon Joji and myself the Lumabat Award. The awarding ceremony was held during the Sinub’badan Festival 2024. Receiving the Lumabat Award is a profound honor that fills me with deep gratitude to Manama–the Great Creator, not only for the recognition but for the journey that led to this moment. Named after the legendary figure Lumabat, a cultural hero of the Bagobo Tagabawa tribe, the award embodies the values of resilience, wisdom, and the quest for a meaningful connection between humanity and the divine. As I hold this award close to my heart, I am reminded of the intricate relationship between our work, the tribe’s heritage, and the transformative power of peace and reconciliation. Joji and I are grateful to the IPS for their welcoming embrace, mentorship, companionship, and partnership. We’re also grateful to our sending Body, the Mennonite Church Canada, who gave us freedom to listen and to work with the Bagobo Tagabawa based on local definitions of partnership, companionship, and development.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/10/31/celebrating-a-sacred-honor-the-bagobo-tagabawa-bestow-us-with-the-lumabat-award/
During the final day of the National Indigenous Peoples’ Month, which is celebrated every October, the tribal council of the Bagobo Tagabawa invited us to attend their final ceremonies. We were told that, among several events of the day, “there will be a ceremony to officially include us as members of the tribe.” They actually surprised us by conferring honorary leadership titles along with our ritual membership into the tribal community. For this sacred embrace, we express our deep gratitude to the Indigenous Political Structure, the clans, and the families of the Bagobo Tagabawa people. By the Creator’s grace and mercy, we commit to fulfill the duties and responsibilities implied in this honor.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2021/10/30/the-tribal-council-of-the-bagobo-tagabawa-conferred-honorary-titles-to-our-team/
