2 Maguindanao clans end decades-long political feud

By Nash Maulana

TWO prominent Bangsa Iranun clans have finally ended a decades-long political feud after the Bangsamoro government pushed for dialogues that led to the reconciliation.

Chief Minister Ahod Balwag Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) cited the role of local chief executives, regional agencies and the security sector in supporting reconciliation efforts between the Tomawis clan and the Ibay clan.

BARMM’s Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) said the dialogues

“silently ended” on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at the Office of the Chief Minister Ebrahim at the Bangsamoro Government Center in

Cotabato City.

Key officials and members of both families attended the final meet up, mainly represented by former Mayor Barok Tomawis for the Tomawis clan and by former Mayor Ibrahim Ibay for the Ibay clan. Ebrahim said both parties have long wanted mutually to be bound by settlement.

AMTC surpassed its target of five million trees planted in five years. The MTFI targets to plant 10 million more trees by 2030. It manages the Million Trees Nursery and Eco Learning Center, the center of AMTC programs and initiatives, situated inside the La Mesa Watershed compound.

The award was received by MTFI President and Executive Director Melandrew T. Velasco who said that the 10-million more trees target is very doable.

At the forum, DENR Regional Executive Director-NCR Jacqueline A. Caancan presented DENR-NCR’s program for 2023 and asked for the continued support of the program partners to ensure a climate resilient and sustainable Metropolitan Manila. The forum utilized hashtags #NurturingCitiesForASustainableFuture #TayoAngKalikasan.

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION. TBPeople Philippines Organization Inc., a key affected population committee member of the Philippine Country Coordinating Mechanism (PCCM), joined a recent country dialogue at the Citystate Tower Hotel in Manila on February 1 to 3, 2023. The country dialogue is the culmination of a series of consultations with different constituencies like government agencies, development partners, NGOs, civil society organizations, and key affected populations. PCCM’s final proposal will be submitted to the Global Fund to Fight Against AIDS, TB and Malaria on March 20.