MAGUINDANAO—The Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC) and the United Voices for Peace Network (UVPN) have finalized the communications plan of the Activate Young Bangsamoro, a six-month project on raising public awareness on Bangsamoro Government’s parliamentary system and people’s voting rights.
Officials of UVPN turned over the communications plan to the BYC during the culmination program on Saturday, January 29, at Hotel Al-Maseer, Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.
The Activate Young Bangsamoro is the youth component of the larger Activate Bangsamoro Project of The Asia Foundation, UVPN, UK Government, and BYC is one of its major partner in establishing a communications plan to popularize the newly created parliamentary system in the Bangsmoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
BYC Commissioner Nasserudin D. Dunding representing Maguindanao, Cotabato City and Special Geographic Areas accentuated the significance of engaging youth in making them understand the BARMM’s political system.
“Ang motive ng proyektong ito ay magkaroon ng informed decision ang bawat Bangsamoro. Ito ay parte ng transitioning mechanism ng ating kaisipan alinsunod sa transition ng gobyernong mayroon tayo. Kinakailangang maging parte tayo ng pagpanday ng burukrasya ng BARMM sapagkat darating ang araw na tayo namang mga kabataan ang aasahan ng ating komunidad,” Commissioner Dunding said.
During the culmination, co-implementing youth organizations from mainland and island provinces of the region discussed their community caravan initiatives on BARMM’s implementation of government system.
Each organization highlighted their implementation approaches, challenges, and recommendations which also provided exchange of ideas to other youth organizations.
Parang Youth Network, one of the co-implementing youth organization, presented their output where they emphasized the importance of diagnostic assessment, asking prior knowledge to the participants, which helped them to determine topics to discuss.
UVPN Executive Director Jelfaad Salik said the parliamentary system is new to the Bangsamoro Governance and its people, and there is a need to reach out people especially on the ground in order to get acquainted of its process in the BARMM context.
Abqary Alon, UVPN Program Manager, stressed that the said initiative aims to educate BARMM’s parliamentary system of government to community where it also aims to gain experiential-based information which will be compiled to produce a single communications plan.
Meanwhile, BYC Commissioner Mohammad Faizal Alih representing Sulu put emphasis on youth’s capability in sustaining and strengthening the BARMM Government.
“Umpisahan natin ito sa pamamagitan ng pag-unawa sa Bangsamoro Organic Law, dito natin mababasa at maiintindihan ang pagpapahalaga sa gobyernong ipinaglaban ng ating mga ninuno. Lagi nating isaisip na kung hindi ngayon ay kalian pa? At kung hindi tayo, ay sino pa?,” Commissioner Alih stated.
The event was also attended by MOLE Deputy Minster Matarul M. Estino, MAFAR Director General Pendatun S. Patarasa who both extended their support in youth development and empowerment.
The joint effort between the BYC and the UVPN started during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in October 2020 to create partnership in their projects and activities. (BYC Public Relations Unit)
