Ateneo de Davao University’s (AdDU) University Community Engagement and Advocacy Council (UCEAC) stipulates renewed efforts to ensure Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) progress after decades of struggle, alongside crafting a roadmap centered on Mindanao’s peaceful development.
In a listening session dedicated to the launch of the AdDU Mindanao Roadmap, Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute Director Gimaidee Ann Moya shared her thoughts on the continued postponements of the BARMM elections, affirming the people’s preparedness to participate in such a democratic process.
“Sana mangyayari talaga yung election, kasi, actually, the people are ready. They really wanted to vote, no? But the system isn’t ready yet. Kaya na-postpone nang ilang beses,” said Moya.
The BARMM elections were previously postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the exclusion of Sulu from BARMM necessitating a redistricting of the region, and a Supreme Court decision that had reversed the initial redistricting proposals by the current parliament.
The postponements have also been underpinned by a March 2025 reshuffle of the national government’s appointees in the transitional parliament by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., which left many dissatisfied and another crook in the plans for the elections.
Peacebuilder and activist Augusto “Gus” Miclat commented on the parliamentary election’s fortunes in light of the political issues that face the current presidential administration.
“Yung presidente ngayon…mas marami siyang ibang problemang hinaharap, at siguro the Bangsamoro [elections] is under the radar.”
Miclat, a long-time observer of the Bangsamoro peace process, was disappointed by the circumstances that could derail the years of reconciliation work undertaken by numerous local government units and non-governmental organizations.
“But all of these reasons converge with some other political interest that is making this unfortunate situation right now,” Miclat stated.
Social sciences practitioner Amelita Balisalisa-Atillo recalled her peacebuilding work with BARMM residents and lamented the stalled transition process.
“I still remember when we did, our group did the midterm review of the BTA [Bangsamoro Transitional Authority], and we were hopeful… I’m so sad for BARMM. I’m so sad for the individuals I befriended with, even some of the MILF [Moro Islamic Liberation Front] soldiers that I interviewed. When I interviewed them, they told me ‘Ma’am kailangan namin kapayapaan, kailangan namin turuan how to govern the barangay, kasi gusto namin maging barangay officials.’” she shared.
Environmental crises and economic brittleness
Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) representative Dr. Adrian Tamayo presented a five-year plan, intended to lay the groundwork for AdDU’s roadmap as a precedent for future environmental interventions and to assist displaced rural populations with permanent homes, enabling stable community-building.
“If we look at the conditions of Mindanao, for years, we have been saying that we are typhoon-free, but recently, we have been experiencing typhoons.” Dr. Adrian Tamayo said, a representative from the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA)
Meanwhile, Atillo cited an economic and sociological perspective, highlighting the new social contracts emerging across Mindanao, particularly in BARMM.
She identified five critical emerging risks in Mindanao, including “misinformation and digital manipulation, climate insecurity, persistent and displacement, command votes and vote buying, and weak accountability mechanisms.”
“These risks demand a participative governance, not a reactive governance,” Atillo stressed.
Urging institutions to shift toward a future-oriented, collaborative model of leadership that builds resilience and innovation, she further emphasized AdDU’s vital role as a trusted convener, a center for democratic innovation, a research and policy think tank, and a bridge that connects diverse sectors.
Youth as core of peace
Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) Representative Janelle Jones Estocapio underscored how the youth are often valued for their impact on the future, yet rarely recognized for how they can help improve the world today.
She cited the United Nations’ The Missing Peace (2018), which warns that youth inclusion fails when institutions provide seats without listening to ideas or addressing the sector’s needs.
Despite tokenism, she noted that today’s youth continue to generate innovative ideas and solutions amid limited opportunities.
“Peace becomes real when families listen, when faith becomes a bridge, when the youth speak, and when women lead with courage. These are not separate stories – they are the threads of our shared future,” she added.
Estocapio further explained that the AdDU Mindanao Road Map represents a shift from a theoretical study to sustained, informed action, positioning the university as an active player in Mindanao’s journey towards a more just, peaceful, and equitable future.
“The election empowers the BARMM’s power they hold, and the power in choosing the leaders they want. The BARMM Election is historic [throughout the globe] because the election in an autonomous region is postponed three times.”
In turn, AdDU committed to integrating the insights from the session into a comprehensive road map grounded in research, strengthened by genuine engagement with communities, focused on turning peace studies into active peace practice, and dedicated to protecting civic spaces to amplify voices from the ground.
Phase 1 of the AdDU Mindanao Roadmap on Peace, Development, Social Cohesion, Democracy, Human Rights, and Sustainability was launched on December 2 at 11F Calungsod-San Vitores Hall, Community Center of the First Companions (CCFC) Building.