With the current scrutiny both Chambers of Congress and the
public are giving to the Bangsamoro peace process, a community composed of a
group of indigenous people (IP), Muslims, and Christians have shown that living
in harmony is still possible despite armed conflicts.
In Sitio Iking, Barangay Romongaob (Poblacion,) South Upi,
Maguindanao, a community composed of an ethnic group Teduray, Moro people,
mostly Maguindanaoans, and Christians organized the Romongaob Tri-People's
Organization (RTPO.)
RTPO was established through the collaboration of the
Mindanao Trust Fund (MTF), Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA), the Office of
the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and the local government
in 2013 with a goal of fostering unity among different ethnic and religious
groups, as well as improving the quality of the residents' lives amid the
ongoing armed conflicts in their area.
Perlita Bansigan Laugan, 41, is a member of the Teduray
tribe and the secretary of the Romongaob Tri-People's Organization (RTPO.)
Perlita, a mother of five children, is currently working as
a volunteer teacher to the young Teduray tribe members and an IP leader in
their community.
According to her, the RTPO was established to foster unity
among the people of their barangay despite the fact that they have cultural and
religious differences, and so far, the community harmonizes and becomes a model
of peace and unity.
For RTPO procurement chairman Rodolfo Toriales, being a
Christian in an area dominated by IPs has not been a problem as he has learned
to adapt to the different traditions and practices of the Teduray and the
Muslims. But he pointed out that the war has been the root cause of poverty in
their barangay.
On the other hand, Datu Kadil Cusain, 42, is a Moro local
who has been in South Upi for 25 years. He is a former municipal councilor and
he is currently working as the market administrator of Barangay Romongaob.
As a public servant before, Datu Kadil Cusain has served the
people of South Upi and supported their strife before the peace talks. For him,
passing the Bangsamoro Basic Law is important because he sees it as tool for
peace and he said they are tired of the unrest in their homeland.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=781083
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