Schedule
Nov. 27, 2024 | 4:00–5:30 PM
Room
Rm 5, Emerald-Citrine
Moderator
Henelito A. Sevilla, Jr.
University of the Philippines Diliman
Discussant
Paul Hutchcroft
Australian National University
C5.1
Faith, Freedom, Moral Authority, Common Good, and Social Ethics as Principles of Moral Governance in the Bangsamoro
Nassef M. Adiong
Bangsamoro Parliament
Governance has been at the fulcrum of Bangsamoro leadership. Whether it has been—or can yet be—good or moral is the question at hand. In this paper, the discussion of good governance precedes that of moral governance, with the former describing a modern-secular form of governance as defined by international and multilateral organizations, while the latter propounds the idea of an Islamic-rooted governance.
The new BARMM autonomous government is the opportunity for the Bangsamoro people to chart up their future in accordance with their distinct beliefs, culture, and aspirations, a shift from struggle to fighting against oppression, corruption, discrimination, and other malpractices that are worsening their situation. While the autonomous government is determined to lead and manage the Moro society based on “moral governance,” it is difficult to understand what moral governance means. By using an exploratory design to frame research as inquiry and gain insights on moral governance as the BARMM’s agendum, the research navigated and conceptualized the meaning of moral governance based on a proposed framework that constitutes five immutable principles: Faith, Freedom, Moral Authority, Common Good, and Social Ethics. By constituting these interrelated principles that will map the framework towards practice within the distinct historical and faith context of Muslim Philippines, an authentic Bangsamoro leadership is envisaged as a tolerant society to various Muslim groups and non-Muslim communities—Christians and Indigenous Peoples in particular. Consequently, the juxtaposed comparison of the ARMM and the BARMM, in effect, highlighted the tasks that were not successfully or satisfactorily implemented by the ARMM. These are areas where the BARMM can build its introductory steps to come up to the challenges of moral governance.
C5.2
What Keeps Traditional Leaders Relevant? The Case of Datus and Sultans in Lanao del Sur
Maira T. Basmala and Abdul Raafi B. Mamangcao
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
This research explores the continued relevance and influence of traditional leaders, specifically the datus and sultans, in Lanao del Sur. Despite the availability of formal legal systems, many community members prefer to seek the services of these traditional leaders. This study investigates the factors contributing to this preference, including the cultural and religious connections that enhance trust in traditional authorities. It also examines the reluctance of people to involve formal courts, driven by the desire to avoid having their names recorded in legal systems, thereby preserving their pride and social standing. Furthermore, the research delves into the engagement of traditional leaders with the government and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms, highlighting the challenges and limitations they face. These include issues related to sustainability, funding constraints, lack of training, and discrimination. The hopes and aspirations of traditional leaders for their roles and the future of their communities are also considered. The study employs in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) to gather data, providing rich, qualitative insights into the dynamics between traditional and formal systems of governance and conflict resolution.
Key findings reveal that the accessibility of traditional leaders and the deep-rooted cultural and religious ties they maintain significantly contribute to their sustained relevance. Additionally, the study underscores the community’s preference for informal mediation to avoid public records and maintain social harmony. This research contributes to a better understanding of the complex interplay between traditional and modern governance structures, informing policies aimed at enhancing community-based dispute resolution mechanisms.
C5.3
Godlike Political Glorification: The Occurrence of Micro-Level Populist Politics in South Cotabato
Czar M. Bandiola II and Beverly T. Garcia
Mindanao State University-General Santos
Populism continues to alter the global political status quo where most of literature is centralized on national leaders, leaving little focus on the dynamics of populism within the pockets of local governments. This study delved into the varieties of populism within the context of South Cotabato, Philippines, examining local politicians’ political mobilization, political style, political strategy, political communication, and crisis performance. Departing from the mainstream narrative that populism is primarily a phenomenon at the national level, this paper argues that local politicians subscribe to populist narratives that resonate within the sociopolitical architecture of South Cotabato. Employing non-probability purposive sampling on seven semi-structured Key Informant Interviews (KII) and archival data of 11 state speeches of local chief executives in the province, this paper revealed that local politicians employ populist mobilization strategies by capitalizing on the enduring social and economic insecurities of the province. Populist political styles are characterized by decisive and charismatic leadership, putting emphasis on community visibility and representation. Local politicians’ populist political strategies center on mega-million and financial-aid policies that are monitorable and tangible to the public eye. Populist political communication strategies include “performativism” and celebrity politics, direct communication with their constituencies, and strategic utilization of personal forms in their political discourse. During crises, local populists emphasize pragmatic and decisive approaches as seen in their response to the COVID-19 crisis. Populism also contributed to the burgeoning of democratic governance in South Cotabato.
C5.4
“Peace from Below” and the “Local Turn” in Peacebuilding: The Case of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Mindanao
Karlo Mikhail I. Mongaya
University of the Philippines Diliman
Peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Mindanao (Revolutionary Workers’ Party-Mindanao or RPM-M), a Mindanao-based revolutionary group that split from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), has been largely overshadowed by the more prominent peace negotiations with Muslim separatists and CPP-led insurgencies. Yet, while smaller in scale, the RPM-M peace process represents a significant and promising model of localized humanitarian development and peacebuilding “from below” in an island that has been ravaged by decades of armed conflict. The process, which combines public consultations and development work at the community level, presents an alternative to top-down talks with insurgent leaderships that do not involve communities concerned or immediate disarmament without securing tangible gains on the ground. Facilitated by a third-party, a Mindanao-based non-government organization (NGO), Balay Mindanaw, it involved participatory consultations with communities building their local peace and development agenda and identifying problems, solutions, and projects that could respond to their needs. I argued that the RPM-M peace process offers essential lessons on the localization of humanitarian development and peacebuilding, which has been the focus of the “local turn” in recent scholarship. Using key documents and key informant interviews, this paper contextualized the RPM-M as a distinct Mindanao-based social movement, provided a broad overview of the peace process mediated by Balay Mindanaw, and described the humanitarian and development work in participating communities. While fraught with challenges, the “community-based and people-centered peace talks,” as called by senior RPM-M leader Ike de los Reyes, enabled communities to escape the adverse consequences of armed conflict while building local power and achieving concrete gains as part of a broader process of social transformation.