COTABATO CITY – Women belonging to the Indigenous Peoples (IP) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) want to take part in major decision making on peace process and development.
The IP women, belonging to Teduray-Lambangian tribe, gathered here on Wednesday for the first ever “IP women summit in ARMM” to celebrate Women’s Month and to ventilate their sentiments on issues affecting them.
“We would like to be heard, we would like to be consulted, especially on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL),” said Froilyn Mendoza, chair of Teduray-Lambangian Women’s Organization.
The BBL is a draft law seeking for the creation of Bangsamoro region that will replace the current autonomous set up as a result of the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace process.
It is still pending legislation and public consultations by both chambers of Congress are going on.
Mendoza said the IP women wanted the government to seriously look into their welfare, especially on the issue of BBL and other local issues and concerns that directly affect them.
“There are political issues that the IP women wanted to take part and be heard because of its impact on them,” she added.
The summit here was in partnership with the Regional Commission on Bangsamoro Women of ARMM (RCBW-ARMM) and Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
Helen Roxas, OPAPP head for women, peace and security secretariat, said the agency is funding summit as part of the implementation of national action plan on women peace and security.
“We recognized that IPs, especially women, should have a say on the peace process because they will be greatly affected by the outcome, so they have to have a stand,” she told reporters here.
The outcome of the IP women summit will be forwarded to OPAPP for consideration.
About 200 IP women, mostly from Teduray-Lambangian tribe, were present to make their presence felt on national issues but have huge impact on them. (PNA)
