The Democratic Leadership and Active Civil Society Empowerment in the Bangsamoro (DELACSE Bangsamoro) will host its final conference, “Way Forward: Empowering Civil Society and Political Parties in the Bangsamoro”, on February 16 at Hotel Jen in Pasay City. Institute for Autonomy and Governance Executive Director Benedicto Bacani will present the accomplishments, lessons, and recommendations of DELACSE Bangsamoro’s 13-month run. Secretary Jesus Dureza of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) will be one of the speakers of this conference.

DELACSE Bangsamoro is a capacity-building project fully funded by the European Union and implemented by the consortium Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Philippines and the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG). In the course of 13 months, civil society organization (CSO) leaders from Mindanao participated in seminars, workshops, and lecture series organized by DELACSE to equip them with the competencies and knowledge necessary for contributing comprehensive policy inputs to the proposed BBL and Charter Change.

The Senate and House already committed to passing the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) by March 2018. Marathon hearings have been conducted to speed up the administration’s promise of settling the age-old conflict in Mindanao by passing the BBL.

As representatives of the constituents on the ground, CSO leaders and decision-makers of the future Bangsamoro political entity should not merely leave this milestone in the hands of elected politicians. The conference will provide a venue for them to air out their concerns to the government officials and other political actors involved in the peace process to ensure that the interests of their constituents, stakeholders of the future Bangsamoro community, are heard and accounted for before the BBL is passed.

There will be a panel discussion in the afternoon on the opportunities and challenges of building relevant and effective political institutions in the Bangsamoro. Hon. Irene Tillah, Assembly Woman of the Regional Legislative Assembly of the ARMM will be part of the panel. Other panel discussants include United Bangsamoro Justice Party Deputy Secretary General Naguib Sinarimbo, Professor Ramon Casiple of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, and Professor Malou Tiquia of Publicus Asia – key experts who have been tapped by DELACSE Bangsamoro to deliver lectures in seminars and workshops in the past 13 months. Dr. Patrick Ziegenhain of the University of Malaya in Malaysia will also be contributing to the discussions.

CSOs play a powerful role in connecting stakeholders with key decision-makers. It is imperative for CSO leaders from various sectors to communicate interests of their constituents to local and national government and political leaders so that the future Bangsamoro political entity may finally bring lasting peace and stability in Mindanao.