GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – July 27, 2025 – The Maguindanaon Development Foundation, Inc. (MDFI) successfully concluded its “Training on Culture of Peace and Action-Planning for Security Sectors, Local Government Units, and People’s Councils.” The intensive three-day training, held from July 25-27, 2025, at the Horizons Suites in General Santos City, brought together actors from local government, civil society, and security sectors of Sarangani Province for a transformative experience focused on fostering lasting peace in Mindanao.
The training was spearheaded and facilitated by Mr. Ahmed Harris “Tommy” R. Pangcoga, Executive Director of Transforming Fragilities, Inc. (TFI). Mr. Pangcoga, who has been facilitating Culture of Peace and other peace-based trainings to various sectors since 2002, was also the module developer of the “Panagtagbo sa Kalinaw ug Panag-uli: An Updated Basic Orientation Manual towards a Culture of Peace for Mindanao Communities,” which served as the core resource material for the program. He spearheaded the conduct of Trainers’ Training for key staff and community partners of the ProPeace Programme consortium of NGOs during its first phase of implementation.
The Promoting Peace Engagements and Community Empowerment (ProPeace) Programme is a consortium project between Kasilak Development Foundation, MDFI, OND Hesed Foundation, Tribal Leaders Development Foundation, and Mahintana Foundation. It is is funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resiliency Fund (GCERF) and it is currently on its second phase of implementation.
The “Panagtagbo sa Kalinaw ug Panag-uli” manual, an advancement of an earlier iteration published in 1998, was developed by Catholic Relief Services (CRS). It is generally considered the ideal peace-based foundation course for individual peacebuilders, before continuing on to other courses such as Introduction to Conflict Transformation, Peace Education, Inter-faith Dialogue, and others. It provides a comprehensive framework for peacebuilding, addressing the complex dynamics of conflict in Mindanao.
A significant highlight of the training was the “Healing and Reconciliation” activity, where participants engaged in deep self-reflection, acknowledged personal prejudices, and participated in a symbolic ritual to foster forgiveness and renewed relationships. This powerful session aimed to bridge divides and reinforce the importance of personal transformation in achieving collective peace.
The training underscored that peacebuilding is a continuous and multi-dimensional effort, requiring sustained dialogue, understanding, and cooperation among all sectors of society. TFI commends MDFI for its commitment to this vital initiative and looks forward to witnessing the positive impact of this training on communities across the Province of Sarangani.
Photo credit: MDFI
