Monday, July 07, 2008 Concert for peace, unity, environment By Ruby More
"PEACE is not only the absence of war but it also means contentment and having good relationships with others. When we have peace in ourselves, it is easier for us to care for our environment," Joylen Cabanda tells the hundreds of youth who rose above cultural and religious differences to support the Duyog K'linaw, a concert for peace, unity and the environment on June 27 in General Santos City.
Joylen is a B'laan from Sarangani Province, one of the few from her tribe who made it to college. Many of her fellow B'laans are deprived of education because of poverty.
As her way of sharing this blessing to her tribe, she joins various initiatives to advance peace, development and environmental protection such as this concert organized by the Kapayapaan Kapatid Council (KKC), a network of organizations and institutions working for peace, development and the environment in Region 12.
The Duyog K'linaw concert aimed to strengthen the bond of various tri-youth organizations and individuals as they continue to work in promoting the culture of peace and care for the environment.
It also aimed to provide a venue for awareness to youths in the region on the current peace and environmental situation in the area, and on what they can do to help.
KKC, together with its partners such as the USAid-funded Philippine Environmental Governance 2 (EcoGov2) Project, strongly recognizes the power of the youth in advancing peace, development and environmental protection efforts in the region.
EcoGov, which provides technical assistance to local government units in managing forest and forestlands, coastal resources, and solid and liquid waste, also works with various partners in putting across the message of the need for good environmental governance that includes providing equitable access to the use of natural resources as a way to bring about peace.
The EcoGov Project is implemented with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The Duyog K'linaw concert, a call for peace and environmental protection through music, came at a time when war looms in Mindanao, and as Mindanaoans continue to feel the effects of environmental degradation.
On June 25, there had been clashes between government troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in Maitum, Sarangani Province. This happened as the Provincial Government of Sarangani, the local government units, and various organizations and institutions continued rescue and relief operations for typhoon Frank victims in several towns of the province.
Though Mindanao is a typhoon-free island, Mindanaoans still felt the wrath of typhoon Frank with floods and strong winds ravaging houses, properties and croplands.
The Duyog K'linaw concert showed that many of today's youth are still very much involved in working for the healing of this country, especially Mindanaoan island torn by war, poverty and a threatened environment.
As long as there are young individuals such as Joylen who believes that there is still hope for Mindanao and works for that belief, Mindanao will continue to be a "land of promise," not just for Mindanaoans, but also for all Filipinos.
