Cotabato City, May 17, 2018 –In pursuit of its mandate to monitor the implementation of all Government of the Philippines (GPH) – Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed agreements, the Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT) is convening in the Philippines from May 14 to 22, 2018. During this period, the TPMT will be holding consultations with peace process partners and stakeholders in Metro Manila, and Cotabato City.
In line with this mandate, the TPMT will be holding series of consultations with civil society leaders to listen to their views and concerns on recent developments in the Bangsamoro peace process as well as their plans and possible next steps to continue supporting the process.
Being a member of the said monitoring body, the Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute (GZOPI), with support from the European Union and Nonviolent Peace Force, will also be facilitating a Civil Society Organization (CSO) Action-Planning Session to provide space for civil society leaders, such as (1) to get an update on the status of the Bangsamoro peace process, particularly the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL); (2) to discuss amongst themselves key issues and concerns related to the peace process; and (3) to jointly develop a plan of action for civil society organizations to push for the passage of the BBL in Congress, and to prepare for the plebiscite and the transition process.
Thus the GZOPI-facilitated CSO Action-Planning Session and the TPMT will hold consultation on May 21 to 22, 2018 in Quezon City. Those invited CSO leaders includes Abdulbasit R. Benito, Public Information Officer of the League of Bangsamoro Organizations (LBO), Mindanao Action for peace and Development (MAPAD), United Youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD), Maradeca Inc. and others. These CSO leaders shall also have opportunities to hold their own network meetings and take part in BBL lobbying activities in Congress.
Chaired by former European Union Ambassador Alistair MacDonald, the TPMT, formally established in 2013 as part of the peace process between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The task of the TPMT is to observe and report on the implementation of all signed agreements, particularly the October 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and its four annexes.