NEWS




26August

Thousands of UNYPAD members attend 1ST North Cotabato Provincial-Wide Assembly

COTABATO CITY –Thousands of members of United Youth for Peace and Development North Cotabato Clusters attended the youth assembly on August 24, 2019 at Municipal gymnasium, Pikit North Cotabato with a theme “And hold firmly to the Rope of Allah (SWT) and do not become divided (Surah: Ali Imran)” organized by North Cotabato Cluster 2 Provincials Chapter.

The participants marched from municipal plaza of Pikit to municipal gymnasium participated in by municipal chapters of four municipalities of Aleosan, Pikit, Pagalungan and Datu Montawal. 

The program formally started with the a Qur’anic reading by Provincial Committee on Da’wah and Education Ustadz Abdulhamid Sansawi. 

Dr. Riya Mangindra UNYPAD Municipal Chairwoman of Pikit in her welcome remark was overwhelmed saying that he remembers his late father who also gave his life to the Bangsamoro struggle. 

Riya said she feel and see the true brotherhood and sisterhood in UNYPAD. She further stressed that the Muslim youth should observed the proper teachings and guidance of Islam so that they will not go astray.

Badrudin Mamendig, Provincial Vice Chairman for External Affair presented the rationale of the program. 

Atty. Lanang Ali Jr. Majority Floor Leader of Bangsamoro Parliament was the guest speaker. He emphasized the role of youth in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). 

MP Ali said that he had filed a resolution in the Bangsamoro Parliament creating a Parliament District for the 63 barangays of North Cotabato; the Pikit, Midsayap, Pigcawayan, Carmen and Aleosan that opted to join the BARMM during the plebiscite.

‘’The youth must continue organizing because our leaders today are getting old, and whether we like it or not, they will hand over the responsibility to the youth as the hope of Bangsamoro Government in the future,’’ MP Ali said.

Hamsa Landayan, UNYPAD Provincial Chairman of North Cotabato Cluster 2 delivered his State of Provincial Youth Address (SOPYA). He enumerated the successful activities in the different chapters of North Cotabato, and encouraged members to continue the struggle until the Bangsamoro achieves full implementation of all the peace agreements. 

In preparation for engaging in democratic struggle, Hamsa said they started it by having good educational foundation among their members, and the Moro youth. Hamsa said they sent scholars to Turkey, Aceh Indonesia, Japan, Australia and short course in Thailand. 

“These achievements of our organization can’t be realized without our unity. We have to think positive and formulate strategies to sustain these achievements,” he said.

Datuan Magon, UNYPAD Deputy Secretary-General for Administration said the experienced of UNYPAD from Manila to Mindanao was so difficult during the massive peace advocacy campaign. 

“It was very challenging because we have members who were killed without any reason. We need justice for our members, and the best way to achieve justice is to support our leaders today. Let us give those martyred a quality governance as a nation of Muslim Bangsamopro,” he said.

“We are afraid that the future generation will blame us, as how we blame some Moros who caused the sufferings of today’s generation,” Magon said.

Muhyryn Sultan Casi, Vice Mayor of Pikit, North Cotabato graced the activity despite his hectic schedule. he was thankful that UNYPAD chose Pikit as venue of the assembly. 

“The Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives of UNYPAD are things that inspire us to support this organization, because it continues to engage in Bangsamoro peace advocacy, working hand and hand in the community, and it is she said, a model of all youth organizations today and the future,” Vice Mayor Casi said.

Datu Ali Guinda Mamogkat, Chairman of MILF Committee on Political Affairs, and UNYPAD Adviser recalled their memorable experience from 1992 to 2000 in their residence at Layog, Pagalungan, Maguindanao that was used as venue for meetings. 

“It was the time of organizing members to join the organizations as part of struggle to build better governance, until we achieve this Bangsamoro Government,” Mamogkat said.

Meanwhile, National Chairwoman of UNYPAD Baisanie Macabuat delivered a short message as part of the program. She emphasized that the women had been strong partners in nation building. 

“Without women, nation can’t be built,” Baisanie stressed. 

She encouraged women to empower themselves in all aspects to help the community to become Islamized. 

Dr. Rahib Kudto, President of UNYPAD, stated that he started to organize the members into what is now a UNYPAD from 1992 until now. His dream is to build youth as next potential leaders to continue the struggle until the Bangsamoro government achieve its total objectives in the Bangsamoro homeland. 

He enlightened the delegates during the peak of sacrifices until the Bangsamoro people achieved the establishment of Bangsamoro government. 

He quoted the late MILF founding chairman Salamt Hashim saying: “We are not fighting because Manila government is dominated by Christians. We are not against the Christian Filipinos. We are against oppression, the long deprivation of the Bangsamoro people of their inalienable rights for freedom and self-determination”.

Nida Macatabang, Chairwoman of UNYPAD North Cotabato Cluster II, delivered the closing ,

Nida also mentioned that all UNYPAD members should put in their hearts that all their deeds are for the sake of Allah (SWT).(With reports from A.S. Balabagan)