The Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS) – Transparency Accountable and Participative Governance Program
(TAP-G) on February 3, conducted an Inter-Cultural Leaders Community Visioning towards Developing Peoples Agenda at Crystal Hall, EM Manor Hotel Convention Center, Cotabato City.
The Activity theme was “Social Cohesion: Viable mechanism in restoring shattered relations in a post-conflict era” and targeted participants were from different ethnics and faith including the members of the Bangsamoro Platform for Unity, Solidarity and Harmony (BM-PUSH), Christians religious leaders, and Indigenous Peoples from key leaders’ organizations, groups, and community influencers.
Social cohesion program is a CBCS means of support through accompaniment of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) in laying the foundation of good governance in the Bangsamoro. It aims to empower the community to actively contribute their peace and development agenda in sustaining the gains of the peace processes in Mindanao. 
Present during the activity were representatives from the IRD, IMAN, KFPDAI, CDORM, RAJAH MAMALO, FBCSO, SEDUMON, BLGU DAS, BLGU AMPATUAN, STEMADCO, UNYPAD and others.
During the workshop, the participants identified prevailing problems in their respective faith and communities that are synthesized including the recommended common course of actions to be pursued by the interfaith group in the near future.
Other activity highlights is the Understanding Social Cohesion and Community Visioning, sharing of Tri-people experiences in working together for common interests, visioning exercise towards building community bond and indicative planning as a way forward. As a starting point the participants formed the Kutawato Inter-Cultural Conveners Group with Derick Sanico from the Settlers as Led-Convener, Jenibelle Bergado from the Non-Islamized IPs and Nasser Pulindao from the Islamized IPs as Co-Led Conveners.
Guiamel M. Alim CBCS chairperson emphasized that: “A vision without a plan is just a dream. A plan without a vision is just
drudgery for nothing. But a vision with a plan can change the world”.
In closing, the TAP-G Coordinator stressed that the social cohesion activities being implemented in many parts of Mindanao said that: “Base on experience, peace agreement in the national level alone will not materialize without fixing social relationships up to the grass-root level”. He reminded that: “Under Islamic perspective a social cohesion base on worldly interests alone are fallible. And this is why we wanted to explore the powers of different faiths and religions as bases for our social cohesion programs.”
By: “Monamour”
(Kutawato Cluster Area Coordinator Khusari Amella and Mike G. Kulat TAP-G Project Coordinator)
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