DAVAO CITY – Different sectors of society commended the results of the Konsult Mindanaw, a project of the Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC) that seeks to achieve peace in Mindanao, when it was presented to the civil society, academe, and military, among others, at the Ateneo de Davao University here recently.

Having consulted Mindanawon communities during the 311 focus group consultations from Basilan to Butuan in a span of just 12 months following the temporary collapse of the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in late 2008, Konsult Mindanaw offered six platforms for peace which include sincerity, security, sensitivity, solidarity, spirituality, and sustainability.

Fr. Albert Alejo, project director of Konsult Mindanaw, disclosed that the said platforms are not formulas to solving the conflict.

“These platforms are not formulas or sure-fire solutions to conflict but a kind of foundation and support for all our efforts to assert the struggle to understand and live with each other,” he said.

Archbishop Fernando Capalla, convenor of the BUC, expressed confidence on the success of Konsult Mindanaw.

“The achievement of Konsult Mindanaw is when people come together and agreeing to the same cause is a plus,” he said.

He also said that the results of Konsult Mindanaw represented a bigger challenge in achieving peace in Mindanao. “This is not the end but just the beginning,” he said.

Capalla said that they are contemplating on doing a road show from Mindanao up to Luzon and Visayas. “What happens in Mindanao, also affects Luzon and Visayas,” he said.

Meanwhile, Col. Oscar Lactao, commanding officer of Task Force Davao, also commended how the findings were written.

“I appreciate what and how they did it in such a way that everybody can understand and that’s how peace should be,” he said. Though, he added that peace cannot happen overnight.

“It is a continuous struggle and we have to work it out together to achieve it,” he said.

The Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City also committed to become partner in bringing peace to Mindanao by institutionalizing peace education at the university’s basic courses and curriculum.