𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

Short link: https://wp.me/paaccn-Upc

MAKATI CITY, November 17, 2025 — When the international conference “𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱” convenes on November 18, the opening plenary will ask a question that has defined decades of struggle and negotiation in the southern Philippines: 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴?

The first of six plenary sessions, organized by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) with IAG Executive Director Atty. Benedicto “Benny” Bacani at the lead, will bring together veteran negotiators and insiders from the Bangsamoro peace process. Their task is to take stock of milestones achieved, examine the obstacles that remain, and chart the next steps toward lasting peace and autonomy in the region.

The discussion will be chaired by 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗮 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻, Al Jazeera English’s longtime correspondent in Southeast Asia. Alindogan has reported from conflict zones across Mindanao, documenting the human toll of war and displacement. Her work has taken her from the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan to the frontlines of Ukraine, earning her international recognition for fearless reporting. She now turns her lens from covering conflict to moderating a conversation about how to end it.

Among the panelists are figures who have shaped the Bangsamoro peace process from its earliest stages:

𝗠𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗾𝗯𝗮𝗹, Minister of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), who served as chief peace negotiator for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and signed the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗿 𝗕. 𝗬𝗮𝗻𝗼, chair of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) Implementing Panel, a retired brigadier general whose career in defense and diplomacy has spanned decades, including service as defense attaché to the United States.

𝗔𝘁𝘁𝘆. 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗽𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗼, chair of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Peace Implementing Panel, who helped advance the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) and has long been engaged in constitutional reform and governance in the region.

Together, they represent the three strands of the Bangsamoro peace process — MILF, MNLF, and the Philippine government — each with its own legacy, challenges, and vision for the future.

The conference is organized in cooperation with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), the Bangsamoro Government, and the Southeast Asian Women Peace Mediators (SEAWPM), with support from Australia in The Philippines.

More than 200 participants from government, civil society, academe, media, and international partners are expected to attend.

For those unable to join in person, all six plenary sessions will be live-streamed via the IAG Facebook page. (/)