1st Mindanao Cooperative Peace Forum

Greetings!

We are pleased to announce the holding of the 1st Mindanao Cooperative Peace Forum on October 29, 2009 at the; Xavier University Gym, Corrales St., Cagayan de Oro City.

We, the more than five thousand active cooperatives in Mindanao with some one million five hundred thousand members, have joined hands with the Muslims, the Lumads and other indigenous Peoples, the Churches, the Ulamas, the Academe, the Rotarians and all peace-loving Mindanawons, to collectively advance what we believe in our inherent right to live in peace founded on social justice, equity and sustainable development.

We have witnessed hunger in a land described as the “Food Basket” of the nation and have experienced glaring poverty in an island oozing with rich resources. We decry that while Mindanao is rich in fisheries, agriculture, forests and mines, it is where 14 of the 20 people provinces are found and it’s poor are the poorest throughout the Philippines.

We realize that unless these contradictions are resolved, poverty will always breed violence; it will always remain as the best recruiter of terrorists. Unless the causes of dissent and conflict are dressed, military actions will just be palliatives and cannot provide the long term solution.

We are aware that the root cause of poverty in Mindanao is the social exclusion and powerless of the people to have access and control their resources. That as a fundamental step, the marginalized sectors must now harness their collective potentials, build their own coalition and make cooperative as the vehicle of their empowerment and development.

It is in this light that we are cordially inviting you to the aforesaid convergence. A subsidized Assessment / registration Fee of One Hundred Pesos ( Php 100.00 ) will be charge per participant to cover the cost of meals to include 2 snacks and lunch, kit and handouts materials.

For more information, inquiries, assistance and confirmation of attendance, please contact Ms. Gloria V. Barrido or Ms. Juhna Balundo of the CDA 10, tell. No. (088) 8576516 or email at cda_cdo@yahoo.com.ph or the CDA Office in your area.

Very sincerely,

(SGD)ORLANDO R. RAVANERA
Regional Director, CDA – 10

(SGD)ATTY. ISIDRO Q. LICO
Chair, RCDC – 10

(SGD) HON. ROSALINDA E. VILLASECA
CDA Administrator