JustPeacePH is an an international platform that gathers individuals & organizations supporting the Philippine peace process.
JustPeacePH aims to promote to and educate the international public on the Philippine peace negotiations as well as to amplify peoples calls for just and lasting peace to international public opinion
The victory of Rodrigo Duterte in the 2016 Presidential Elections underscored the Filipino people’s strong rejection of the US-Aquino regime. Worsening poverty, corruption and criminality have been key issues which fueled the people’s rejection of the administration of Benigno Aquino III. This victory also provides a historic opportunity for the peace process to resume and lead to substantial gains for the people.
In building his own administration, Pres. Duterte has reached out to various sectors and political groups, including the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). His association with the Left is an open book, and has committed to work for the release of all political prisoners, resumption of the peace talks between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDF) and the Government of the Philippines (GPH) peace talks and, in an unprecedented move, offered several key Cabinet position to the CPP which the latter has then headhunted among progressives and submitted names.
The resumption of the peace talks is a significant move to broaden and strengthen support for the Filipino people’s desire for a just and lasting peace. Preliminary talks were held even prior to Duterte’s inauguration and formal talks are set to resume this month. This indicates efforts of both parties to come to substantial agreements, including the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER), which is second of the four substantive agreements in the NDF-GPH peace talks. Confidence-building measures such as release of political prisoners have also been discussed last month. The President has also declared his openness to the building of a democratic coalition government with all progressive forces.
A just and lasting peace bodes well for people to genuinely claim and exercise their rights, and empower them. A just peace lays the ground in building a genuinely democratic society that allows for people to exercise their rights and empowers them. Peace is not merely the absence of war as seen in militarization of communities, or in various people’s rights violations. It is seen in people being able to build communities of democracies from community, local, national levels that link with global concerns.
While said unprecedented developments in the Duterte administration are truly welcome, the people remain steadfast and vigilant. The dangers of cooptation, reformism and capitulation especially on the part of revolutionary forces are fully considered at every step of the process.
The struggle for a just peace rests in people’s assertion of collective action. There is need to further amplify calls for just peace, release of political prisoners, and addressing the roots of the armed conflict by going into the substantive parts as outlined in the CASER.
International actors play an important role in creating a constituency for just and lasting peace. Voices from the international community greatly shape public opinion, government policies, etal that impact on peace processes.
Support calls have to be generated from the broadest range possible outside of the country. It is in this context that PeacePH International Coalition for Peace in the Philippines (ICPP) is created.
What kind of change do you want to see in the Philippines? Video
