Philippine E-Journals

Community-Based Peace Building Program: The Case of Bual Zone of Peace, Philippines

Serafin A. Arviola Jr.

Discipline: Social Science

 

Abstract:

This study examines a community-based peace-building program viewed from the perspective of promotion of a broader democratic participation, fair and equitable distribution of material and non-material resources, utilization of local resources, critical empowerment as manifested in the people's capacity to understand the root causes of conflict, resolution of conflict using non-violent approaches, concern for the environment, and awareness of interdependence and solidarity, and the reduction of prejudice, mislabeling and stereotypes among different social groupings in the community. The results appear to support Gaston Z. Ortigas - Peace Institute Model of Conflict Transformation that healing past wounds in deeply divided societies can be achieved if the root causes of the conflict are addressed, especially those related to justice and equitable distribution of resources with particular bias for the marginalized sectors.