WBA Radio inks partnership with women's organization Noorus-Salam

WBA radio station manager Zia ulhaq Basa and Noorus-Salam provincial coordinator Sarha Ahmad signs partnership agreement. Present as a witness is Maluso administrator Rahman Sabito (representing Mayor Hans Bud).

Maluso, Basilan (November 4, 2020) – The Western Basilan Alliance (WBA) radio station 99.1 FM inks a partnership today with women's organization Noorus-Salam (NS). Present in the simple signing ceremony today at the radio station are NS Provincial Coordinator Sarha I. Ahmad, Maluso coordinator Ustadja Mariam S. Abdulla, members Melda Abdulla and Nasra Ahmad. The radio station is represented by its manager Zia Ulhaq Basa and deejay Morada Albani. Witnessing the signing is Maluso municipal administrator Rahman B. Sabito. 

Organized sometime in 2009, Noorus-Salam (Arabic for “Light of Peace”) is a national network of Muslim religious women scholars and civil society leaders, as an outgrowth of the PCID's "Empowering the Muslim Women and Aleemat Project"[1]. In October 2018, Noorus-Salam issued a statement in support for the prevention of violent extremism (PVE) that had plague a number of Moro communities in the southern Philippines. It said, the way forward involves continuing support and engagement, active advocacy, creating awareness among vulnerable individuals, community vigilantce; conducting seminars, symposiums, FGDs, inter-faith forums and lectures on PVE; integrating PVE activities in local government plans and programs; integration of PVE and peace education in Madrasah and classroom setting; creative use social media and radio broadcast; provision of livelihood programs; and engaging local leaders and curving opportunities and space to highlight women's participation and creativity. 

According to Provincial Coordinator Sarha I. Ahmad, their Noorus-Salam organization is about empowerment of Muslim women in the Philippines. Base on this partenrship, WBA radio station will allocate a weekly program for the organization, during which NS will disseminate information and discuss current events and issues relevant to Muslim women and girls. 

Station manager Zia Ulhaq Basa said, the WBA radio is happy to provide platform for women to express and discuss their issues and concerns as well undertake radio-based education, advocacy and information dissemination to engage and empower women to better themselves and be positive influence at home, work, community or wherever they are involved. 

Maluso mayor Hans Bud, ably represented by municipal administrator Rahman B. Sabito, expresses his optimism about this partnership believing in the power of media to influence positive change in the community and recognizes the value of women and women participation in community building especially in the Western Basilan alliance. 

The radio station is the first pilot project of the WBA. It was constructed through the “Modelling Inter-LGU Alliance in Basilan” (MILAB) Phase 1 Project and was turned over by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) to the WBA on October 14, 2019. The Local Government of Maluso is managing the radio station in behalf of the alliance. 

Western Basilan Alliance is the first interlocal cooperation in Basilan and is being capacitated by the Spanish aid agency AECID-funded “Modelling Inter-LGU Alliance in Basilan “ (MILAB) 2 Project, implemented by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) in partnership with the provincial and selected municipal governments in the province. 

____________

1 Rasul, Amina. (2011). “A Rock and a Hard Place: Muslim Women and Conflict in Mindanao “, Global Asia, Volume 6, Number 3 - https://www.globalasia.org/v6no3/cover/a-rock-and-a-hard-place-muslim-women-and-conflict-in-mindanao_amina-rasul

CSO participation is critical pillar in local alliance building

Study Tour participants at the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Bago City,
having conversation with CENRO staff on current programs and challenges.
Bago City mayor is the current head of CENECCORD. 

October 25, 2018, Isabela City, Basilan – Ms Meriam “Deddette” Suacito, Executive Director of Nagdilaab Foundation, Inc., expresses optimism over civil society participation in the Western Basilan Alliance (WBA) in a meeting with key government officials today at the Office of the Provincial Governor, in this city.

Ms Suacito is one of the three participants representing the local civil society invited to participate in the study tour conducted for WBA officials. The other two were Fr Angel Calvo and Ms Espie Humida, President and Executive Director of the Zamboanga Basilan Integrated Development Alliance (ZABIDA), respectively.

The two-week study tour was funded by AECID, the Spanish aid agency, and provided first-hand exposure for champions of the Western Basilan alliance (WBA) to areas where there are functional interlocal cooperation models. There a number of models throughout the country and closer home. However, the need for good models is an imperative for success – to learn from long experiences that have demonstrated resilience, continuity and competence through the years.

In conversation with Dr Herwig Mayer, GIZ consultant on the matter and a pioneer in inter-LGU alliance building in the country, two areas were identified as good models for the champions of the Western Basilan Alliance (WBA) – Metro Naga Development Council or simply MNDC organized in 1993 and Central Negros Council for Coastal Resources Development (CENECCORD) organized in 2005.

In her statement before the WBA tactical group meeting, Ms Suacito highlighted what she observed as the vibrant participation of the civil society organizations in both MNDC and CENECCORD; as well as similarities and differences between these alliances and WBA.

Western Basilan Alliance is the first interlocal cooperation in Basilan and is being capacitated by the AECID-funded MILAB Project, implemented by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) with the Zamboanga-Basilan Integrated Development Alliance (ZABIDA) as CSO partner.

Western Basilan Municipal Executives and CSO Partners Explore Alliance Building

Mayor Rustam Ismael of Lantawan, Basilan for hosting last Thursday's consultation meeting for Western Basilan Alliance (WBA) under our “Modeling Inter-LGU Alliance for Basilan” (MILAB) Project supported by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

Also in photo (Seated L to R): Mayor Hanie Bud of Maluso, Mayor Boy Hataman of Sumisip and DepEd Basilan Assistant Superintendent Hadja Nuriya Jamaldin and (partly hidden) PNP Chief Inspector Nelbis Madiwo of Basilan PNP Provincial Police Office.

Lantawan, Basilan – Municipal executive officials and local CSO partners from Hadji Muhtamad, Lantawan, Maluso, Sumisip and Tabuan Lasa municipalities convene today at Barangay Pamucalin, Lantawan, Basilan for an orientation and consultation under the Western Basilan Alliance (WBA). Also present are officials from the provincial offices of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), and civil society organizations such as the ChildFund and Nagdilaab Foundation.

In his opening statement, Mayor Rustam Ismael of Lantawan says the activity is the second in a consultation series which started last month in Maluso. Together with his fellow mayors, Hanie Bud of Maluso and Boy Hataman of Sumisip, he warmly welcomes the participants to his home municipality which is hosting the meeting. He acknowledges the government offices and civil society partners who made it to the event.

Mayor Hanie Bud of Maluso presents the concept and strategic plan of the Western Basilan Alliance (WBA). He underscores that the task at hand is difficult, but he believes it is time for the Basilan municipalities to dream big “to reach for the moon and even if we fail, we will still land among the stars”.

In this one-day consultation, participants also assess and explore complementation between WBA and their respective municipal development priorities and identify resource mobilization to expedite the realization of their complementing plans.

This second in a consultation series is supported by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and implemented by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) through the 18-month “Modeling Inter-LGU Alliance for Basilan” (MILAB) Project. (MILAB/Ramil Tarami)

NOTE: This article is also published at the IAG website: http://iag.org.ph/index.php/news/1536-western-basilan-municipal-executives-and-cso-partners-explore-alliance-building