Peace Month begins under shadow of MILF impasse

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) spearheaded the ringing of the Peace Bell in Quezon City on Monday, Sept. 1, to signal the start of the 21st National Peace Consciousness Month, even as tensions in the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) continue to cast uncertainty over recent gains.

- MARTIN SADONGDONG

Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya led the ceremony, reaffirming the nation's commitment to peace under the theme "Mapayapang Bukas, Abot-Kamay sa Bagong Pilipinas." Gifted by Japan to the Philippines through the World Peace Bell Association in 1994, the bell has become a symbol of both the Philippines' pursuit of lasting reconciliation and the enduring friendship between Manila and Tokyo. Similar bells were installed in 20 countries, including at the United Nations headquarters in New York, echoing a global call for peace.

In his speech, Galvez underscored that the commemoration of the National Peace Consciousness Month every September, an annual event that began in 2021, was not only a celebration of past milestones but also a reminder of the shared responsibility in sustaining them.