The Philippines: The Challenges of Moro and Lumad Power-Sharing in the Bangsamoro

Abstract

Two self-ascribed ethnic groups—Moro and Lumad—are native to Mindanao in the southern Philippines. Both groups share a common history of oppression from Western colonialism, Christian resettlement, and capitalist interests where the former has waged a more organized insurgency against the Philippine government in the late twentieth century. Due to the political superiority of the Moros, the Lumads are often left marginalized in the various peace processes in Mindanao due to their accommodation to the Moro’s call for the creation of anautonomous region under an internal power-sharing agreement. This form of double marginalization against the Lumad promotes a sense of internal colonialism where such arrangements are only left between the Bangsamoro regional government and the Philippine national government, thereby forcing the latter to accommodate to Moro interests. Analyzing the text of the recent peace agreements between the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (GRP-MILF), the article attempts to understand the conflict dynamics between Moros and Lumads under power-sharing and power-dividing measures. The article concludes that consociationalismin ethnically divided societies often lead to more ethnic cleavages if done haphazardly to favor certain interests while leaving ethnic minorities at a disadvantage. Keywords: Moro, Lumad, Mindanao, Bangsamoro, consociationalism, identity politics.

Knowledge management capability of National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Region IX-B vis-à-vis knowledge management process, knowledge management infrastructure, intellectual capital, and organizational performance

“…In order to prevent further regression in development, the report makes several recommendations, including the following: for the prosperity and planet pillar, science-based policy strategies that will take into account the current issues revealed by the pandemic as well as incorporate the timeliness of the policy responses; for the people pillar, governance improvements in areas such as social welfare program delivery to vulnerable groups; and for the peace pillar, the continued cooperation between the national government and the Bangsamoro government in order to ensure that the recently gained peace dividends are protected and stakeholders do not slide back on their commitments. Perez (2021) asserted that Mindanao, in the southern Philippines, is home to the two self-ascribed ethnic groups, the Moro and the Lumad. Although the former led a more organized rebellion against the Philippine government in the late 20th century, both groups have a shared history of persecution from Western colonization, Christian resettlement, and capitalist interests.…”