Lanao del Norte town bags int’l peace prize in Colombia

MANILA — The municipality of Kauswagan in Lanao del Norte bagged the first United Cities and Local Governments City of Bogota Peace Prize in Colombia for its "From Arms to Farms" program, which fought poverty, and fostered peace between its Muslim and Christian populations.

A Galing Pook awardee in 2014, the Kauswagan local government unit received the peace prize on on October 14, besting Canoas, Brazil; Cali, Colombia; Palmira, Colombia; and Shabunda, Congo.

According to the website of the UCLGCity of Bogota Peace Prize, Kauswagan was lauded for "courageous leadership and the ability to connect peace-building to socioeconomic development."

Kauswagan Mayor Rommel Arnado received the award from Bogota Mayor Enrique Peñalosa.

From the 1970s to the 2000s, Kauswagan was mired in armed conflict between the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, on one side, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Christian paramilitary groups, on the other.

Residents were displaced as they fled the violence.

As a solution, the LGU implemented the "From Arms to Farms" program starting in 2010, with peace-building workshops coupled with organic farming training sessions.

"From Arms to Farms' is an agricultural training program that helps former combatants to reintegrate into society, while at the same time addressing the food security problem," according to the website of the Peace Prize.

MILF commanders and their men laid down their arms and became organic farming entrepreneurs.

The LGU provided initial capital assistance to the rebel-returnees, who then repaid the principal without interest when they had gained enough economic capability.

The farmers saw a 40-percent improvement in their incomes, according to Galing Pook.