Sarangani worker is national peace and human rights awardee

By Russtum G. Pelima, Ma Ed

ALABEL, Sarangani (August 12, 2009) – Pride of Sarangani and of humanity.

At the International Youth Day celebration of the United Nations Youth and Education Summit on the Millennium Development Goals at the University of Makati August 5-7, Jocelyn Lambac-Kanda of Sarangani was given the Youth Leader Award by the United Nations Association of the Philippines (UNAP).

She was given the leadership award under the peace and human rights category along with other seven other awardees on politics, education, environment, entertainment, community service, culture and arts, and differently –abled.

Jocelyn, fondly called “Jola” by friends and the community, now at 31, bore eight years to have made “something concrete” when, at her young age, understood she has to take part to foster peaceful co-existence in her hometown and her native land-Mindanao.

Not until her graduation in college that this remained a riddle to her. In Jocelyn’s emails to friends, her motto constantly appears as a footnote: "There's a nobler ambition in life than merely standing tall in the crowd-that is to stoop down and lift mankind a little higher."

Jocelyn grew in a multi-culture society and studied in plural schools - a native Maguindanaon yet finished high school in a Catholic religious school.

“My mother died when I was in high school. We are nine in the family, I am second to the youngest and I have to learn to take care of myself,” Jocelyn recounted.

“I grew in an environment that I believe there’s much things to be done. Before, I was thinking what would be my role. I know I have something to do. Not until I started doing community services with a civic organization based in GenSan named Kabalikat Radiocom in 2001.”

“From then on, I was encouraged to take part sa usaping pangkapayapaan- radio, TV, newspapers. Andaming balita nang di pagkakaintindihan, patayan dito, patayan doon, giyera sa Mindanao. Alam ko mahirap ang pagpapanday ng kapayaapaan at di ko alam kung paano umpisahan at papaano gagawin. Ang alam ko lang may responsibilidad ako na dapat gampanan.”

Now, Jocelyn finds herself working in the government and politics in the field of peace building, particularly in Sarangani.

The province complements Jocelyn’s heart and passion for humanity. Here, Jocelyn with her office, the Kalinaw Sarangani Unit (KSU) as program manager under peace and development officer George Young, works with the peace and development communities they identified.

As always, Jocelyn and KSU’s bottom line is: “Will the project contribute to peace and development or will it cause conflict and disorder in the community?”

Proudly, Sarangani has institutionalized its peace-building effort with the KSU.

“The Philippines is not a monolithic society. It is a multicultural, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, and multi-religious country that all sensitivities should be well observed,” Jocelyn said.

For Jocelyn, “this diversity should not be seen as a threat but as opportunities that need to be addressed and harnessed to successfully thrust the country in the frontline of development in the twenty-first century.”

“The province will be very proud of you,” said Governor Migs Dominguez in a text message to Jocelyn.

“I am sure one day all your experiences in Sarangani will contribute to the nation building of this country. You will surely be an inspiration to all. You will definitely go a long way and I will not be surprised if one day we cross paths in a capacity of serving the country,” the governor said.

“Continue in being an inspiration to me and our people of the province. Rest assured I will always be around to be a big brother watching over you and being witness to your growth as a living hero in making our land a better place.”

The concept of Peace and Development Communities (PDCs) is the transformation of former war-torn barangays into PDCs where former combatants from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and New Peoples Army (NPA) are invited to go back to society as peace and development advocates and partners for development.

KSU and the provincial government of Sarangani now maintains 42 Peace and Development Communities.

Because of her remarkable contributions to the welfare of the youth through different youth advocacies, peace building advocacies and government-related initiatives both in Sarangani and in General Santos City, Jocelyn was conferred the General Santos City Youth Achievers Award in December 2006.

She was the Philippine Youth Ambassador of Region XII to the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program in 2007, a Japan-Philippine Government sponsored exchange program to Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam from September to December 2007.

She was a delegate to the Institute on Inter-ethnic Dialogue and Conflict Resolution in Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, United States of America on April 5 to May 7, 2008.

She is a co-convener of Sarangani Youth Forum in Sarangani Province, convener or co-founder of Circle of Peace Builders in SOCSKSARGEN, vice- president of Young Moro Professionals Council, Region 12 Youth Leader Representative for Mindanao Young Women Leaders Forum (MYWLF) of the Mindanao Commission on Women, Committee Chairperson - Enterprise and Trading of Muslim Business Forum, first lieutenant or member of Philippine Coastguard Auxiliary (PCGA)- 802nd Squadron, and chapter secretary of Kabalikat Radio Communicators’ Association, Inc. in General Santos City.

Jocelyn firmly believes that the best way to achieve sustainable peace and development is through diplomacy and building of harmonious relationships between and among the people. Culture Of Peace (COP) trainings were conducted by the KSU among youth organizations, community leaders, the police, military and government employees.

At the height of the recent attacks in Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum by lawless Moro Islamic Liberation Front Groups, the KSU conducted a series of COPs and peace dialogues.

Last week, an inter-peace and development peace dialogue was facilitated by the KSU in the communities of Daliao, Lumatil, Kanalo and Nomoh in Maasim town with the police, military and the provincial government where in one voice they decided to move on for development and forget the past. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)