Cotabato City - A Dialogue on Collaborative Initiatives in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding was held in June at the UNDP Field Office in Cotabato City. The event was attended by Atty. Al-Rashid L. Balt, Director General of the Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS); Mr. Matthew Boyall, Second Secretary-Political of the Australian Embassy in the Ohilippines; Mr. Datusikie Z. Ampilan, Executive Director of Magungaya Mindanao Inc. (MMI), and other representatives from the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, MPOS, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines. The dialogue aimed to review gains and accomplishments, assess ongoing challenges, and identify strategic recommendations and pathways forward for peacebuilding in the Bangsamoro region. 

As the lead agency in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) for promoting and coordinating peacebuilding efforts, MPOS acknowledged the significant progress made through collaborative efforts, including improved conflict monitoring and reporting, strengthened community-based Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) mechanisms, and expanded reach of peace education and advocacy initiatives. 

Mr. Datu Marohombsar Gaya of MPOS presented findings on election-related violence during the May 2025 elections, emphasizing the critical role of the Early Warning, Early Response (EWER) system in conflict prevention. MPOS is undertaking preparations to establish six (6) EWER centers across BARMM, with the first center in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur. 

These centers will serve as central hubs for timely documentation and coordinated response to conflict incidents. However, limited communication infrastructure remains a challenge, underscoring the need for dedicated EWER facilities. To bolster the effectiveness of the EWER systems, UNDP Philippines, with support from the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, has provided technical and operational assistance in the first EWER Center in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur.

Further, representatives from MPOS also highlighted key accomplishments under the Bangsamoro Peace Institute (BPI), including the successful conduct of 14 training sessions with over 300 participants from the security sector, civil society organizations, and government institutions. Through continued accompaniment since the inception of the BPI, UNDP Philippines and the Australian Embassy in the Philippines have supported the different stages, including strategic planning, capacity-building, curriculum development, and roll-out of the BPI in the past years. 

As part of the Australian Embassy’s visit to Cotabato, Mr. Matthew Boyall led a ceremonial turnover of EWER materials and equipment to MPOS Director General Atty. Al-Rashid L. Balt. The EWER system under MPOS is expected to enhance timely conflict alerts and enable data-driven decision-making to prevent and mitigate violence across the region.

Director General Atty. Al-Rashid L. Balt, in his closing message, noted that: "the Ministry is grateful to the Australian Embassy and UNDP Philippines for their meaningful support to our public safety and peacebuilding initiatives. The assistance extended to our EWER mechanisms and the Bangsamoro Peace Institute is of great help in achieving our goal, that is, to establish a safe, orderly, and peaceful Bangsamoro."

The Programme on Stabilization, Peacebuilding and Resilience in the Bangsamoro (PROSPER-Bangsamoro) is made possible with support from the Australian Embassy in the Philippines. [E]