DEPADEV works on political party development in the Bangsamoro

By Jun Enriquez

Video file: Mr. Hendrik Mollenhauer, DEPADEV Project Manager, 

 Davao City - Democratic Party Development (DEPADEV) – Bangsamoro, a non-government organization (NGO) based in Cotabato City conducted a training on political party development held in Davao City on July 20-22, 2016.The main goal of the training is to empower the civil society to actively participate in political decision processes which are at the basis of political pluralism. In this context, seminars and training activities will be implemented which are addressed to the various religious and non- religious groups inside the future Bangsamoro area. The project is managed by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Philippines in Makati City, jointly implemented by Institute of Autonomy and Governance (IAG) in Cotabato City and funded by the European Union. There were at least 50 participants coming different places in Mindanao attended the three-day training.

Group photo of the Training Participants 

 The purpose of the training is to train the trainers, advanced training and orientation seminar. The overall objective to which the project shall contribute is the establishment of a pluralistic political landscape within the future autonomous Bangsamoro entity. One specific objective is to educate and train all Muslims, Christians and indigenous groups in order to enable them for active political participation under a federal parliamentary system. Another specific objective is to empower stakeholders and underrepresented groups to transform their interest groups and operate them as functional programmatic political parties based on the rule of law.

Dr. Mohamed Nawab Osman, Assistant professor, coordinator of Malaysia programme, Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nayang Technological University, was the speaker on day one of the training. He discussed the topics on the state of politics in Southeast Asia, and Islam and Politics. A participant asked if separation of Mindanao is considered as an option. Osman said that separation was not considered as an option in his study. Understanding civil society is very important. It is understood that civil societies are voluntary composed of non-government Organizations (NGOs) and peoples Organizations (POs), but they are think-tanks and have respectful laws to follow. The CSOs role and political role are separate. The Issue of corruption is exclusive to politicians while the CSOs will monitor abuses.

Osman said in Malaysia, investigation of the case on corruption was conducted involved huge amount of government funds allegedly transferred to the personal account of the Prime Minister. The Members of the parliament of the ruling party was supported by the CSOs. The government cannot function effectively without the support of the civil society political participation. The CSOs will have to promote views focus on particular issues, participate in the peace process through peacebuilding activities.

Citing the case in Indonesia had experienced the improved relationships among the Christians and Muslims. There is possibility that civil society groups form political parties depending on political context, such as the Muhammadiyah and National mandate party, the Tehreek-e-Insaf Party in Pakistan. However, political party has nothing to do with civil society. As in the case in Pakistan, a concept for change cannot be translated without political power. In a case study on political parties, the Muhammadiyah in Indonesia was founded in 1912 by Kiyai Ahmad Dahlan. In 1997 Amien Rais, chairman of Muhammadiyah led the reform movement calling for Suharto to step down.

Osman said that in Singapore there was an Association of Muslim professionals founded in 1990 following the first Malay-Muslim Professionals convention. The issues of concerns are the economic underprivileged, performance of the Muslim members of Parliament, perceived discrimination of Malays such as representation in the Singapore Armed forces, among others. They established different outfits to deal with different challenges. Some observations have been found out that there was no Muslim in the armed forces. Time goes on and things change, and presently there is already a Muslim general in the armed forces. Pregnant Muslim women already received assistance from the government and there is now an education scholarship for the Muslims. However the political context is illiberal democracy with history of discord with the Singaporean government. In 1990 to 2005, it was the time of defending Muslim rights in Singapore. Started in 2005 up to the present the Muslims in Singapore are now working within the system. Osman Observed that political parties funded by the government is not so much effective unless to do otherwise.

Mr. Mollenhauer awarded certicate to Miss Tina Lomoljo,
Executive Director, BIRTHDEV, Inc. Iligan City, assisted by
Mr. Narciso Jover, Jr. 

Mr. Narciso Jover, Jr., DEPADEV training expert facilitated a workshop on political parties has considered the three things in political party situation in the Philippines was motivated by money. It was found out, first, that no political party engaging across sectors, example, the Party-list. Second, no political party with membership among the Muslims and Christians and third, lack of understanding of political parties on how the people participates.

On the second day of the training, Mr. Patrick Asinero, coordinator of Centrist Democracy for Youth Association of the Philippines (CDYAP), facilitated the topic on political parties. He discussed a party was started from a movement to a political party and creates party structure and organization with designed political party’s constitution and by-laws. Other discussions included the political party interest, Ideology corrupted-political party principles, voluntary participation in political party, collaboration between the CSOs and political party and discussed its commonalities and differences. Workshop results came out the common attributes of CSOs and political party have the same objectives and principles, representation, volunteerism, service oriented, has agenda, among others, but differ on the implementation, principles, loyalty, among others.

Political party is a political group with official name participates in the elections and have candidates for public office. Most of the criteria for political parties will influence the formation of political opinion. It is an association of citizens and members consistently taking part during elections and does not necessarily need to win. In Germany political parties and CSOs are subsidized by the government. CSOs in the Philippines are separate from political parties on the principles of check and balance. Political parties are usually funded by social elites and intellectuals around a group of influential supporters. It is founded by citizens seeking support of like-minded people to achieve political or social change.

Miss April Dela Cruz

On the third day of the training, it was facilitated by Miss April Dela Cruz, Education and training coordinator of the Centrist Democracy Political Institute (CDPI). She discussed the topic on Political Party Membership. She paused a question “Bakit magulo ang politika sa Pilipinas?” why is it the political situation in the Philippines is complicated? It was believed that there exists a Problem on political system.

Most often public positions on issues will be debated in the party that adhering party principles. Internal democratic structure is equated internal democracy. There must be an election of officers and criteria for the selection of leaders on a democratic process based on the constitution and by-laws of the party. If conflicts of ideas and disagreements arise will come to a decision to divide the house and observe majority rules. Transparent process on official party stand, sometimes will have compromise to come up with a final decision. A member has the right not to support and has the freedom to leave the party. The party has the prerogative to drop the member from its roster especially on disloyalty. There is so called conscience vote based on personal conscience on its individual decision.  Autonomy and party loyalty of sector association linked with political party, maintain its Independence, Autonomy, Freedom and Self-reliance. Barangay elections in the Philippines are not allowed to exercise political party, any elections must have political party.

Some politicians believed that political parties are for political convenience only transferring from one party to another labeled as political butterfly. There is a need to enact laws to strengthen the political system and subsidy to political party will receive funds from the government to finance party development. Political party must also raise their own funds for party subsidiarity. House Bill 403, the Political Party development Act, was authored by Senator Angara when he was still in the House of Representatives now a pending Bill. Political reform on Federalism is needed for the country from highly centralize government called unitary form to decentralize government called federal form. On this system there will be equitable distribution of political and economic power to federal states.

A membership fee or dues is required from the member to claim ownership of the party. Non-paying dues members have no voting power but can still participate in deliberations. Political parties will have to accept donations and engage on entrepreneurial activities to generate funds for the party. The strong political party shall maintain administrative and financial management for transparency and accountability and attract more members for expansion.  

Some participants expressed their concern to for the continuation of the GPH-MILF peace process to solve the problem on the failed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in congress during the last administration but hoping for good under the Duterte administration. It was observed that the training is in preparation for the political reform specifically on federalism to accommodate BBL. The youth participants said they earned a lot of things and awareness on political development during the training. The challenges of the non-Moro CSOs is the participation and their role in party development in the Bangsamoro, but they were committed to continue working on the quest for in Mindanao.

Mr. Hendrik Mollenhauer, DEPADEV Project Manager in his message after the training said that he is hoping that the training shared good learning to the participants and the role of CSOs acquired more knowledge on how to engage in politics in different places in the provinces up to the Barangays. He said that they are working with different groups and the existing parties including the CDP and United Bangsamoro Justice party (UBJP) for the future Bangsamoro.  Mollenhauer said that the Bangsamoro also needs a strong CSOs and he addressed such concern to the participants, the challenge to continue the good works they have started. He said that KAS and IAG will continue engage and be involved in the future in shaping of the Bangsamoro parliamentary system. The objectives of the training build a foundation on which active civil society participation within the autonomous region will be possible. By being organized and registered political parties, supporters, members and leaders of those parties can integrate their programs into political processes.