23/08/2025
On August 5,2025 city when Mindanao Religious Leaders Conference (MiRLeC) Multi-Sectoral Dialogue for Peaceful BARMM Elections reads the,
JOINT STATEMENT
Hand in Hand for Peace, Justice, and Homeland
A Multi-Faith and Multi-Sectoral Commitment to Peaceful BARMM Elections 2025
We, the undersigned — religious leaders, youth and women representatives, local government officials, Indigenous Peoples, educators, civil society actors, and peacebuilders — gather in solidarity under the banner of the Mindanao Religious Leaders Conference (MiRLeC) for a Multi-Sectoral Dialogue on Peaceful Elections, held on August 5, 2025, here at the Notre Dame University, Cotabato City.
Grounded in the Bangsamoro people’s aspiration for peace, justice, and self-determination, and inspired by the spirit of interfaith collaboration, we stand united in upholding the dignity of life, the moral responsibility of leadership, and the sanctity of the vote.
Guided by the 2025 Mindanao Week of Peace theme, “Multi-Faith in Families and Youth: Hand in Hand for Peace, Justice, and Homeland,” we affirm that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but a shared moral and spiritual responsibility that transcends all faiths, tribes and sectors.
Recognizing our shared context:
In light of the region’s lived experiences, in which its people were subjected to political violence, vote-buying, persistent land and property conflict, and the exclusion of vulnerable communities, we humbly reaffirm that:
• Peace is a sacred and collective undertaking rooted in compassion and justice. • Justice must be pursued in both its spirit and law, ensuring fairness and inclusion for all.
• Our homeland must be nurtured with integrity, not fear; with hope, not hostility.
As faith-inspired citizens and community stewards, we commit to:
Nonviolence and Human Dignity.
To reject all forms of electoral violence, coercion, and manipulation, and to promote a culture of safety, dignity, and mutual respect — especially for women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples.
Values-Based Voter Education.
To actively support voter education grounded in shared values — truth (katotohanan), trust (tiwala), fairness (pagkapantay-pantay), justice (katarungan) and service (pag-alagad) — fostering critical thinking and moral discernment.
Family and Youth Engagement.
To recognize families and young people not only as onlookers, but as active participants in building a culture of peace, ethical political participation, and accountability.
Interfaith and Multi-Sectoral Solidarity.
To walk together hand in hand — Muslim, Christian, Lumad; elders and youth; women and men — building trust, engaging in open dialogue, and upholding shared values from the grassroots to the regional level.
Post-Election Reconciliation and Healing.
To actively support our respective community’s continued growth and development beyond the elections — restoring relationships, rebuilding trust, and nurturing social cohesion — as part of our shared journey towards lasting peace.
We respectfully call on:
• All candidates, political parties, and institutions in BARMM and across the Philippines to uphold the democratic process with honesty, transparency, and accountability. • Religious and traditional leaders to serve as moral beacons — guiding communities with wisdom, courage, and restraint.
• Schools, families, and community spaces to be centers of values formation and peacebuilding.
Above all, we call on one another to stand shoulder to shoulder and work hand in hand — for peace, for justice, and for the future of our homeland.
Signed this 5th day of August 2025 at Notre Dame University, Cotabato City, Philippines.
Mindanao Religious Leaders Conference (MiRLeC)
Government Representatives
Civil Society Leaders
Community-based Faith Leaders
Women and Youth Representatives
Indigenous Peoples Representatives