Equal Access International-Philippines joined with other peacebuilding institutions on a Focus Group Discussion and Workshop, hosted by MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology’s Institute for Peace and Development in Mindanao (IPDM) on February 27, 2020 in Iligan City. The gathering aimed to discuss the preliminary insights on the ongoing meta-study entitled “Mapping Violent Extremism-Related Projects after the 2017 Marawi Crisis”.

The said research aims to map out and analyze studies, programs and interventions framed or connected to Preventing and Transforming Violent Extremism (PTVE) in Mindanao. IPDM saw the need to have a wider grasp of the various responses towards emerging “VE” activities in the country. 

Country Director Exan Sharief and Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Officer Tommy Pangcoga represented EAI-PH in sharing valuable responses in the context of peace and violent extremism (VE) in Mindanao.

According to Sharief and Pangcoga, the initial research findings presented affirmed researches of the past round “violent extremism” as a concept and phenomenon in Mindanao. In the ways forward and recommendations portion of the workshop, both were able to promote the #OURmindaNOW messaging hub as an alternative platform for peace workers from the different sectors of society to collaborate and converge in responding to “VE”.

The IPDM looks forward to sharing the map that the said meta-research will generate to the peacebuilding community and for those who plan to solve the complex issues of Mindanao