Promoting peace through community media

“One thing that I’m going to share, embody, and engrave to all my fellow youth not only in Lanao del Sur but all over the world is that all our dreams can come true if we have the courage and perseverance to pursue them.” These are the words of Salman Olomodin, a young Maranao from Pagalamatan, Tugaya, Lanao del Sur.

Salman, 22, is one of the 25 chosen fellows of Suara O Kalumbayan: Peacebuilding and Journalism Bootcamp held in Initao, Misamis Oriental last September 18 and 19 as part of the Mindanaoan Youth Voices (MYVP) Project. Through the bootcamp, participants were trained on how they can harness community journalism to promote peace.

Salman was hailed as the Datu a Bantogen of Tugaya, a title that comes with both honor and responsibility. He is a peace champion of culture in Youth ACTS and a peace ambassador of Lanao del Sur in the Ranaw Youth for Peace and Leadership Summit. A forestry major, he is also a member of the Forestry Ecological Society and a cultural mapper in a project funded by the National Commission for Cultural and the Arts (NCCA). 

As a member of various youth organizations in Lanao del Sur, Salman has been at the forefront of grassroots peacebuilding in the area. However, the bootcamp was his first time learning about the relation of journalism to peace. “I learned that the media has a vital role in our lives. This is a tool that can be used for the people to be aware and informed. The media can encourage people to be responsible and to be knowledgeable enough about the situation of the world right now,” Salman said.

The Suara O Kalumbayan: Peacebuilding and Journalism Bootcamp featured various resource speakers. Reemar Alonsagay, a community development worker in Mindanao, talked about conflict, violence, and peace in the context of the Bangsamoro. Prof. Sorhaila Latip-Yusoph, a veteran media practitioner, discussed community journalism and peace. Mikhaela Dimpas, Program Manager for Media and Communications of IDEALS, talked about transforming narratives. IDEALS’ media and communication officers led the workshops on media literacy, visual journalism, radio and podcast, news writing, and digital advocacy.

Salman aims to share the learning he got from the bootcamp to the members of his community. He is planning to hold workshops and seminars on peacebuilding and journalism based on the lectures given by the resource speakers in the bootcamp. “This implementation will be conducted in our municipality so that our community will be enlightened about this kind of topic and at the same time our community will be encouraged to be included in this kind of advocacy. I’ll be working on this with the help of our local government unit,” he said. ##