The MSU-IIT Institute for Peace and Development in Mindanao (IPDM) opened its celebration of Mindanao Week following the theme, ”Dialogue and Hope – Our Key to Peace,” Peace 2013. The Week for Peace is usually celebrated on the last Thursday of November to the first Wednesday of December each year.
Some of its major activities included a Research Forum on Mindanao Facets and Issues on November 27, 2013, the IPDM Film Festival, the First Music Video Competitions, Post Card Design Contest and the Eco-Web Fun run.



The Research forum provided the venue for students, academicians, and civil peace workers to gain further information on “The Internal Peace and Security Plan of the AFP: Challenges and Prospects for a Local Oversight Mechanism” as presented by Dr. Mark Anthony J. Torres, IPDM Peace Research Coordinator.
“The Socio-economic Status and Welfare Issues of Coconut Farmers in Lanao del Norte and Misamis Oriental” was discussed by Prof. Juvanni Caballero, IPDM Officer-in-Charge and Mr. Mark Boot, KI Adviser shared the “Muslim Youth Volunteerism: The Kapamagogopa (KI) Experience.” The Regional Coordinator of the United Religions Initiative – Southeast Asia and the Pacific Dr. Potre Dirampaten-Diampuan also shared her study entitled “A Force More Powerful: The Ripples.”
From November 29 to 30, the film entries for IPDM’s film festival, Mindanao: Lights. Camera. Peace. were screened at the Institute Mini Theater.
The five films were produced by students of the College of Arts and Social Sciences (Vantage Point Productions), College of Education (Amatures), MSU- Marawi College of Medicine (2015 Productions), the Iligan City East High School Santa Felomina (.mpeg Productions), and by freshman students from CASS and CED.
Unawa by Krystel Hypa Magallanes (Vantage Point Productions) was awarded Best Film, Best Editing, and Best Production Design. Beverlie Calopez was awarded Best Cinematographer, Danica Vallejo for Best Actress, Michelle Daabay for Best Supporting Actress, Omar Acba and Chanda Simeon for Best Story all for the film Unawa. Al Raiyan Baruang was awarded Best Actor for the film 6PM. Jamela Bato was awarded Best Director and Ervin Ardiente for Best Musical Scoring for the film Ceasefire.
IPDM also welcomed five original song entries for the first Peace Music Video. Insana, the song entry of MSU-IIT Muslim Student Association was awarded Best Song. Iligan Medical College’s Kapagintaw also submitted a song entry entitled Kahit Magka-iba, Tayoý Magka-isa; Mainit High School submitted Kalinaw; Iligan City East High School submitted Para sa Inang Bayan; and San Isidro Labrador Parish of Tubod, Lanao del Norte submitted Kapayapaan sa Mindanao.
On the other hand, ten post cards from the 140 post cards made by third year students of the Integrated Developmental School were also awarded Best Design. The students whose designs won were awarded Future Graphic Designer. The ten post cards were mass produced and are now available at the IPDM office. The proceeds from the post cards will support IPDM youth programs.
Finally, on December 1, IPDM co-organized with Ecoweb the first Run for Peace Fun Run. The run was participated by more than 3,000 runners from Iligan City and Lanao del Norte. – Sittie Noffaisah B. Pasandalan, IPDM for OC OPI




Topics : ipdm