Change agents

Mindanao is not a war-zone,” it starts. “Our time in Lanao del Norte, in Mindanao, taught us that there is so much potential here, that there are people who are tired of fighting, and more than willing to work for peace. War is not a natural state of mankind. Ironically, in what is perceived as one of the most conflict-ridden areas of the Philippines, this is where we were taught about peace. This is where we learned what peace truly means, how important it is.”

It may sound like a voiceover for a hardcore news documentary, but it totally isn’t. It’s a blog entry from a bunch of young British and Filipino volunteers who found themselves evacuating Iligan after bombs throttled parts of the city. To hear them tell the story of that morning in August — when government troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) decided to shake up the neighborhood — is as personal as it gets. That, it seems, can sometimes be slightly disconcerting. It’s probably too glum for Facebook.

They’ve Got Issues

They were there for Global Xchange (GX), a six-month cross-cultural volunteer exchange program for 18- to 25-year-olds. It’s run in partnership between the British Council and Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). A total of 18 participants — nine from the UK and another nine from a country like the Philippines — spend half a year living and working together on community projects in both locations.

Neither tourism nor poorism, Global Xchange is all for the development of young active citizens who reach outside their respective comfort zones and learn from the experiences of others around the world. Most of the members of GX Team 71, the current group, came to Iligan to learn about issues surrounding peace and development without knowing exactly how the conflict in Mindanao started.

Hot-Button Topics

“Each exchange has a theme,” explains Jennifer Domingo of the British Council in Manila. “These themes are decided on by the Global Xchange partners and usually address the core areas of these organizations’ work. Sometimes the theme may influence the type of volunteer placements and the theme can also serve as a focus for volunteers’ learning.”

From March to September this year, for example, the hot-button topics ranged from social inclusion and youth leadership (Glasgow, Scotland and Aleppo, Syria) to participation, governance and intercultural dialogue (Northern Ireland, UK and Mombasa, Kenya). It’s indispensable training for young people who aspire to become diplomats when they grow up, or millenials who want to know more about realities that may have been whitewashed or underexplained.  

Not Spring Break

The twin cities that have co-signed on this life-altering project aren’t places with bi-annual fashion weeks and dedicated Luxe guides. Take this year’s recently concluded UK-Philippines give-and-take: though statistically counted as part of Inner London, Newham, for instance, is economically one of the more deprived districts. (Read: the ghetto.) Its crime rates, poor school results, pollution, and slow economic activity make it one of the least desired places to live in.

Iligan, meanwhile, isn’t exactly known as a spring break destination but its mix of cultures — from the Maranaos of Lanao del Sur, Higaonons of Bukidnon, and many settlers and migrants from other parts of the country — make it a worthwhile case study. It also hosts an active network of NGOs working on peace-oriented issues, poverty, the environment and community volunteering. In short, it’s a goldmine.

They Are So Going To Blog About This

In fact, aside from the positive blog posts, some of the GX volunteers have even pulled out their own scorecards and gone on the record about their grand adventures in the south.

“Mindanao used to be something I only heard about on the news. It didn’t mean much to me because it was so far away. But now, as I see the reports about the conflict, I think of the people who took me into their home, worked with me, and shared their lives with me,” goes Ajeet Panemanglor, a 24-year-old from Parañaque City. “I discovered that Mindanao is full of people with hopes, dreams, and ambitions just like me. It taught me that it is not a crime to want your culture and your language to be respected; to want to live free on the land of your forefathers; to want to live with dignity; to want justice.”

Rebecca Miller, a 22-year-old from Scotland, had this to say: “People here in the Philippines value family, love, community, education. These are things we don’t seem appreciate anymore in the UK. These people have so little but at the same time have so much more than most of us do. They have values that we, living our consumer-crazy lifestyle, are obliviously leaving behind.”

Do The R.A.V.E.

At the end of each exchange, volunteers undergo a debriefing session to reflect on what they’ve learned. After all, they’ve been detached from the routine they had six months before but now must reintegrate into society.

“The program also offers a Returned Volunteers weekend session, which will help volunteers in post-program transition and help them think how they might take forward their Global Xchange experience in the future,” continues Jennifer Domingo. “The Philippine Country Management Team supports a group of former GX volunteers (called R.A.V.E., short for Redefining Activism through Volunteering and Education) in their efforts to continue their advocacies from past exchanges.” 

Their stint in Mindanao may be over but the tension there isn’t. Before GX Team 71 headed home, they started turning their energies into action. In Cagayan de Oro where they had been evacuated, they toured schools and campaigned for families displaced by the civil war. Through the counterpart funding of Globe Telecom’s Bridging Communities Program, they were able to raise more than P100,000 for BIRTHDEV (Balay Integrated Rehabilitation for Total Human Development), an NGO which specializes in psychosocial intervention to survivors of armed struggle and other disasters.

GX volunteer Ferg Smith, recognizing that the problem in Mindanao is as socio-economic as it is political, says that “promoting peace, restoring hope, and rebuilding lives are the much needed intervention for communities affected by conflict.” Clearly, the program has produced the desired effect as youth with an openness to being changed by the world have, in their own way, started to change the world at the same time.

* * *

Interested in participating? Call the British Council at 914-1011 to 14 or visit www.britishcouncil.org.ph.