Women caught in war get center in Maguindanao

BULUAN, Maguindanao—A symbol of the Aquino administration’s focus on the peace process with Moro guerrillas has risen here, costing P15 million and designed to help women caught in conflict lead normal lives.

Teresita Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process, inaugurated the women’s peace center in this town, a three-story building that was built through the joint effort of the national and provincial governments.

Construction of the building started in July with a P7 million fund from the provincial government. The national government’s share of P8 million came at a later date.

UN commitment

Deles said the building is part of the commitment of the provincial government to meet targets set by a United Nations resolution to address women’s concerns.

The new structure, said Deles, would serve as a “one-stop venue” to help women cope with the effects of armed conflict in parts of Mindanao wracked by the Moro rebellion.

Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu said the provincial government exerted effort to help put up the structure to help women traumatized by war, including the Jan. 25 debacle that led to the deaths of 44 police commandos, 18 Moro guerrillas and five civilians during an operation to get international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan.”

Most vulnerable

“Women are most vulnerable in conflicts,” said the governor. He said many women caught in conflict opt to just work overseas after their families’ livelihood had been lost in the war.

“More often than not, they become victims of human trafficking,” said Mangudadatu. Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao