USM Opens Doors to DOrSU for Benchmarking Activity
March 9, 2026
IMPLEMENTATION OF ENERGY CONSERVATION PROTOCOLS AND TEMPORARY WORK ARRANGEMENT GUIDELINES IN COMPLIANCE WITH MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 114 SERIES OF 2026
March 9, 2026
MAKILALA, COTABATO — To bridge communication gaps and strengthen interpersonal relationships between leaders and members of the Bagobo-Tagabawa community in Caritas-Kasunayan Village, the University of Southern Mindanao (USM)-Extension Services Office (ESO), alongside the Department of Social Science and Philosophy (DSSP), conducted a specialized training titled “Effective Conflict Management, Mediation, and Resolution: Strengthening Communal Harmony and Sustainable Development” on March 6, 2026.
This initiative aims to capacitate Bagobo-Tagabawa cultural masters and workers with structured, practical, and culturally sensitive mediation skills, ultimately accelerating the achievement of their collective sustainable development goals.
As project leader Prof. Anamarie B. Uyangurin, along with DSSP faculty members Prof. Frans Bert D. Gomez and Miss Erica Jane C. Alcuezar, paid a courtesy call to community leader Genibel B. Timpawa, both parties discussed the community’s current peace situation, highlighting the interplay between socioeconomic stability and grassroots security.
The courtesy transitioned into the formal training, where Prof. Gomez facilitated a discussion on “Understanding Peace and the Anatomy of Conflict.” Central to the dialogue were themes such as “Peace in Different Contexts,” “Stages of Conflict,” and “Conflict Resolution Values.” This was followed by a lecture on “Collective Dialogue: Understanding the Roots, Means, and Modes of Mediation.”
To ensure participants could self-identify local issues, an interactive activity was conducted. Participants, grouped into three, mapped out specific conflicts, their root causes, and potential resolutions. Interestingly, the outputs revealed family conflicts as the most prevalent and persistent challenge affecting communal cohesion. Through this task, the USM team validated that domestic stability serves as the bedrock for wider community peace, allowing for more targeted future interventions.
“Ang tinuod na kalinaw kay kanang naa jud kay panginabuhian” (True peace is when you have a secure livelihood). This is how participant Librada Magno defined peace, emphasizing the community’s need for sustainable programs that address daily economic survival.
As the USM team continues its advocacy of fortifying internal peace mechanisms and strengthening unity in San Vicente, community members are now better equipped to navigate interpersonal disputes while looking forward to more integrated development support.
The success of this training underscored the importance of a holistic definition of peace. While strengthening relationships with leaders is vital, providing interventions such as sustainable livelihoods addresses the internal conflicts in every home—a comprehensive approach that ultimately accelerates the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Kasunayan Village.
