Leading the UNDP delegation was Mr. Christophe Bahuet, Resident Representative of UNDP Philippines, joined by Ms. Judith de Guzman, Peacebuilding Project Manager; Ms. Catherine Joy Rumbines, Project Analyst; and Mr. Winston Aylmer Camariñas, Head of the Cotabato Field Office. They were welcomed by MSU–Maguindanao officials led by Chancellor Dr. Bai Hejira Nefertiti M. Limbona, alongside Dr. Raquel D. Santiago-Arenas, Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension; Asst. Prof. Alvin Lois E. Pembarat, Director of the Institute for Peace and Development in Mindanao (IPDM); and Dr. Alimodin M. Hassan, faculty member of the Diploma in Women, Peace, and Security (DWPS) program.

Central to the discussion was the continued development of the Diploma in Women, Peace, and Security, a flagship academic initiative of MSU–Maguindanao that seeks to integrate gender-responsive leadership, conflict transformation, and community-based peacebuilding into higher education. Chancellor Limbona shared updates on the program’s implementation and emphasized its role in equipping educators, local leaders, and development practitioners with context-sensitive tools for addressing the gendered impacts of conflict in the Bangsamoro. UNDP expressed its support for the localization of the DWPS curriculum, ensuring that learning materials and course content reflect the lived experiences, cultural contexts, and peacebuilding realities of communities in BARMM. The UNDP also committed to supporting the production of relevant literature and knowledge resources for the program, aimed at enriching both academic instruction and community engagement.

The dialogue also covered support for Camps Transformation, particularly in linking education and peacebuilding efforts in former conflict-affected areas. Emphasis was placed on the university’s potential role as a knowledge and training partner in initiatives that promote social cohesion, inclusive development, and long-term stability in and around transformed camp areas.

Throughout the meeting, both UNDP and MSU–Maguindanao underscored the importance of strong institutional partnerships in sustaining peace gains in the Bangsamoro. By aligning academic innovation with community-based peace initiatives, the collaboration aims to ensure that education serves as a transformative force in post-conflict recovery. The engagement concluded with a shared commitment to continue working together in strengthening the DWPS program, expanding access to locally grounded peace education resources, and supporting community-centered transformation efforts that contribute to a more inclusive and peaceful Mindanao.

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Alvin Lois Pembarat