Marawi City (6 July) -- United in the effort to promote moral renewal in governance, education, and economics, more than 1000 people representing the various sectors of Lanao del Sur as well as members of the Ulama League of the Philippines (ULP) turned up at the Provincial Capitol Gymnasium for the Workshop-Summit on Moral Revival.
Inspired by the theme "Morality: The Cornerstone of Nation Building", the two-day activity was a collaborative effort of the ULP, the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
This is in response to President Arroyo's Administrative Order 255 directing heads of various departments to lead moral renewal by adopting and implementing a Moral Renewal Program.
AO 255 also contained the enlisting the participation of religious, civil society and civic groups through consultations, program development, promotion and implementation of their moral renewal program.
Moral renewal refers to values formation and ethical behavior for government officers and employees as well as strengthening of people's values to achieve zero tolerance for corruption. Such Filipino values include Maka-Diyos, Maka-Tao, Maka-Bayan and Maka-Kalikasan.
"The issue on moral recovery is a sensitive one but we chose to pursue it because it is the key to building a people and building a nation," Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal "Bombit" Adiong Jr. stressed.
The Provincial Governor said the activity will perk-up the consciousness of people in Lanao del Sur especially the provincial government to continue its transparency, responsiveness, competence and commitment in the delivery of services to the public.
"It will instill in them God-centered, character-focused, nationalistic and environment friendly ideas which is in line with President Arroyo's directive to promote the values of Maka-Diyos, Maka-Tao, Maka-Bayan and Maka-Kalikasan," he added.
In his message, OPAPP Secretary Avelino Razon Jr. said the moral revival initiative which complements the peace building program of OPAPP will help in achieving a lasting in Mindanao.
"The summit will bring our Muslim brothers and sisters even closer to the teachings of Islam and deepen their appreciation of the true essence of being a Muslim because Islam is not only a religion of rituals rather it is a code of ethics and conduct for the social person," he said.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Fernando Capalla said the summit touched on the essential component of human factor for development which is the moral law.
The moral law, he said, is rooted in the divine law without which there can be no genuine progress, development and peace.
Among those who also graced the occasion were Commissioner Elias R. Yusoph of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), who presented a lecture on Morals in Governance; Former Department of Education-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) Secretary Prof. Salipada S. Tamano, who presented a lecture on Morals in Education, and Dr. Abdullah H. Ali Monib Al-Kuzbari of Ma'had Jamiatul Waqf, who presented a lecture on Morals in Economics.
Office of the Ombudsman – Mindanao Director Cora Arancon also honored the event while no less than the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr. keynoted the second day of the summit. (Apipa P. Bagumbaran /PIA)
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