In its celebration of its 11th year of Empowering Communities in their 8th Annual Partnership Forum last 4th of July 2018 at Marcian Garden Hotel, this City, ZABIDA gathered around 300 representatives from its Partner Government Agencies and other Line Agencies, Partner Barangays, Partner Schools and other members of the Civil Society.

Certain Significant Partners from the City and neighboring Basilan Province were awarded with special citations for their generous contribution in the Program Implementation of ZABIDA in their Partner Communities and Partner Schools.

And, for ZABIDA’s continuous effort in addressing concerns and issues on Human Security they invited United Nations Development Program Programme Coordinator Jaime Antonio Jr. to present the 17 United Nationas Sustainable Development Goals and UNDP’s program to localized them, emphasizing the extent of assistance that UN can provide through Local Government Units and Non-Government Organizations.

ROOF President, Dr. Grace Rebollos briefly shared updates and progress on Participatory Governance Program, highlighting the Logisitical and Technical Supports provided. Thereafter, the documentary presentation on Human Rights as Everyone’s Rights which is produced by ZABIDA, the Comission on Human Rights Regional Office IX and the Philippine Information Office Regional Office IX. Thereafter, Zamboanga City Administrator Marie Angelique Go, Basilan Governor Jim Saliman, and Manos Unidas Country Representative Jessica Del Olmo expressed solidarity messages and reaffirmed their partnership for efforts on human security.

Afterwards, journalist Maria Frencie Carreon, then, presented the book she authored entitled, “Scissors, Papers, Water, Stones,” as a literary work that “exemplified the fragility of human security.”  The book, which featured the plight of the migrants to Zamboanga City who struggled through the years and survived housing challenges, has been critiqued positively in parts of Latin America and SouthEast Asia.

In gratitude, ZABIDA President Fr. Angel Calvo acknowledged the partners and commended the Barangay Officials from Partner Communities, Department of Education Teachers from Partner Schools under the Culture of Peace Program, the support of Zamboanga and Basilan Local Governments, and Manos Unidas and the Spanish Development agency, Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internaccional para el Desarrollo, or AECID.  In conclusion, Fr. Calvo specifically cited ZABIDA Executive Director Esperancita Hupida for her valuable efforts in the organization’s program implementation. (Deorenzie Frances L Carreon/ZABIDA)

ZABIDA is a Non-Profit Organization and a consortium of four (4) Independent Organizations namely Reach-Out to Others Foundation, Inc., Katilingban sa Kalambuan, Inc., Peace Advocates Zamboanga Foundation, in Zamboanga City and Nagdilaab Foundation in Basilan. Currently, they are implementing the Convenio Project supported by the Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internaccional para el Desarrollo (AECID) and Manos Unidas.