𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐄𝐝 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡...

𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐄𝐝 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆, 20 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 2025 — 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱) – 𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 and 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮 (𝗣𝗔𝗭)formally sealed a strategic partnership through the signing of a 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐌𝐎𝐔) today at the Ecozone, Zamboanga City, to implement the project “𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑨𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 (𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏) 𝒊𝒏 𝑾𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒐.” The partnership aims to address the need to strengthen cultural identity, peace resilience, and inclusive education among Indigenous Peoples, particularly the Subanon communities in Western Mindanao, by advancing culture-based and peace-responsive learning initiatives. This collaboration aligns with 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐄𝐝’𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 (𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐃) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐄𝐝) frameworks, which promote education that is responsive to the contexts, cultures, and lived realities of Indigenous learners. It likewise advances the mission of 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮 to promote peacebuilding, intercultural understanding, and inclusive community development in Mindanao. The project will be implemented in seven (7) pilot schools in the Labuan District with the core involvement of the Peace Education Program Council, headed by 𝐃𝐫. 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐏. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐨, DepEd Peace Education Focal Person/PSDS Labuan District, together with the key School Peace Education Coordinators, will play a central role in ensuring the effective integration and institutionalization of peace education initiatives at the school and district levels. The initiative is supported by 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐬 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐬, a Spanish non-government organization and long-time partner of ZABIDA, reflecting sustained international cooperation in advancing peace and education efforts in Mindanao. The MOU was signed by 𝐃𝐫. 𝐑𝐨𝐲 𝐂. 𝐓𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚 , Schools Division Superintendent, representing the DepEd Zamboanga City Division, and 𝐃𝐫. 𝐑𝐮𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐀. 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐳, President of Peace Advocates Zamboanga. The signing was witnessed by 𝐃𝐫. 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐉. 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐬, President of Zamboanga-Basilan Integrated Development Alliance, Inc. (ZABIDA), and 𝐃𝐫. 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐏. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐨, PSDS Labuan District. The ceremonial signing was held in conjunction with the Labuan District “Masinsinang Usupan for a Strengthened Mutual Understanding” activity, highlighting the shared commitment of education authorities and civil society partners to strengthen peace education, cultural resilience, and inclusive learning environments for Indigenous Peoples. #PAZDepEd #IPeducation #PeaceEducation