The Philippine experience on peace and national development is a long and tortuous one, spanning the terms of several presidents from Ramon Magsaysay to Ferdinand Marcos Jr., but what has been achieved so far?

In summary, the republic has encountered two groups of troublesome citizens during the last 75 years—the Muslim rebel groups and the Communist Party-led New People’s Army (NPA) and before that, the Hukbong Mapagpalaya sa Bayan (HMB or Huks) of the old Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas. There were other small groups that threatened peace in the country for a limited period of time but by and large, these two sectors of firearms-wielding men and women are the most consistent.

The government relied on the classic, democratic steps to peace and reconciliation —an immediate ceasefire, build trust between the parties, address specific issues in dispute, and later present a framework for future political arrangements. Various administrations had tried one or two variations of the process, involving even negotiations hosted by friendly foreign governments (Malaysia in the case of the Muslims and The Netherlands and Norway in the case of the communists).

‘This question poses a huge challenge to our colleges and universities, especially because Filipino students… have been exploited by rebels of various molds who are always on the lookout for new recruits.’

So far, only the peace process with the Muslims delivered an advanced stage to peace: the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law or Republic Act 11054 that provided for the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) that will soon have its first parliament elections. Even this had its kinks, as the Supreme Court recently ruled that the province of Sulu which rejected the BARMM in the plebiscite should remain outside the regional grouping.

We just ended the National Peace Consciousness Month last September, and part of the activities was the Peace Education Summit with the theme: “Peace Month @ 20: Bagong Pilipinas: Transforming Minds, Transforming Lives.” The summit focused on harnessing education for societal harmony and featured discussions on institutionalizing peace education in curricula. The key initiatives included promoting peace studies, training for educators, and collaborations with NGOs.

According to Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Commissioner Ronald Adamat, who represented Secretary Prospero De Vera, one of the steps taken by their agency is the institutionalization of peace education in colleges and universities. These include CHED Memorandum Order No. 1, s. 2019, which calls for the integration of peace education/studies into relevant higher education curricula, and CMO No. 42, s. 2021, which recommended guiding principles and practices on peace education for higher education institutions.

“We have initiated comprehensive training programs for professors to equip and empower them with the right knowledge in teaching peace, emphasizing the significance and relevance of peace education,” Adamat said. Participants stressed the need for a united effort to advance peace education and addressed challenges such as materialism.

How the academic way is understanding the peace process, much less implementing it, escapes the inquisitive mind of any observer. The obvious question is this: Can the concept of peace be taught in schools?

This question poses a huge challenge to our colleges and universities, especially because Filipino students with their impetuosity, rashness and desire for adventure, coupled with the youthful propensity to adopt radical ideas, have been exploited by rebels of various molds who are always on the lookout for new recruits.