The Young Moro Professionals Network (YMPN) is a Non-government Organization composed of young
Majority of the members are based in the Philippines particularly in Metro Manila and Mindanao. There are several members who are based in foreign countries.
The YMPN was founded in 2000 during the administration of former Philippine president Joseph "Erap" Estrada. A group of young moro professionals initially organized themselves to be part of the popular protest against the alleged corruptions of Erap at EDSA. Erap was ousted from the presidency. This popular protest is called EDSA II succeeding the first popular protest that ousted former President Ferdinand E. Marcos in 1986 and installed Corazon "Cory" Aquino as president and the first woman to hold the position in the Philippines.
The participation of these young moros was also motivated by their dismay of the Philippine government total war policy against the Moro communities in Mindanao particularly the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) despite outstanding peace agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the ongoing negotiation with the former. The uncalled unilateral declaration of war by the government of the Philippines (GRP) was perceived by many even by non-Muslim NGOs, concerned with the cultivation of lasting peace and harmony in Mindanao among the different sectors and people in Mindanao, as a diversion tactic of the Erap administration from the brewing investigations and protests against his alleged corruptions and unfitness as president of the GRP. The war displaced hundred of thousands moros and threatened to ignite another Muslim-Christian hatred as in the early 1970s.
The success of EDSA II in ousting Erap motivated the YMP founders to adhere to the peaceful means in advocating and working for the socio-economic well-being of the Moro masses. The YMP founders envisioned a network of young Muslim professionals that promote volunteerism, use their own resources, talents, education & training, and work collectively or even individually to help other Muslims in unfortunate circumstances. Their peaceful means is a big contrast with the arm struggle adopted by the founders of MNLF and MILF that waged liberation struggles against the GRP since early 1970s to present.
In 2003, the YMPN was incorporated as a non-profit organization with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Since its founding in 2000, the YMPN has been active in encouraging more young Moros to adopt the peaceful means to uplift themselves. The YMPN stressed the practice of Islam being a peaceful and modest way of life. The core members have designed and implemented leadership training program, based on Islamic framework, aimed for the next generation of YMPers. The core members, in most engagement, are the lecturers and readily provide a role model to their audience of their advocacy for the peaceful means. The YMPN established a website called the BangsaMoro.com to reach to a bigger audience of both Muslims and non-Muslims within the scope of the cyberworld. The YMPN also won the admiration and support of the senior statemen of the GRP like Senator Ramon Magsaysay, and the local and international NGOs.
The YMPN membership is continually growing. The latest estimate is more than 1,000 from merely 9 in 2000.
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