Aliah P. Cali-Pascan, JD.,DPA.,Sh.L
MARAWI CITY, Philippines – Amid the hum of chalk against board and the quiet focus of students solving equations, Professor Salma L. Naga-Marohombsar stands at the helm of the Mathematics Department at Mindanao State University (MSU). Yet beyond numbers and logic, she has embraced a calling that is equally profound and deeply human: teaching FPE 101 (Fundamentals of Peace Education), a course born out of the university’s response to the 2017 Marawi Siege. “When FPE 101 was introduced as a response to the Siege, I knew I had to be part of it,” Professor Naga-Marohombsar shared in an interview with ShuaraMSU last September 27, 2024. “I asked to be included in the training pool of peace education facilitators, especially when I learned that two male Christian faculty members had been chosen to represent our college.”
As a woman from a mixed-faith marriage between a Roman Catholic mother and a Muslim father, she recognized her unique perspective and credibility in helping students understand peace through the lens of religious and cultural diversity. “I felt that someone like me could bridge conversations that many of our students, who also come from diverse backgrounds, needed to have.” Her leadership in peacebuilding was already well established before she stepped into the FPE classroom. In the wake of the Marawi Siege, Professor Naga-Marohombsar served as the overall team leader of the Balik MSU: Somombak Tano sa Pantaw a Mareg campaign of which is the host of this program Dr. Aliah P. Cali-Pascan was our partner in the Office of the President when she was the Presidential Management System Director at that time, which helped students return to campus and resume their studies after months of displacement and uncertainty. “It was one of the most meaningful efforts I’ve been part of,” she reflected. “We were rebuilding not just routines, but a sense of hope and belonging.” Her passion for peace education is also deeply personal. “I found peace education in my role as a mother,” she said with a gentle smile. “Teaching peace begins at home. Building a family is a peaceful act. That’s what made me say yes to teaching peace.” Since then, she has found deep fulfillment in the course. “I feel the energy when teaching peace,” she shared. “Listening to the students’ stories inspires me to teach even more.”
Her classes have become safe spaces for reflection, sharing, and healing. And although her academic roots are in mathematics, her teaching of peace is not disconnected from it. She often brings mathematical structure into discussions of everyday life. One example is her “8-8-8” time framework: “I ask my students to divide the 24 hours of the day into three sets of eight — eight hours for sleep, eight for studying, and eight for everything else: eating, praying, helping with chores, spending time with family, playing with friends. It’s a simple way to show that peace and balance are choices we make daily.”
Professor Salma Naga-Marohombsar’s journey from formulas to empathy, from calculus to compassion, reflects the power of embracing roles beyond one’s discipline. Her story is a reminder that education is not confined to subject matter, but thrives where humanity, healing, and hope take center stage. At MSU and beyond, she stands as a beacon — proving that peace can be taught not only in theory, but through presence, listening, and love.
