Aside from defending the nation against internal and external threats, the Philippine Army can also play a key role in economic development.
This was learned Thursday after key officers of the Davao City-based 10th Infantry Division participated in the just-concluded "Regional Development Council XI Strategic Planning Conference for 2014 to 2016."
This took place last Feb. 4 to 5 at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in Lanang,
Major Gen. Ariel Bernardo, 10th Infantry Division commander, said they are now seeking a deeper and more comprehensive involvement in the regional strategic planning, particularly on economic development and poverty alleviation which are being linked directly to armed hostilities.
The RDC XI Strategic Planning Conference was chaired by National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) XI Regional Director Maria Lourdes D. Lim, and facilitated by resource persons Dr. Cayetano W. Padranga Jr. of the Development Academy of the Philippines, University of the Philippines School of Economics, and NEDA National Development Office for Policy and Planning Assistance Director General Rosemarie G. Edillon.
Its main objective was to come up with a thoroughly consultative review of policies and systems in place, region specific strengths and weaknesses and key stakeholder involvement in the crafting of action plans specific to development in Region XI.
“The reason why we need to be involved here is precisely because of the need for a whole of nation approach to our insurgency problem, as iterated in the IPSP 'Bayanihan'. We already know that we cannot solve armed conflicts with an armed solution alone,” Bernardo said.
“One specific reason why we’re here is that when we clear the areas of armed threats and the development doesn’t follow, they just go back to what they were, and then we have a vicious cycle. We really have to achieve a synchrony, and that includes all of us who want genuine peace and progress here in Region XI,” he added.
Since 2010, the 10th Infantry Division has been involved in peace and development operations in its area of responsibility which largely consists of provinces of Region XI.
Since the start of the campaign, the insurgency levels in five provinces have already been deemed to be controllable enough for the local government to take the leading role in internal security.
In 2013 alone, there had been more than 165 rebel surrenders to the 10th Infantry Division.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=613355
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