MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon-Various sectors in Northern Mindanao are heeding the call of the national government to finally put to an end the communist insurgency in the country.
Last May 22, the Provincial Government of Bukidnon in partnership with the Northern Mindanao Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF- ELCAC) Technical Working Group held a peace and development forum at the Kaamulan Open Theater, Malaybalay City. Bukidnon Governor Jose Ma. Zubiri led four Mayors, 98 Barangay Captains, 16 City and Municipal Planning and Development Officers (C/MPDO), and 15 representatives of local government agencies as the newly- created task force discussed Executive Order (EO) 70 and Convergence Areas for Peace and Development (CAPDEV).
EO 70 institutionalized the Whole-of-Nation Approach in addressing the root causes of insurgency, and created the National Task Force on ELCAC. CAPDEV on the other hand,is Region 10’s banner program to put into motion EO 70. It aims to address the root causes of insurgency through focused, coordinated and sustained delivery of basic services and social development packages by the government in poor, conflict-affected and Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) in Region 10.
Major General Franco Nemesio Gacal, the Commander of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division who also serves as RTF-ELCAC TWG Chairperson led the forum facilitators. He was joined by 403rd Brigade Commander, Col. Edgardo de Leon, and Director Mylah Faye Aurora Cariño of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Region 10 Office.
The activity was part of the Task Force’s program to engage all sectors including local government units and line agencies, non- government and civil society organizations, as well as the private sector, church and academe to finally end the local communist armed conflict being waged by the communist- terrorist CPP-NPA-NDF. The forum focused on the role of every sector in the operationalization of EO 70, and the concept behind the establishment of CAPDev in the region.
Zubiri who also chairs the Regional Development Council (RDC) expressed his full support to the task force and its programs. “We are together in this fight as we strive to put an end to the armed conflict that has ravaged our communities especially our Indigenous Peoples”, Zubiri said. 90% of the members of the CPP- NPA-Terrorists in Bukidnon belong to various Indigenous Peoples tribes.
One of the highlights of the forum was the
“Validation of Needs” workshop which allowed the participants to validate the Programs, Projects and Activities (PPAs) needed by their respective communities which were earlier endorsed by the RDC to be included in the 2020 National Budget.
The said PPAs were included in the P25 billion- budget for conflict affected areas in Bukidnon which already earned the nod of the RDC last March.
De leon lauded Zubiri’s support which he said is crucial to the implementation of CAPDev programs and other peace and development efforts in the province and the entire region. “We are very optimistic that we can address the root causes of insurgency and other forms of conflict here in Bukidnon because we are finally on the same page”, De Leon said.
Gacal, on the other hand, said the activity was a prelude to the creation of the Provincial TF-ELCAC which in turn will spearhead the implementation of CAPDev in the province. “We are glad that the Whole-of-Nation Approach along with our Peaceful War are rapidly gaining traction among our stakeholders. We are now seeing positive results in our peace and development campaign because of the concerted efforts from the Regional, Provincial, Municipal and Barangay level”, he said. “We would like to commend Governor Zubiri, the Mayors, Brgy Captains, Municipal, Provincial Planning Development Officers and all Regional Line Agencies for showing their commitment and cooperation to this endeavor”, Gacal added.
Meanwhile, Cariño said a similar forum will also be held in Misamis Occidental,Lanao del Norte and Misamis Oriental over the next few days.
Division Public Affairs Office 4th Infantry Division Philippine Army
Cpt Regie H Go
OIC DPAO 4ID
armydiamond@ymail.com
[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace by the Philippine Army. It provides information on the activities of Army Units nationwide in the performance of their duty of Serving the People and Securing the Land. This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City]
https://www.kalinawnews.com/bukidnon-holds-peace-and-development-forum-vows-full-support-to-end-armed-conflict/
Cpt Regie H Go
OIC DPAO 4ID
armydiamond@ymail.com
[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace by the Philippine Army. It provides information on the activities of Army Units nationwide in the performance of their duty of Serving the People and Securing the Land. This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City]
https://www.kalinawnews.com/bukidnon-holds-peace-and-development-forum-vows-full-support-to-end-armed-conflict/
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