Next admin should push peace process gains, milestones: Galvez

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 28, 2022): Next admin should push peace process gains, milestones: Galvez (By Lade Jean Kabagani)

Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (Photo courtesy of OPAPRU)

Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. hopes the next administration will continue the government’s significant milestones and gains in pursuit of the peace process in the country.

Galvez said one of the primary milestones is the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) saying "it really transforms” Mindanao areas into peaceful communities.

He added the efforts of the government to curb terrorism, particularly neutralizing the remnants of Daesh-inspired Maute Group in Marawi City, have greatly contributed to the effective push of localized peace engagements within the conflict-affected communities.

“After Marawi, nakita natin wala masyadong (We saw that there were no) major breakout of hostilities in Mindanao,” he said in a previous interview.

Citing reports of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Galvez said the public’s confidence in economic development in the Bangsamoro region has gradually increased after pushing for the comprehensive peace process.

“Unlike in the previous years, there's increasing poverty incidence in the region," he said.

He added that the poverty incidence in the region has decreased to up to double digits since last year -- an important result of effectively implementing the peace process.

"And those are significant accomplishments in the Bangsamoro. Even with the pandemic, we saw that the social living of our Moro brothers and sisters has been improved,” Galvez said.

The closure agreement with Rebolusyonaryong Partidong Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/ Alex Boncayao Brigade-Tabara Paduano Group (RPM-P/RPA/ABB-TPG), also known as Kapatiran in Western Visayas, is also another milestone of the government in pursuit to peace process, he added.

“We saw that they’ve been waiting for almost 19 years in order to implement those signed agreements in 2000,” he said.

Galvez said President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has immediately instructed the then Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) to close the 19-year old peace agreement with the Kapatiran.

“We came last two weeks ago in the area and we saw there’s a complete turnaround. We saw the competence of the Kapatiran that they are really taken care of by the government,” he said.

One of the major milestones of the Duterte administration, he added, is pushing for a whole-of-nation and whole-of-society approach when it comes to addressing peace and security concerns in the country.

“We harmonized the different government agencies, at the same time, our other development partners are really supporting us and assisting us in all of our efforts,” he said.

Galvez is confident the next administration will prioritize the peace process.

“Because we see that, in order to achieve development and prosperity, there should be peace first. I am very confident that our presidential candidates are all knowledgeable and experienced in really pursuing the peace process in our land,” he said.

“I know them all and I am very confident that they will push through—and they will be implementing the good legacy of our administration,” Galvez added.

By virtue of an executive order (EO) 158, signed by President Duterte on Dec. 27, 2021, reorganizing and renaming the OPAPP to OPAPRU.

Galvez earlier said the OPAPRU will further expand its mandate to sustain the Duterte administration’s legacy in pushing a comprehensive peace process in the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1170813