NoCot village receives ELCAC projects

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 3, 2022): NoCot village receives ELCAC projects (By John Andrew Tabugoc)

WATER SYSTEM. North Governor Nancy Catamco (center) tries potable water flowing out from the pipe of a P1.5 million water system inaugurated on Monday (Feb. 28, 2022) in Barangay Nabundasan, Tulunan town of the province. The village, a former New People’s Army-infested area, is a beneficiary of projects under the government’s whole of nation approach to end the local communist conflict in the countryside. (Photo courtesy of North Cotabato PIO)

TULUNAN, North Cotabato - A village official here on Thursday expressed optimism to receive more interventions from the government following their area's conversion from peace zone (PZ) to peace and development zone (PDZ).

Ramonito Roble, chair of Barangay Nabundasan, said they have already felt the intent of the latter through the government projects now being poured into their village.

“It opened for us wider opportunities for progress which we longed for decades,” Roble said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency.

According to Roble, several projects are yet to be implemented and were discussed during their conduct of consultations with the provincial government the past two days.

On Monday, a PHP1.5 million water system project was turned over by the Provincial Task Force in Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) to the Nabundasan village council for the management of the facility.

Also, a total of 336 residents in the village have been assisted to the free civil registration of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and officially received their first-ever birth certificates.

“That is their first-ever record in the government due to shortage of money and lack of know-how to acquire such documents”, he said.

Governor Nancy Catamco, who chairs the provincial PTF-ELCAC, led the ceremonial rites with representatives from the local government unit, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police; and village officials.

“With this provision, our communities and citizens can enjoy the peace and development initiatives of our government. I am hoping that we will always be working hand-in-hand to make these projects and programs holistic and thriving.” Catamco said

The projects are part of the developmental and socio-economic interventions being undertaken in the formerly declared peace zone that intends to shield residents from atrocities caused by the communist New Peoples’ Army since the1980s.

Only recently, the 30-year old peace zone declaration in Nabundasan and three other adjoining villages was amended by the Sangguniang Bayan through a resolution based on President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order 70 or whole of nation approach for peace-building in initiatives.

The three other areas included in the transformation to peace and development zones are the village of Bituan; and Sitios Miatub and New Alimodian of Barangays Tuburan and Banayal, respectively.

A peace zone is aptly described as a community-based, people-led initiative in local geographical areas that residents themselves declare to be off-limits to armed conflict primarily to protect civilians, livelihood, and property.

On the other hand, a peace and development zone is a peace-building initiative that promotes the establishment of durable peace by addressing the root causes of conflict through reconciliation; institution building; and socio, political and economic transformation.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1168974