Village chief urges rebels to return to gov't.

From the Philippine Information Agency (Mar 22, 2021): Village chief urges rebels to return to gov't. (By Irene Joy B. Dayo)

GINGOOG CITY, Misamis Oriental, March 18 (PIA)--“Kamo dili pasagdan sa atong pang-gobyerno (The government will not forsake you),” Barangay Captain Porferio Duque of Baranggay Eureka here told the New People's Army (NPA) rebels who are still fighting the government in the mountains, as he urged them to reutrn to the folds of the law.

In a recent interview with the Philippine Information Agency, Duque said Barangya Eureka is one of the farthest barangays in Gingoog City where some NPA members are said to have visited.

“Ako usab nanghinaot ug nag-awhag sa among mga kaubanan o kaperyentehan nga anaa pa sa grupo nga nasalaag ug nakigbatuk sa atong panggobyerno pinaagi sa armadong pakigbisog, nga unta mogawas na kamo ug sa katapusan, mosilong na sa landong sa kagamhanan kay sigurado ako nga kamo dili pasagdan sa atong panggobyerno, diha sa establisar sa inyong bag-ong panginabuhian nga malahutayon ug pinuy-anan," he said.

(I am calling all our friends and relatives who are still in the movement to return to the folds of the law because the government is going to help them with a better form of livelihood.)

The village chief said his barangay now feels the government, as one of the beneficiaries of the Barangay Development Program (BDP) pursued under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

BDP is a flagship program of the current administration to address poverty and spur economic development by solving the root causes of insurgency.

With BDP, water works, tribal hall, concrete farm-ro-market roads and other projects have been implemented in the barangay. "All of these happened in this present administration," Duque said.

“Ang akong barangay, naay 13 ka purok. 75 years na ka tuig, wala gyud ni sila nakatagamtam ug proyekto pinaagi sa waterworks ug panubig sa mga sitio, (We have 13 districts in our barangay. For 75 years, we never experienced having a proper water system),” he shared, citing one of their projects which is the water system. Barangay Eureka including the tribal group – Tribu Higaonon - that as well composed the barangay is very happy with the realization of the projects. They believe these projects are what they need the most to improve their lives.

“Ang tubig, kung magpadayon kini, dako kaayo nga improvement sa akong barangay. Dako kaayo ang improvement kay ang tubig musumpay kini sa panginabuhi (If uninterrupted, improvement in the barangay is certainly attainable since the water system is basic in all forms of livelihood,” he continued," he continued.

Duque also explained the importance of providing and sustaining these projects in ending insurgency in remote areas.

“Ang pinakauyokan nga problema nga gyera pinaagi sa armadong bakigbisog, nasuta nga dili diay gyira gamit ang armas ug bala ang kasulbaran niini, kon dili ang tukma nga kasulbaran, pinaagi diay sa pagsulbad sa problema sa pamahaw, paniudto ug panihapon, pinaagi sa paghatag ug kapanginabuhian sa katawhang kabus, ilabi na gayud sa mga sakop sa katawhang Lumad sa among dapit nga mao ang Tribung Higaonon ug mga kasikbit nga mga barangay ng uhaw sap ag-amuma sa atong kagamhanan,” he maintained.

(Armed struggle is never the solution to the problems experienced by many. It is through solving hunger by providing livelihood to marginalized communities, especially to the "Lumads" and other communities who are thirsty for government support.)

Duque thanked President Duterte and his administration for the projects given to his barangay saying, “Ang mga programa nga gipatuman ubos sa imong administrasyon, Tatay Digong, sugod na namong natagamtaman ug kini niabot na ug nabati gayud mismo sa labing ubos ug yano nga lumulupyo sa kabaranggayan, ilabi na sa barangay Eureka."

(Tatay Digong, we are now enjoying the projects you gave to our barangay.)

The Misamis Oriental Task Force End Local Communist and Armed Conflict (MisOr-ELCAC) was launched in Barangay Eureka in September 2019. (IJBD/PIA10)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1069928