By Minerva Newman
CEBU CITY – The Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV), in partnership with the local government of Negros Oriental and the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Central Command (AFP-CentCom) initiated the Local Peace Initiatives (LPI) forum dubbed as “Malasakit for Peace and Development” as a paradigm shift in dealing with the insurgency problem in the Visayas regions.
(OPAV via Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
Last week, more than a hundred participants composed of the local chief executives, representatives from various government agencies and sectoral organizations joined hands with the officials of the AFP-CentCom to pursue a localized peace/development brand that is tailored for a particular local government unit.
Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo said the LGUs should take the lead in the localized peace talks because “we know better our constituents, their culture, and the issues they face every day”.
Degamo enjoined the participants to support the government’s Local Peace Initiative (LPI) program.
AFP-CentCom commander Lt. Gen. Paul Talay Atal, in his message presented the government’s position in dealing with the insurgents.
“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is the President for all the Filipinos, not just to the grumbling few who fell in love to an ideology that actually failed to alleviate the lives of people in impoverished communities,” Atal said.
The Philippine Army's 303rd Brigade presented the local security situation, while the AFP Central Command presented the local implementation of the AFP Campaign Plan Development Support and Security Plan (DSSP) “Kapayapaan”.
According to Atal, the DSSP-Kapayapaan is an integrated peace and development program approach specific in areas identified as insurgency threatened, infiltrated and or affected.
The AFP provides the needed security and safety of development workers on those areas as well as assist them in the technical and engineering works, when needed, he added.
Presidential Adviser for the Visayas Michael Llyod Dino presented the government’s position of building peace at the countryside.
He said the LPI forum identifies areas of concern for specific peace and development projects that will be implemented in barangays that are insurgency affected, threatened or infiltrated.
The local barangay officials will be assisted to identify those needed development projects in their areas.
These identified projects form part of the development plan of the concerned LGU with specific funding for implementation, Dino added.
Dino said the afternoon session was devoted for the identification of activities that local government units will implement in pursuit of the local peace initiative.
Dino encouraged everyone who attended to come up with a “one-stop shop” to facilitate the delivery of the peace packages to those who will return to the folds of the law.
"We have to show them that the Government is sincere and is working hard for the well-being of every Filipino,” Dino added.