PEACE BY PEACE The Philippines has long endured conflict in regions afflicted by decades of insurgency. For several years, we have seen how conflict restricted the growth of our nation, dividing the Filipino people and causing further strife within communities. In the center of these challenges,...
The ruins of Marawi City during the 2017 siege (File photo) In times of conflict or wars, it is often the voice of men that are listened to by the people: informing who and where the enemies are, what to do and where to go to keep us safe, and what plans the government should do to defeat the...
OPAPRU Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. (Photo: Martin Sadongdong / MANILA BULLETIN) The exclusion of the province of Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will only have a “minimal impact” on the national government’s efforts to establish just and lasting peace in the...
OPAPRU Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. (fifth from left) poses with Gawad Kapayapaan awardees namely Department of Budget and Management Sec. Amenah Pangandaman (sixth from left), Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer (center), and Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte Mayor Rommel Arnado (sixth from right) along with their...
PEACE BY PEACE During formal discussions and casual conversations, I am often asked: “Charlie, why do we need to invest in peace?” And my response would be: We need to invest in peace because the scars of conflict in our country run deep. We need to invest in peace because never has it been...
PEACE BY PEACE As the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) celebrated its 31st anniversary last Sept. 20, it has also become an opportunity for the agency to reflect on its remarkable three-decade journey. The theme for this year’s anniversary,...
OPAPRU Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. (Photo courtesy of OPAPRU) The country is seeking to be a “global model” for other nations for its successful efforts in addressing internal armed conflicts, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) said. OPAPRU Sec....
PEACE BY PEACE Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, officials of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) joined representatives from line agencies, local government units (LGUs), private sector, civil society, peace advocates and local stakeholders at the Mt. Data...
PEACE BY PEACE As President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. addressed the nation during the opening of this year’s National Peace Consciousness Month on Sept. 2, his message was loud and clear: Peace is the thread that binds our nation together. Marking the 28th anniversary of the 1996 Final Peace...
Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (middle) speaks about the status of insurgency in Mindanao during the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel media forum on Sept. 4, 2024. With him are the hosts, former senator Atty. Joey Lina (left) and...
PEACE BY PEACE Every September, Filipinos from all walks of life come together to commemorate National Peace Consciousness Month. This occasion isn’t just an ordinary celebration. It is a reminder of the transformative power of peace. The theme for this year is "Peace Month @20: Bagong Pilipinas...
The road to peace in the Bangsamoro region has been a long and challenging one. Recent developments, however, indicate that the dividends of peace are now at hand. Instrumental to the achievements made under the Bangsamoro peace process over the past 10 years is the Inter-Cabinet Cluster...