FILIPINO vocalist of the Journey Band Arnel Pineda is the new peace champion, awarded by Act for Peace Program head Secretary Jesus Dureza in last week's Panaghoy sa Kalinaw, a concert for peace held at the KCC Mall, General Santos City.

Pineda, a singing sensation who got his break from his performance in video-sharing website Youtube and later got his spot as the lead singer of the Journey, volunteered to sing songs for peace.

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Before leaving the country for international shows, he opted to join several local bands in the Panaghoy sa Kalinaw. It is aimed to heighten consciousness on peace and conflict and the plight of internally displaced persons.

He was chosen to advocate for peace because of his humble beginnings.

Dureza said that persons like him deserve to be emulated as they bring honor and hope for the country. Despite the difficulties he faced along his journey, Pineda proved how hard work has brought him to the top.

The P50 donation of each person who attended the concert will be used to buy educational supplies for "bakwit" kids or IDPs affected by the armed conflict in Sarangani.

Such donation is believed to encourage these kids to go back to school this coming opening in June.

With him during the concert for peace was Duncan Ramos who also urged the youth to stay in school and help promote peace in their area.

Pineda also joined the Act for Peace team during the turnover of medical equipment to the residents of Barangay San Jose, General Santos City. This is one of the barangays affected at the height of peace conflict between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in the 1970s. But the place today is already considered an area of peace and development with various donations coming in from donor agencies.

The peace champion donated school supplies to the school children as well as cash to support the barangay in its various programs.

He also led the ceremonial feeding of malnourished children that same day. The ACT for Peace Programme also launched Sunday its feeding program in the community.