Army: Pampanga a peaceful, developed province

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - The commanding officer of the Philippine Army’s 703rd Brigade proposed the declaration of Pampanga, as well as Bataan, as peaceful and development-ready provinces.

During the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) inter-agency meeting, General Pio Gregorio Catapang gave the guests an overview on the peace and security beyond the region.

Since mid-year of 2008 in Pampanga and first quarter of 2011 in Bataan, said Catapang, there were no recorded violent atrocities and no recorded sectoral activities of Local Communist Movements (LCMs).

“As attested by the local government officials, security and peace in these provinces has improved and the people have been enjoying relative peace and security in their homes and other places of engagements,” the commanding officer said.

This has gained positive socio-economic impacts and prospects.

“The Joint Peace and Security Communication and Coordination Center (JPSCCC) is in place and the spirit of bayanihan exists among us, government agencies, local government units and other stakeholders,” he added.

JPSCCC is a joint initiative of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to improve peace and order in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

“Thus, we need to declare the provinces of Pampanga and Bataan as ‘Peaceful and Ready for Further Developments’,” he stated. (PR)