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Friday, September 26, 2003
Poverty woes top new peace adviser's focus
By She Caguimbal-Torres
MANILA -- New chief peace adviser Teresita Deles said her efforts would be focused on ensuring the implementation of anti-poverty and development programs to help fast track peace talks with Moro and communist rebel groups in the country.
Arroyo announced the appointment of Deles, lead convenor of the National Anti-poverty Commission, as new presidential adviser on the peace process before leaving for her five-day working visit to the US, Italy and France.
Deles will replace Eduardo Ermita, who was appointed secretary of defense.
She said she would have a clearer idea about the responsibilities in her new post when Arroyo and Ermita, who is among those accompanying the President to the US, return.
Initially, though, Deles believed she would be required to "maintain and ensure that the momentum on the peace talks continue" and to "work on development and poverty-reduction programs to address the root cause of the insurgency problems."
"The statement of the President was clear that Secretary Ermita would hand over the job to me once we had a big headway or big development in the peace talks," added Deles, who is confident that government is on the right track in its peace efforts.
Government is set to resume formal talks with the MILF in Kuala Lumpur and while exploratory talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines will soon start in Oslo.
When she announced the appointment of Deles, Arroyo asked everyone to support her as well as Ermita in their new posts.
She said Ermita and Deles would assume their respective posts as soon as the incoming defense chief feels he could already leave his work at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process to his successor.
"...Not that Ging is not capable but, of course, Secretary Ermita, I'm sure, would like to be there when some of the early fruits of his hard work are bearing," Arroyo said.
Deles, who has been involved in non-governmental work for almost three decades, was the executive director of the Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute (GZO-PI) since 1991 before she joined NAPC on January 25, 2001.
She also served as convenor of the National Peace Conference (NPC) from 1990-1991 and co-founded the Coalition of Peace (CIP) in 1987 where she held the position chair-convenor from 1987 to 1994.
Deles was also the sectoral representative in the Ramos-led Social Reform Council (SRC) where she provided active leadership in the accelerated advocacy of the basic sectors on the basic peace agenda addressed to the government, particularly through the Social Reform Agenda (SRA).
Deles, as NAPC lead convenor, had been involved in the peace efforts, particularly in addressing the root cause of the insurgency in the country.
Deles said she is grateful that Arroyo continues to trust her, adding she was first informed about her new assignment on Sept. 19.
(September 26, 2003 issue)
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