ON the anniversary of the declaration of Davao City as an insurgency-free city, Vice President Sara Duterte recalls the transformation of Paquibato District from an insurgency hotspot to a peaceful district.
During her speech at Rizal Park on Wednesday, May 24, Duterte said the Paquibato District used to be a “stronghold” of the New People’s Army (NPA) and rebel groups before transformative programs were put in place.
“One year ago today, we Dabawenyos claimed our freedom. Freedom from the shackles of a group that has, for decades, through a bloody armed struggle, perpetuated a cycle of violence that trapped many poor Filipino families, especially those living in the countryside such as our Lumad brothers and sisters,” Duterte said.
One of the programs the vice president mentioned was Peace 911 which led to Paquibato’s transformation. It was started during her term as the former mayor of Davao City.
“The Peace 911 won the hearts of the people of Paquibato through projects and programs that offered them the opportunity to become productive, provided them with livelihood, made them discover new skills, capacitated women, and built their confidence as individuals and as a community,” Duterte said.
As the secretary of the Department of Education, the vice president also called on for the protection of children and their right to education - citing the national peace curriculum that aims to teach children about conflict resolution.
“Education, as we know, harbors power that could change the course of our lives and that of our fellowmen. It is a tool that can emancipate us from poverty or injustice. It is also a powerful tool for peacebuilding and combating terrorism,” she said.
The major guerilla groups were declared dismantled last March 2022 and Davao City was declared insurgency-free in May 2022. ICM