AN OFFICIAL from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (Opapru) bared during the ISpeak Media Forum on Thursday morning, August 31, at the Davao City Hall that building Peace Centers in the Davao Region modeled after the Peace 911 is being proposed.
Opapru Eastern Mindanao Director Atty. Eliza Lapiña said that under the leadership of Special Assistant to President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, who is also the concurrent co-vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), it is proposed that every local government unit (LGU) and provinces must have Peace Centers.
The NTF-ELCAC is deliberating that these Peace Centers will be constructed through the idea of Davao City’s Peace 911.
At the regional level, Lapiña said the Opapru is into enhancing the approaches that are focused on the former rebels, their families, and communities.
One good example of applying these approaches is done in the Paquibato District in which the people already claim peace on the ground. Through the initiative of the residents, peace is sustained. Hence, nearby municipalities are considering taking similar steps.
Lapiña emphasized that the role of these Peace Centers is to be the center of peace efforts related to insurgency — from rebel returnees to reintegration into society.
Before its implementation, the Opapru will be conducting a pilot testing of the Peace Center in Caraga on September 15.
The Peace 911 is the initiative of the Local Government Unit of Davao. It supports and enables economic growth in its focal region as well as inclusive, cooperative, and collaborative peacemaking and peacebuilding activities.
Meanwhile, in celebration of the National Peace Consciousness Month this September, with the theme “Kapayapaan ay responsibilidad ng bawat Mamamayan”, the Davo Region will be commemorating the achievement of the entire region for being insurgency-free.
As Regional Peace and Order Council Chair for Region 11, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte will be hosting a gathering at the Royal Mandaya Hotel on Friday, September 1, for the neighboring provinces and municipalities so they will observe and join in the celebrations of the Peace Games here in our region.
From September 11 to 13, Opapru will also be having a Peace Village at the SM City Ecoland which will be hosted by Peace 911. Here, the provinces will showcase their peace games and the current situation of their Friends Rescued (FR, also an abbreviation for former rebels).
On September 19 to 21, a peace fair will be spearheaded by the Mindanao Peace Council at the NCCC Victoria Plaza.
Lapiña encourages everyone to participate and cooperate with the activities prepared so that the community will be aware of the responsibility when it comes to peacebuilding. RGP
