PAMANA continue implement peace and development projects in conflict affected areas

By Jun Enriquez

(3rd from right) OPAPP ASEC Rolly Asuncion, (2nd from right) PAMANA Chair Musa Snguila Resource Person and presiding officer, respectively.

Iligan City – It was the 23^rd Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) meeting held on August 16, 2016 at Hotel Alemania this city and discussed among others  the assessments and updates of project implentations. PAMANA is the national government’s convergence program that extends development interventions to isolated, hard-to-reach and conflict-affected communities, ensuring that they are not left behind. The design and delivery of PAMANA is conflict-sensitive and peace-promoting (CSPP) to avoid the recurrence of any source of conflict. With a number of national line agencies as implementing partners, PAMANA remains as the government’s flagship program for conflict-vulnerable and –affected areas in the country—covering all existing peace tables and agreements. The PAMANA projects in Lanao del Note totaled to at least 63.5 Million pesos composed of Agriculture development for the people affected by the conflict, construction of farm to market roads, livelihood projects to former combatants, agriculture development, farm implements and equipments, farm animals, and livestock raising, livelihood skills training program and alternative learning system are also included in the project.

4th from right, Linamon Mayor Randy Macapil

National government agencies involved are the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Commission on Higher Education (CHED). This included the security sector, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP). Also include the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in partnership with the identified communities by providing culture of peace education as part of the conflict transformation program. At least 63.5 million pesos worth of projects mostly on Agriculture development were given to the local government units to be implemented on communities affected by the conflict.

Mr. Musa Sangila, chairman of the PAMANA Lanaw said he is very thankful of the cooperation of the local government chief executives in attending meetings to update the status of the PMANA projects in their respective communities. Some of the project implementations were on delay due to the just concluded elections in May 2016. Other unimplemented projects in previous years were forfeited and budget for those projects were return back to the general fund.

 

at left, Lorry Gabule, PIA Manager, Iligan City

Assistant Secretary Rolly Asuncion, for the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) said PAMANA projects will continue to be implemented in the identified conflict affected areas especially in Lanao del Norte. He said the OPAPP will recommend to the AFP to establish two Engineering brigade to implement infrastructure projects to far flung areas which are unreachable by the contractors due to safety issues. This idea was brought up by Col. Ezra James Enriquez, Deputy Commander of the 2^nd Mechanized Infantry “Magbalantay” Brigade, Philippine Army based in Ma. Cristina, Iligan City.

Former Commander Abedin Sanguila, former combatant of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) border command, based in Bacolod, Lanao del Norte said that their group is one of the beneficiaries of the arms-to-farms program. They acquired mechanized farm tractor, seeds and seedlings, livestock and farm animals. He said “meron na kaming livelihood ngayon bigay ng gobyerno at kailangan naming alagaan ito.” It means we acquired livelihood projects from the government and we will take care of this.

 Assistant Secretary Rolly Asuncion, on the other hand said that the government expressed concern on the Six-point Peace and Development Agenda of the Government. First, is the Continuity of the GPH-MILF Peace Process through implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CAB), Assessment and formulation of an enhanced approach and timetable (roadmap) for the implementation of the CAB and its annexes and sub-agreements;

Second, closure of the GPH-MNLF Peace Process, Complete implementation of remaining commitments of GPH under the MNLF Peace Agreement based on the result of the Tripartite review within an agreed timeframe, Ensure convergence between the 1996 FPA and the CAB in an enabling law that will include the 42 consensus points agreed upon by the GPH and the MNLF legal panels during the Tripartite review process;  Third, is the Continuity of the GPH-CPP/NDF/NPA Peace Process towards a Final Peace Agreement, Reconstitution of the list and release of NDFP consultants protected by special agreements participating in the negotiations;

Fourth, the Closure of the peace agreements with the Communist Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa – Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletariat Army/Alex Bongcayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB). Fifth, is the Development in conflict-affected areas, Enhancement of the Peace and Development framework making social cohesion, conflict transformation and good governance as cornerstones, accelerated implementation of peace and development projects in areas covered by peace agreements.

 

At left, Mayor Casan Maquiling of Munai & next
to him is Mayor Rafael Rizalda of Maigo

Sixth, Promotion of the culture of peace and conflict sensitivity in peace building and development, continuing the work of integrating gender in the peace process including the implementation of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security Support to and capacity building for local conflict resolution, Integration, healing and reconciliation of former combatants and conflict affected communities, among others.

As of this time, the GPH and CPP-NPA-NDF started their first scheduled peace talks on August 22 and will end on August 27 held in Oslo, Norway. Unilateral ceasefire was declared on the part of the CPP-NPA-NDF until August 27, 2016. Both parties expected to sign peace agreement within this year.