Governor Nelson Dayanghirang says he wants his province to lead in the fight to end the decades-old Communist insurgency.
During the fourth quarter Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) executive committee meeting which was attended by all the mayors in the province, the Governor vows to intensify his flagship program called the Nagkakaisang Lingkod Bayan ng Davao Oriental — Barangay Outreach Caravan (NLD-BOC) which has become an inspiration in the crafting of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order Number 70 entitled “Institutionalizing the Whole-of-Nation Approach in Attaining Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, Creating a National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), and Directing the Adoption of a National Peace Framework.”
“The President’s term is about to end. Let us help him to realize our most cherished dream of resolving the decades-old Communist insurgency. As chair of the Davao Region’s peace and order council, I want the Davao Region to take the lead in solving the insurgency. And I want Davao Oriental to be the leader in ending the local Communist armed conflict,” says Governor Dayanghirang.
Under EO 70, the whole-of-nation approach has been institutionalized as a government policy for the attainment of inclusive and sustainable peace. Towards this end, the government shall prioritize and harmonize the delivery of basic services and social services packages in conflict-affected areas and vulnerable communities, facilitate social inclusivity and ensure the active participation of all sectors of society in the pursuit of the country’s peace agenda.
“The Provincial Task Force — ELCAC launched five Oplans in a span of three months which are the Oplan Marayag on September 15, Oplan Tubaon on October 15, Oplan Tomoaong on October 21, Oplan Maputi on November 12, and Oplan Mahayag on November 18, all of this year 2020. This program intends to strengthen the efforts of the government in reaching out to remote barangays by pooling the programs of the various provincial government offices, national line agencies, civil society organizations, and private organizations. All these are done to make sure that no one in Davao Oriental is left behind,” says Governor Dayanghirang.
“The first batch of former rebels were awarded with P1.3 million for livelihood and immediate assistance, and P2.5 million for firearms remuneration, while the second batch have already completed their 10-day deradicalization program. Earlier today, 26 former rebels graduated from their two months of skills training and will be receiving a total of P2.1 million for their livelihood, reintegration and immediate assistance, along with the firearm remuneration all under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program,” adds the Governor.
The NTF-ELCAC’s 12 lines of efforts are the following:
1. Local Government Empowerment.
2. International Engagement.
3. Legal Cooperation.
4. Strategic Communication.
5. Basic Services.
6. Livelihood and Poverty Alleviation.
7. Infrastructure and Resources Management.
8. Peace and Development
9. Situational Awareness and Knowledge Management.
10. Localized Peace Engagement
11. E-CLIP and Amnesty Program.
12. Sectoral Unification, Capacity Building and Empowerment. |By Ferdinand Zuasola
