TULUNAN, Cotabato Province – The Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) of North Cotabato has helped address concerns of residents lacking civil registry documents in EO 70 target villages in Tulunan municipality.
The PTF-ELCAC, led by Gov. Nancy Catamco, handed over birth certificates and marriage contracts to recipients in Barangay Bayanal and Nabundasan on Saturday, February 26. Both barangays are part of a peace zone.
The initiative was carried out to provide residents with their legal identity based on their registration in the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Lacking legal documents such as birth certificate was among secondary issues identified during the conduct of Community Support Program (acsp) of the 39th Infantry Battalion; the same issue has been exploited by the Communist Terrorist Groups to gain sympathy and establish mass base supporters.
In Barangay Nabundasan, apart from distribution of civil registry papers, the task force also turned over a recently completed potable water system to community.
Earlier this year, the 30-year old Peace Zone declaration was amended through a community assembly changing the tenor into an Executive Order 70 or Whole of Nation Approach-based peace building declaration.
Gov. Catamco expressed optimism in addressing the issues of communities holistically.
“With this provision, our communities and citizens can obviously enjoy the peace and development initiatives of our government. I am hoping that we will always be working hand-in-hand to make these projects and programs holistic and thriving,” Catamco said
"It is in our information that both barangay Banayal and Nabundasan in Tulunan, North Cotabato are actually considered conflict-affected areas. People from these communities suffered from exploitation, fear, and conflict-related activities; but, because of the government intervention brought upon by the NTF-ELCAC, these barangays have been recipient of numerous services and development programs paving way for lasting peace." she added. (with report from 39th Infantry Battalion, 10ID, Philippine Army)
