BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) continues to assist communities in the Cordillera through the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) program since its launching in 2011.
PAMANA is the government flagship peace and development convergence program that extends development interventions to hard-to-reach and conflict-affected communities.
Forging partnership with agencies supports the peace negotiation track and contributes to the goal of attaining just and lasting peace through convergent delivery of goods and services, and addressing development challenges in vulnerable areas.
“Yung PAMANA program is providing the opportunity for the communities to develop through projects,” said Cameron Odsey, OPAPRU Consultant for Regional Development Concerns.
During the Usapang PIA radio program on Sept. 19, 2024, Odsey shared that OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. was able to secure additional funding for the PAMANA program in the Cordillera.
From the more than P594 million PAMANA fund for CAR this year, it was increased to at least P1billion in 2025.
“Malaking increase ‘yun na maitutulong pa to complement ‘yung mga programs ng other agencies,” Odsey said.
He added that through the Secretary’s initiative, OPAPRU is looking into the development needs of the region and raising them to the Congress and national leaders for funding.
Various infrastructure projects and social services under the PAMANA program have been completed or are being undertaken in different areas in CAR.
Odsey also mentioned that 473 members of the Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People’s Liberation Army were employed as bantay-gubat or forest guards through the National Greening Program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
However, the DENR said that their fund cannot anymore sustain the employment of the forest guards. He said Galvez already sent a letter to the DENR secretary requesting that budget for the employment of the forest guards be retained.
The OPAPRU first funded the employment of the bantay-gubat.
The PAMANA program also extends its reach to communities covered under Executive Order No. 70 institutionalizing the whole-of-nation approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace.
It is affirmed to support the six-point peace and development agenda particularly on the implementation of peace-promoting, and catch-up socio-economic development in conflict-affected and conflict-vulnerable areas.
On Sept. 24, 2024, the Department of Labor and Employment will turnover livelihood projects during the ceremonial mass withdrawal of support to the communist terrorist group in Impugong, Tinoc, Ifugao. (DEG with report from Fatima Gilledo, PIA PHINMA-UPang Intern)
