DAVAO CITY (PIA) — The Peace Village, organized by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Eastern Mindanao, in partnership with Davao City local government and provincial governments in Davao region, was formally opened at SM City Davao on September 11.
Vice President Sara Z. Duterte leads the opening of the three-day Peace Village at the SM City Davao, Sept. 11, in the observance of the National Peace Consciousness Month in Davao Region.
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte graced the event as part of the celebration of the Peace Consciousness Month this September. She was joined by Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) Secretary Leo Tereso Magno and other government officials from both the national government agencies and local government units.
Vice President Sara Duterte urges the public to expose the lies of the terrorists
In her message, Vice President Duterte, who is also the co-vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), said she is happy to be part of this celebration, where all the five provinces here plus Davao City showcased the gains of the peace-building efforts in Davao Region. She expressed hope that the entire country will be insurgency-free.
She said that the village reflects the victory of Davao City and Davao Region in the fight against insurgency, noting that it could “serve as a reminder that cooperation between government agencies, civil society organizations and lie-minded individuals is a powerful source of power to change our people’s course of life.”
“I personally hope and pray that the Philippines will soon witness the end of insurgency across the country,” VP Duterte said.
She stressed that the war waged by the NPAs for decades brought misery to the lives of the people, fear and complete desolation to our communities.
She urged everyone to maintain their support and work collectively to preserve this situation by revealing the lies and deceptions of these groups. She emphasized that with such efforts, communities can be liberated from the NPAs who instill fear among the population, commit civilian and Lumad leader killings, employ landmines against soldiers, and extort money to fund their acts of terrorism.
She also stressed that good governance is the key to put an end to the over 54 years communist insurgency in the Philippines.
The Vice President admitted that “Winning peace is difficult because before peace is won, we have to go through the path of confidence building, establishing mutual trust and complete community participation. This is a painstaking process.”
According to her, “there is no one size-fits all solution to this problem. I know one essential tool in ending the insurgency problem — and that is good governance.”
On the other hand, Secretary Magno lauded the local government units and its respective local chief executives in achieving peace in the region.
He said the Peace Village showcased how the different LGU’s fight insurgency with peace and development.
“Today’s inauguration of this Peace Village is a testament that we have gone a long way in terms of peace and development in the Davao Region. And we have to give thanks to the OPAPRU for this. We also give credit to all the LGUs in the Davao Region including all other agencies, groups and organizations for their unwavering commitment in creating a nurturing environment where peace, reconciliation and unity thrive,” Magno said.
Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) Secretary Leo Tereso Magno lauds the the local government units and its respective local chief executives in achieving peace in Davao Region.
OPAPRU Eastern Mindanao Director Elisa D. Evangelista-Lapiña reminds the public of everyone’s critical role in achieving lasting peace
Meanwhile, OPAPRU Eastern Mindanao Director Elisa D. Evangelista-Lapiña cited the Peace Village “as a testament of shared resolve, a beacon of hope that signifies dedication to fostering an environment where peace, reconciliation and unity can flourish.”
She added that “It’s more than just a physical location, it’s a dynamic hub, an epicenter of transformation, where we come together to transcend the challenges that have hindered our progress for too long.”
Director Lapiña reiterated that this year’s theme reminds us that we hold a critical role in peace building and everyone of us holds a vital position in achieving lasting peace.
“This is a reminder that peace is everyone’s concern, we can only make this peace gains sustain if we all help to sustain lasting peace in Davao region.
The event stands as a symbol of the government’s collective commitment to fostering peace, reconciliation and unity in the region.(JBG/JMSS/PIA Davao)
