𝐎𝐏𝐀𝐏𝐑𝐔 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐯 𝐔𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Strongholds are weakened and progress starts to sprout in the corners of Davao de Oro’s valleys formerly under the grasp of the communist groups. 

The deterioration of the red strongholds significantly turned the tables in favor of the residents in far-flung communities who suffered circumstances brought by the clash between the government and the rebels in the past years.

Since 2016, the eleven (11) identified guerilla fronts in Davao de Oro have turned down to one (1) in 2021, a shred of concrete evidence that the provincial government unleashed all its efforts to bring the program of the Duterte’s Administration in combating insurgency into action.

Recently, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) honored thirty-eight (38) Leaders as partners of peace at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). Seventeen (17) of which are Mindanawon Leaders including Governor Tyron Uy of Davao de Oro.

In a statement by OPAPRU Undersecretary David Diciano, OPAPRU honors its stakeholders for helping the agency towards pushing forward its programs and projects which enable former combatants to smoothly reintegrate into mainstream society and live as peaceful and productive Filipinos.

In Davao de Oro, one of the determiners of progress is achieving peace all throughout its scope through programs under its Peace Agenda. From 2016 to 2021, a total of 1,116 former rebels in the province received assistance and firearms remuneration from the Enhanced Comprehensive  Local Integration Program (ECLIP) of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). 

Moreover, the Oplan Pagbabago program, a flagship program under Gov. Uy’s peace agenda, is instrumental to the achievements in relation to peace and order in the province. The program was able to pull-off accomplishments through provisions of assistance to former combatants and community-based serbisyo caravan which offers services to Dabawenyos in hard to reach areas.

Further, its strategic communications team also continues conducting information drives to prevent the infiltration of the communist groups in vulnerable sectors in the society such as the youth sector, labor groups, indigenous peoples, and women groups among others.

OPAPRU thanked its partners and stakeholders who worked with them side by side, focused on the goal of achieving secured and peaceful communities, and transforming the lives of former combatants. 

Governor Uy expressed his gratitude to be a part of the OPAPRU, and prays that achievements of peace in the province will be sustained in order for every dabawenyo to live in peace and harmony. (JA PAO-IPRD, photo from Mindanews and J. Cadiz)