CATARMAN, Northern Samar (PIA) -- A capacity development series for information officers of Local Government Units (LGUs) and the local media was conducted on October 21-22 at Villa Roma, San Antonio, this province, where discussions centered on peace efforts.
Entitled “Strengthening Communication and Advocacy for Peace and Development,” said activity collated different ideas from both sectors on the government’s efforts in attaining lasting peace.
Ms. Imelda Bonifacio, regional program manager of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process presented inputs by covering the entirety of road to peace and transformation specifically peacebuilding approaches and peace and development agenda.
She likewise re-introduced the government’s whole-of-nation approach, structure of government efforts through the clustering of services, which is capsulized in Executive Order 70 signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in December of 2018.
“EO 70 institutionalizes the whole-of-nation approach as a government policy for the attainment of inclusive and sustainable peace where the government shall prioritize and harmonize the delivery of basic services and social development in conflict affected areas and vulnerable communities, facilitate social inclusivity and ensure participation of all sectors,” Ms. Bonifacio explained.
Understanding conflict, its stages and manifestations, strategies and peacebuilding approaches, were also tackled.
Likewise, she delved on the structure of EO 70 from the National Task Force down to the provincial, municipal and barangay level, the functions and roles of various sectors in the community as well as the role of information officers and private media in the goal of attaining sustainable peace.
Bonifacio also shared about the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and Task Force Balik Loob, the benefits in store for a rebel returning to the folds of law, role of LGUs, wholistic reintegration package, partner agencies’ responsibilities, and the like.
The two-day capacity development session ended with a commitment from both the sponsoring Northern Samar Provincial Government - Provincial Information Office headed by Allen Berbon in partnership with the Philippine Information Agency Northern Samar Provincial Information Center for a follow-up meet up.
Instilling local peace engagement, attendees assured support from their end as information multipliers to spread and work with the government in the attainment of peace in this part of the region. (NBQ/ADiaz/PIA-N. Samar)
