By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) on Saturday announced that it is doing all it can to speed up the government’s comprehensive peacebuilding strategy, localized peace engagements, and amnesty processing to expedite the reintegration of former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) into mainstream society.
In a statement, OPAPRU Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento said the agency will continue the collaborative peace efforts to bring essential government services directly to communities once burdened by conflict.
This initiative, Sarmiento said, is being done in coordination with local government units (LGUs), security forces, and various national agencies to ensure no one is left behind in the transition to peace.
“Under the guidance of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., our goal is not merely the cessation of hostilities but the cultivation of a lasting peace that addresses the root causes of conflict and reinforces positive peace,” he said.
Bringing the government closer to the people proves that the path of peace is far more rewarding than the path of armed struggle, Sarmiento said.
“We are committed to ensuring that every individual who chooses to lay down their arms is met with the tools and support necessary to become a partner in national nation-building,” he added.
Sarmiento also noted that among the key peace efforts to dismantle the infrastructure of conflict and replace it with growth opportunities are:
• Localized peace gngagements: Facilitating municipal- and provincial-level dialogues and surrender processes to address community-specific grievances;
• Amnesty and legal normalization: Providing a clear legal pathway for former combatants, in partnership with the National Amnesty Commission; and
• Comprehensive reintegration: Delivering livelihood assistance, educational support, and psychosocial services to ensure former combatants and their families can sustain a productive civilian life.
The OPAPRU co-leads the Localized Peace Engagement Cluster of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict alongside the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Sarmiento said these initiatives aim to address the root causes of conflict while helping former combatants return to peaceful and productive civilian life. (PNA)
