GPH-CPLA peace pact in line with Cordillera economic dev’t goals – OPAPP exec

Banaue, Ifugao, Sept. 7 – An official of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) assured the Cordillera Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) that the closure agreement recently forged between the Government of the Philippines(GPH) and the Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CBA-CPLA) will be reflective of the development aspirations of the region.

“Projects identified in the MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) will not be stand alone projects. They are in line with the plan of the whole region in terms of economic development,” OPAPP Undersecretary Cleofe "Gettie" Sandoval told the RPOC during its 3rdquarterly meeting held recently in this town famed for its centuries-old rice terraces.

“It will definitely be consistent with the targets of the leaders in the Cordillera and therefore a lot of feasibility and validation will happen to make sure they are really needed by the people and they will really serve the purpose for which they are intended for,” she added.

Sandoval, who graced the event as a resource speaker, oriented the council members on the PAMANA or Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Peaceful and Resilient Communities) – the Aquino government’s program and framework for peace and development.

“PAMANA is a complementary track to peace as the current government recognizes that development needs to happen side by side with the pursuit of a negotiated political settlement with armed groups. In the Cordillera, what have been negotiated by the GPH and the CBA-CPLA will be vigorously manifested and sustained on the ground via the implementation of the MOA,” she explained.

Sandoval also said that the development plans under the GPH-CPLA agreement will be implemented through PAMANA.

OPAPP will be starting the community validation series on PAMANA by the third week of September. A Project Management Office (PMO) will be set up to spearhead the activities for said purpose.

Infrastructure projects initially listed for community validation are warehouses and solar drying facilities, irrigation canals, potable water systems, school buildings, and road improvements, to name a few. #