DAVAO DEL NORTE (PIA) - The national and local government have prepared an abode for indigenous peoples who have left Haran and those in the process of leaving from such facility to once again live at their ancestral domain in Talaingod, Davao del Norte.
Secretary Carlito Galvez of the Office of the Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process (OPAPP) recently visited the far-flung village of Tibucag in Brgy Dagohoy, Talaingod, Davao del Norte to join Governor Edwin Jubahib in a ground-breaking ceremony to start the construction of the so-called “Peace Village” with 125 housing units.
He also turned over to P11.25 million funds in cheque to Jubahib who had seen the dire need for housing units as crucial part to efforts of bringing back home those who remain in Haran which according to some testimonies of those sneaked out from there, “is a place where they were indoctrinated to go against the government”.
In an interview, Jubahib viewed the Peace Village as fulfillment of the whole of nation approach of President Rodrigo Duterte’s thrust to end local communist armed conflict based on his Executive Order No. 70.
“Ito na ngayon na ginawa natin nga ang atong mga katawhan nga mga IPs nga sila ang pinaka daling ma recruit sa mga NPAs, nga seryoso na sila nga mibalik sa gobyerno. kani nga balay pwede nato ni tawagon na bahay ng pangkapayapaan. sa Davao del Norte kini ‘Kaagapay sa Bag-ong Panimalay’ (This is what we are doing right now for the indigenous people who are most vulnerable to New People’s Army recruitment; that they are seriously returning to the folds of the government. We can call this house Bahay Pangkapayapaan. In Davao del Norte, we will call this as ‘Kaagapay sa Bag-ong Panimalay.”,” he said
Jubahib said that water supply and electricity connection would be among the components of the Peace Village housing project. He also assured to initiate road rehabilitation to facilitate easy access to Sitio Tibucag.
Meanwhile, Galvez assured to work out for school building construction near the Peace Village. He said he would be taking up this concern with the Department of Education (DepEd).
“Simula pa lang po ito ngayon, Gov , simula pa lang po ito. (This is just the beginning Gov.),” he addressed Governor Jubahib.
“Ang ating mahal na Presidente, ang kanyang puso ay nasa inyo at kami po ay nangangako na gagawin ang lahat ng aming magagawa para maiayos ang inyong kabuhayan (Our beloved President, his heart is for you and we are assuring you to do everything that we can to make your lives even better),” he told the crowd of residents of Tibucag.
On top of the housing units, the provincial government of Davao del Norte is set to infuse agri-venture and livestock projects for Tibucag villagers to earn a living. PLGU Davao del Norte and OPAPP also intend to construct a tribal house where villagers can meet and discuss self -governance and ways of preserving their culture.
But Jubahib had appealed to residents of this far-flung sitio to relinquish allegiance and support in whatever forms, from NPAs and their allied groups.
“Kinahanglan nga mobiya na sila diha sa gropo sa NPA ug mobalik na sila sa sabakan sa atong panggamhanan. seryoso ang goberyo sa pagtabang aron kitang tanan magkahiusa. (They have to leave the NPA and they have to come back to the folds of the government. The Government is serious in helping them for us to get united).” (Jeanevive Duron-Abangan/PIA XI)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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