OPAPRU urges LGUs to make peace and development centers permanent for former rebels

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) is calling on local government units (LGUs) in the Davao Region and the rest of Mindanao to keep supporting former rebels through livelihood aid and other programs, so that they do not go back to the armed movement, according to Edge Davao.

Mart Sambalud of OPAPRU's Local Conflict Transformation Field Implementation Support Unit (LCT-FISO) Mindanao said LGUs should make Peace and Development Centers a permanent fixture of their programs. The centers serve as a main channel for localized peace engagements, government services, and the reintegration of former rebels into their communities. A permanent center, he said, would give former rebels a place to seek help at the provincial level.

Sambalud spoke on Monday during an orientation and update on the Localized Peace Engagement and Transformation Program with the Davao Press Corps at the Blue Lotus Hotel. He said a key challenge is getting local partners to back and maintain the centers, noting that some officials see them as an added burden while others recognise their value.

He stressed that former rebels and their families need help as they rebuild their lives, and warned that without continued support some may consider returning underground. "We really need to give them the assurance of sustained support," he said.

Sambalud said LGUs are being encouraged to lead peace programs because they are best placed to respond to community needs. He cited Davao Occidental and Davao del Norte as two provinces that have been very supportive in implementing the agency's programs.

Asked about challenges in the Davao Region, he said local governments have generally moved quickly, but procurement rules and document processing sometimes delay activities. He advised LGUs to schedule procurement-dependent activities in the first and second quarters of the year to allow enough time to complete requirements.

He also noted that the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and other agencies help by providing information and identifying former rebel communities that need assistance. Sambalud said peace efforts should continue even after a province or region has been declared insurgency-free.