Marcos names acting presidential peace adviser

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has designated Isidro Purisima as the acting presidential adviser on peace, reconciliation and unity, replacing Carlito Galvez Jr., who was appointed defense secretary last month.

Before his new post, Purisima served as the head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU)’s Office of the Presidential Assistant for Local Conflict Transformation and Peace Sustainability.

Marcos has also appointed Wilben Mayor as Presidential Assistant 1 under the OPAPRU. Mayor previously worked as executive director of the OPAPRU’s Office of the Chief of Staff.

Meanwhile, Senando Santiago has been appointed as acting general manager and chief executive officer and member of the Board of Directors of the Laguna Lake Development Authority.

Marcos has also named Gabriel Lagamayo as acting administrator and member of the National Dairy Industry Board of the National Dairy Authority, Domingo Bartolome Gonzaga as director 2 under the National Meat Inspection Service and Julieta Opulencia as deputy executive director 3 under the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries.

The President has likewise appointed David Erro and Virginia Oroco as acting members of the Board of Directors of the Landbank of the Philippines, representing agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Emerico de Guzman and Rufino Margate Jr. have been named members of the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council under the Department of Labor and Employment, representing the employer sector.

The President has also appointed Valerie Joy Brion as executive director 5 under the Commission on Filipinos Overseas and Flora Politud-Gabunales as director 4 under the Department of Trade and Industry.

Presidential press briefer Daphne Oseña-Paez announced the latest presidential appointees at a Malacañang briefing yesterday.

‘Genuine peace’

The OPAPRU and the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) are crucial in bringing genuine peace and sustainable development in the country, Marcos emphasized during the oath-taking of the two agency’s officials at Malacañang last Monday.

“The National Amnesty (Commission) and the OPAPRU work together to bring peace to our countryside. We in government know how important our work is, and that is why it is very important that you understand that we must work together. We are here to support the advocacies that our agencies represent,” the President said.

“Certainly, the peace process is important because without the peace process, progress will not be made,” he added.

Aside from the OPAPRU and the NAC, Marcos also led the oath-taking of the officials of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) and the Marawi Compensation Board (MCB).

“These agencies are not terribly well-known, but are extremely important to the function of this government,” he said.

He also challenged government agencies to ensure all-encompassing and inclusive peace and prosperity.

The President pointed out that even if the economy improves but this is not felt by the people, their efforts will have gone to waste.

“We are confident with the performance you will show after, now that you have become officials. I look forward to hearing from you as you get settled in your jobs,” he added.

Those who took their oath of office for the OPAPRU were Purisima, Mayor, Presidential Assistant I Arnulfo Pajarillo, Presidential Assistant I David Diciano, Executive Director IV Andres Aguinaldo Jr., Executive Director IV Susan Guadalupe Marcaida and Executive Director IV Cesar de Mesa.

For the NAC, the agency’s chair Leah Tanodra-Armamento and Commissioners Nasser Marohomsalic and Jamar Kulayan took their oath of office during the event.

Formerly known as the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), the OPAPRU was created through Executive Order (EO) 158 signed in December 2021.

EO 158 renamed the OPAPP to OPAPRU and expanded its mandate. Aside from fulfilling the national government’s commitments to all signed peace agreements, it is also tasked to foster reconciliation and unity among the Filipino people.

The NAC, on the other hand, is tasked to receive and process applications for amnesty submitted through the Local Amnesty Board and determine whether the applicants are entitled to amnesty under Proclamation 1090, 1091, 1092 or 1093.

The said proclamations, except one, were concurred with by both the House of Representatives and the Senate on Jan. 24 last year. Proclamation 1093 was concurred with by the lower chamber only.

The proclamations cover the applications for amnesty of members of rebel groups, which include the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moro National Liberation Front and Rebolusyonaryong Partidong Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade-Tabara Paduano Group or KAPATIRAN. – Jose Rodel Clapano