Vice President Sara: Good governance key to ending communist insurgency

MANILA, Philippines — Good governance will be the key in putting an end to the decades-long communist insurgency in the country, according to Vice President Sara Duterte.

“There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution for this problem. I know one thing that could be an essential tool in ending the insurgency problem, and that is good governance,” Duterte said in her remarks during the opening of the Davao Peace Village held at the SM Mall Davao on Sept. 11. 

“When communities have increased access to good education, economic opportunities, health care services and other government initiatives, terrorists will have lesser chances to access them,” she explained.

Dubbed “Peace Village: An Exhibit of Davao Region’s Milestones in Peace and Development,” the three-day peace fair is a collaborative effort of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), the City Government of Davao through its Peace 911 Program and the provincial governments of Davao de Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental.

Duterte pointed out that the Philippine government has “made great strides in establishing peace in the Philippines,” saying the Moro conflict ended through the signing of two landmark peace agreements that addressed the root causes of violence.

She noted that the government, through the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, has been facilitating local peace agreements in communities influenced by communist-terrorist groups.

The Vice President also lauded and thanked the OPAPRU for spearheading the conduct of the Peace Village and for partnering with the Davao City government’s Peace 911 and provincial local government units in the Davao region.

For his part, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, whose message was read by Davao City Councilor Marissa Abella, cited the major gains achieved by the city and all LGUs in the Davao region in ending the armed rebellion.

“Through the collaborative efforts of our local government units, private partners and all agencies of the government involved have sustained our campaign and today, we are proud to showcase those achievements,” he added.

Davao del Norte Gov. Edwin Jubahib underscored that the peace-building initiatives of stakeholders should not only aim to end situations of conflict, but also to promote justice, equality and human rights.

The governor said the Peace Village is a testament of everyone’s desire to address the roots of violence and armed conflict through peaceful dialogue. 

Meanwhile, lawyer Elisa Evangelista-Lapiña, OPAPRU director for Eastern Mindanao, cited the Peace Village “as a testament of our shared resolve, a beacon of hope that signifies our dedication to fostering an environment where peace, reconciliation and unity can flourish.”

The Peace Village ran from Sept. 11 to 13. It was among the activities in celebration of this year’s National Peace Consciousness Month with the theme “Kapayapaan: Responsibilidad ng Bawat Mamamayan.”