‘Peace projects’ launched in former NPA bastions in Cotabato

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Local executives inaugurated separately on Friday, September 4, almost P30 million worth of infrastructure projects in four areas in Makilala town in Cotabato, meant to boost commerce and trade in the municipality, now free from the presence of the New People’s Army.

NPA guerillas once operated with impunity in the hinterlands in Makilala, one of the 17 towns in Cotabato province in Region 12, close to forested mountain ranges around Mount Apo.

Radio reports on Sunday stated that Vice Gov. Ella Taliño-Taray led the separate inaugural rites for the projects of the office of Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza, consisting of the road concreting in Kisante and in Garsika, P19.8 million, drainage and flood canal in Batasan, P3.6 million, and the flood control box culvert in Bato, P4.9 million.

Major Gen. Alvin Luzon, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division based in Mawab town in Davao de Oro, said on Sunday that the four projects augurs well with the joint efforts of the 10th ID, the local government unit of Makilala and the office of Mendoza, who is also chairperson of the Regional Development Council 12, in keeping the peace now in the municipality, cleared from NPAs via multi-sectoral peace initiatives.

All of the towns and cities the entire Region 11, in parts of Regions 10, 12 and 13 that are being secured by units of the 10th ID are now all NPA-free, achieved through the cooperation of Army and police officials, former members of the now defunct rebel group who have returned to the fold of law, local executives, leaders of indigenous communities and various peace-advocacy groups.

Up to 347 NPAs from different Cotabato towns surrendered to units of the 10th ID and the 602nd Infantry Brigade of the 6th Infantry Division in the past four years through the joint intercession of local executives and Army officials and counterparts from the provincial police command.

Municipal officials had told reporters after Friday’s event that the projects will hasten the transport by farmers of their farm products to trading areas in the center of Makilala, hasten the mobility of students from their barangays to their schools and boost the operation in Kisante, Garsika, Batasan and Bato of local government emergency responders.