Gov't releases P1.8 billion to accelerate peace process

Committed to promote just and lasting peace, President Benigno S. Aquino instructed the Department of Budget and Management to allocate P1.8 billion to fund various projects aimed to reduce poverty and vulnerability in conflict-affected areas in the country.

Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad said the fund release for the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan program is part of the P72 billion disbursements acceleration plan recently approved by the Aquino administration to push economic growth in 2011.

"The Aquino administration is committed to bring all armed conflict to a permanent and peaceful end. One track is through the negotiating table, and the other is to implement targeted interventions to address the root cause and exacerbating factor of conflict: poverty," he said.

"This fund release supports the improvement of basic services delivery and the establishment of transparent and responsive governance. Ultimately, we want to make communities resilient amidst armed conflict," he said.

Abad said the P1.8 billion release to PAMANA will cover various programs including the Support for Peace and Development Communities with the Moro National Liberation Front; support for the Reintegration Program for Former Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army rebels; and livelihood assistance, community infrastructure and production support under peace agreement with the Cordillera Peoples' Liberation Army.

It will also support the construction of sub-regional community infrastructure such as the farm to market roads, potable water system, solar dryers, access infrastructure, health center, multi-purpose halls, livelihood and agriculture production support for PAMANA areas; and water supply, sanitation and hygiene facilities for internally-displaced persons.

PAMANA is the government's flagship program for peace and development, complementing its pursuit of lasting peace through negotiated political settlement. It seeks to promote community resilience by reducing poverty and vulnerability; improving governance; and strengthening capacities of communities to address peace and development issues through activities that promote social cohesion.

PAMANA covers 218 municipalities in 43 provinces, with 3,500 conflict-affected barangays and some 400,000 households benefitting from the program.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) implements PAMANA in collaboration with national government agencies, local government units and development partners such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Interior and Local Government, the Bangsamoro Development Agency and the ARMM Regional Government.

So far, government has allocated P525.7 million in June for PAMANA. The Aquino Administration proposed a budget of P1.9 billion for the program for 2012. (gov.ph)