Revised Mindanao plan to include peace initiatives

Davao City, Philippines - Mindanao‘s development road map will be recast to include peace initiatives.

In a statement, the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) said a draft updated version of Mindanao 2020 will include a "peace lens," especially for programs in conflict-affected areas.

The approach is a deviation from previous programs that concentrated on development structures.

The council said the peace lens will involve a participatory and inclusive approach, human security, good governance, peace-generating development, sustainable development, gender main-streaming, culture responsiveness and respect for cultural and religious differences, and alignment with Millennium Development Goals and pro-poor growth.

Reyzaldy B. Tan, Act for Peace program deputy manager, said development interventions should capitalize on Mindanao‘s potentials rather than on its needs.

Irene M. Santiago, chairman of the Mindanao Commission on Women, noted the new approach will allow grassroots participation in program implementation.

Peace program

Meanwhile, the $15-million United Nations Act for Conflict Transformation for Peace program, established in 2005 through grants from New Zealand and Spain, has been making an impact in areas inhabited by former Moro combatants.

Beneficiaries
In a statement, the program said it has identified five cooperatives in Aplaya Hagonoy, Davao del Sur as beneficiaries, including, the Women‘s Bangsamoro Cooperative.

Jodaida Buat, chairman of the cooperative, said the lending window of between P1,000 and P5,000 will jump-start developments in communities.

The lending project has shelled out about P550,000 for the 200 members of the identified cooperatives. The loan is payable in five months to one year.

Among those who availed of the fund were small fisherfolk who set up fish cages, those into banana and feeds production, tailoring, dried fish production, fish vending, goat raising and cattle fattening.

The statement said borrowers undergo basic entrepreneurial training, particularly on financial and enterprise management to ensure sustainability of livelihood activities.

There are 249 peace and development communities in Mindanao and Palawan that benefit from the program.

These communities are vulnerable to armed conflict but have started getting development support as they were among the identified beneficiaries under the 1996 peace agreement between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front.

Created by President Corazon C. Aquino through Executive Order (EO) 512 on March 19, 1992, MEDCo was tasked to promote and coordinate all sectors for the island‘s socioeconomic development.

Executive Order 244 issued by President Joseph E. Estrada on May 15, 2000 appointed MEDCo as the official and permanent Philippine Coordinating Office for the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Association of Southeast Asian Nations Growth Area.

Source: www.gmanews.tv (29 Mei 2008)
-

Arsip Blog

Recent Posts