Caraga Regl Peace & Order Council crafts Roadmap for Peace

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 16 (PIA) - Members of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) in Caraga crafted the region's Roadmap for Peace during its three-day Framework Building Workshop held recently at the Almont Hotel's Inland Resort, this city.

The council further enhanced its plans and strategies in achieving a more peaceful and progressive Caraga with diverse, empowered, culturally sensitive communities living in a sustainable environment afforded with equal opportunities.

Among the issues and concerns raised by the members of the council include the following: 1) efficiency of the delivery of government services to clients; 2) effectiveness of the citizens' character and complaints desk installed; and 3) effectiveness of peace and order and public safety.

It was also learned that Criminality (involving illegal drugs and theft/robbery), Indigenous Peoples (ancestral domains claims) issues, Insurgency (involving extortion, unemployment, lack of job opportunities), and Resource-based Conflict are the four common factors that affects the peace situation in the region. 

The members were also grouped into four sectors during the workshop with the presence of RPOC chair and Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr to address existing issues and concerns. The four sectors are: Governance; Social and Cultural; Economic; and Environment. Each group then presented its outputs/results for further enhancement, recommendations by the full council.

Amante emphasized that in attaining peace, there is an instrument that will serve as guide, and that is through a Roadmap. "This roadmap should not remain just a piece of paper but it must be executed. Commitment of the Local Chief Executives in the region is really needed," he said.

The council will meet again in the month of October for finalization and approval of the crafted roadmap for peace for Caraga region. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)