CSP Peace programs continue to gain ground

DAVAO ORIENTAL — In line with the provincial government’s innovative programs for peace and development in the province, empowerment as well gains ground. Further empowering the communities, the Community Support Program (CSP) has also been helping organize various people’s organizations in the barangays, mainly consisting of women, farmers, and motorcycle drivers, among others. With its own structure already laid in place, these organizations become ideal venues to educate people on relevant social and political issues while encouraging them to actively participate in the development process of their own community.

While keeping tabs with political organizations in the barangays, the CSP also helps ensure the presence of key councils in the barangay local government unit as the military believes that intervening at the grassroots level will likely increase confidence-building among locals, thus, sustaining peace in the community. Meanwhile, the Provincial Government’s regular outreach caravan, which directly delivers government services to the people in the barangays, has also become a potent mechanism in the peace efforts.

Since its launching in 2016, a total of 99 New People’s Army rebels have surrendered to the folds of the law and have returned to the mainstream society. Governor Nelson L. Dayanghirang, who initiated the program, says it is the provincial government’s way to instill confidence in the people and show the sincerity and commitment of the government towards holistic and sustainable development. “Peace and development is among the areas of governance that the Provincial Government takes very seriously. “We cannot achieve development if we do not have peace and order,” he said. Testament to the Provincial Government’s sincere efforts is its recent success of being the only province in the region awarded with the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), in which peace and order is among the core assessment areas.