TACLOBAN CITY – The groundbreaking ceremony for the “Saad nga Balay” housing project for peacebuilders was held on May 10, 2024, in Calbiga, Samar.
This event marks the start of the construction of houses that will be handed over to peacebuilders or former members of the New People’s Army who returned to the fold of the law, in the municipality.
The ceremony was attended by Samar Vice-Governor Arnold Tan, Calbiga Mayor Red Nacario, Brigadier General Lenart Lelina, the commanding officer of the 801st Brigade, and Imelda Bonifacio, program manager of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU).
During the event, the provincial government of Samar, under Governor Sharee Ann Tan, donated P2.8 million to the Calbiga Peacebuilders and Development Federation (CPBDF).
The donation was received by the organization’s president Deodario Nablo and is intended to help former rebels rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.
In April 2024, the province of Samar handed over 10 “Saad nga Balay” houses in San Jose de Buan.
This initiative is part of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program, reinforcing the province’s commitment to breaking the cycle of conflict and paving the way for peace and security in Samar.
(KATRYNA MAE N. MALLARI, LEYTE NORMAL UNIVERSITY STUDENT INTERN)
