BORONGAN CITY-In pursuit of a peaceful and insurgency-free nation, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), in partnership with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), engaged over 25 media practitioners from the three provinces of Samar Island in an Orientation on Local Peace Engagement and Transformation.
Held on August 15-16 in Borongan City, the event was part of the agencies’ nationwide information drive for peace communicators.
Major General Edgardo de Leon, former commander of the 8th Infantry “Stormtrooper” Division (8ID) and now the regional adviser on Peace and Security of OPAPRU, highlighted the crucial role of the media in disseminating information that advocates for a peaceful community.
He recognized them as catalysts of change and instruments of peace, stating, “You, the media, are our very first partners in raising public awareness of any government programs. That is why you are here today; you are our partners.”
De Leon discussed the multi-dimensional nature of local communist armed conflict and the government’s transformation program, emphasizing that armed conflict stems from behaviors like conflict, hatred, and anger.
He explained that the transformation program for former rebels focuses on behavioral change.
He also called on media partners and local government units (LGUs) to assist the army in sustaining insurgency-free communities.
“We are nearing the end of armed conflict with weakened guerilla fronts (WGF) or dismantled guerilla fronts (DGF),” de Leon stated.
He attributed the weakened armed conflict in the country to effective localized peace engagement, good governance by LGUs, the whole-of-nation approach, government interventions for former rebels, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) kinetic or offensive combat operations.
PIA-8 Regional Head Reyan Arinto emphasized the event’s aim to strengthen ties with media practitioners as part of maintaining peace in the region by disseminating timely, accurate, and important information to the public regarding the government’s efforts to achieve full security, peace, and prosperity.
He explained that the meeting provided media partners in Eastern Samar, Samar, and Northern Samar the opportunity to learn how to tell stories about local peace engagement and the government’s transformation programs, particularly those of OPAPRU.
PIA Director General Jose A. Torres Jr., also a former private media practitioner, expressed gratitude to the media partners on Samar Island for their continued support of government programs.
He called for unity in providing truthful information to the people and urged the media to encourage active members of the CPP-NPA to return to the fold of the law.
“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration is sincere in its willingness to engage in dialogue with everyone. We hope the peace process continues. The government is striving to help all our countrymen, prioritizing those in remote areas to bring projects closer to them,” Torres said.
Also present were PIA Deputy Director-General Adolfo Ares Gutierrez; Lt. Col. Joseph Bugaoan, commanding officer of the 78th Infantry Battalion; OPAPRU Regional Manager Imelda Bonifacio; and Engr. Joselito Mutia, representative of Governor Ben Evardone; and City Administrator Celestino Cabato, representative of Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda.
(VTG, PIA, Eastern Samar)
