In its bid for a total development

Eastern Samar to offer Local Peace Pact with NDF

By ALICE E. NICART, (PIA Borongan)
August 19, 2006

BORONGAN, Eastern Samar  – It would seem a bold and an ambitious step, but for the cause of total peace and development, Eastern Samar Peace and Order Council (PPOC) might just hit the nail on the head; this, when the peace offering to the National Democratic Front (NDF) is accepted.

This was the agreement of the members of the PPOC Council in their meeting recently. As a start off activity, a AdHoc Committee was organized which will formulate the guidelines for the would-be peace talks. Initially, some efforts will be done to access to the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAP). In an interview with PPOC Secretariat Chair, Jun Quetilano, DILG Provincial Director, he said that he has sent some officials already to OPAP to ask for some peace talks guidelines for local references.

However, some apprehensions are foreseen in the said bold step for achieving peace, but the province is determined to take the hard and rigorous way to it.

A mayor who was in attendance suggested to effect the delivery and sustenance of basic services to the barangays because according to him these are the clamor of the people in the rural areas who feel they are not being counted as members and citizens of the country. For this, some of our local folks are easily convinced by black propaganda.

What would seem so hard for local folks particularly in the alleged report that the recent trend in the insurgency operation in "there is no intention to give up the armed struggle" which would mean for women and children a whimsical desire to achieve lasting peace?