Recognizing Northern Samar's sustained efforts in
peacebuilding, reintegration, and inclusive development, Peace Process Office
Director Noly Mapili of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace,
Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), together with OPAPRU Area Management Unit
for Eastern Visayas Head, Ms. Imelda Bonifacio, commended Northern Samar for
its structured, holistic, and community-centered approach to peacebuilding,
recognizing the province as one of the country's leading models in implementing
local reintegration program. Both articulated this observation during Director
Mapili's visit to the province for the 2-day Localized Peace Engagement (LPE)
and Transformation Program Operations Review Workshop on July 7-8, 2026. They
emphasized that Northern Samar's initiatives provide valuable lessons for other
local government units seeking to strengthen peace and development
interventions.
The workshop served as a platform to assess Northern Samar's
practices in implementing localized peace engagement and reintegration
initiatives under the Whole-of-Nation Approach, while identifying strategies
and support mechanisms to sustain and further expand the province's peace
gains.
During the activity, Provincial Social Welfare and
Development Officer Jenny Darish led the presentation of the milestones of the
Provincial Government's and the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist
Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) and Provincial Task Force Balik-Loob chaired by
Governor Harris Ongchuan, highlighting the importance of sustaining bottom-up
planning to ensure that government programs remain responsive to the evolving
needs of peacebuilders and the conflict-affected communities. She also encouraged
partner agencies to align their programs, resources, and investments with
community priorities to guarantee lasting and sustainable impact.
Northern Samar has implemented its Local Social Integration
Program long before the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program was
introduced, and E.O. 70 passed. Its Darangpan Center, which offers a
comprehensive reintegration package for surrenderees, has been most visited for
benchmarking studies by other provinces, serving as model of the reconciliation
process.
Responding to the province's recommendations, OPAPRU
expressed its openness to support future peacebuilding initiatives and
reaffirmed its commitment to continue working closely with the Provincial
Government of Northern Samar in advancing programs that promote reconciliation,
reintegration, and inclusive development.
Meanwhile, Governor Ongchuan, speaking through Board Member
Victorio Singzon, underscored the essence of continued collaboration among
government agencies, local leaders, and communities to sustain peace, and in
protecting and building upon the province's hard-earned peace gains.
Along with the OPAPRU and the Provincial Government, the Philippine
Army led by 803rd Infantry Brigade Commander BGen. Carmelito Pangatungan,
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Provincial Director
Geraldine Maquelabit, representatives from NSPPO, DOST, TESDA, UEP, PIA and
other national government agencies likewise reaffirmed their commitment to
strengthen convergence by aligning livelihood, education, infrastructure,
science and technology, and other development interventions with the needs of
former rebels, peacebuilders, and conflict-affected communities.
The activity concluded with participating agencies
expressing their commitment to sustain Northern Samar's peace gains through
stronger convergence, responsive governance, and transformative development
programs, solidifying the province's reputation as a national model for
peacebuilding, reintegration, and reconciliation.