Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte  - 2 years after the lawless MILF group attacked the coastal towns of Kauswagan and Kolambugan, people here commemorated the incident with a series of activities which started last August 14 until August 18.

Among the activities held were mangrove reforestration drive, school campus clean-up, relief goods distribution, blood-letting program, medical mission, and an inter-faith dialogue.

“This is not to look back on the tragic events of that day, but rather to see how far we’ve come and the gains we have made by strengthening peace and building better understanding between Muslims and Christians”, Mayor Bertrand Lumaque explained.

With this year’s theme “Sustaining the Gains of Peace”, local residents actively participated in the various scheduled activities and symposia organized by NGOs like Pakigda-it.

The armed forces represented by troops from 35thIB have also sponsored peace-building initiatives to resolved local conflicts mostly arising from land disputes.

For his part, Governor Khalid Dimaporo urged the Provincial Peace and Order Council during its meeting last August 3 for a resolution requesting the military leadership to maintain 3 battalions in the province to deter armed groups from disturbing the peace.  VNL/PIO-LDN