Tubod, Lanao del Norte – The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) has identified 139 barangays from Lanao del Norte that will benefit from its PAMANA (Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan) program.


This was learned during the provincial visit of Secretary Teresita Deles, Presidential Adviser on Peace Process, here last March 22, 2011 at the coastal town of Kauswagan for the culmination ceremony of Lanao del Norte’s month of peace celebration.


““We hope that through PAMANA, we will converge development assistance that will address some of the root causes and exacerbating conditions of armed conflict and help the province of Lanao del Norte to reach its development goals”, Deles said.


PAMANA aims to empower communities to pursue peace through economic integration and development. One aspect of this is to improve the delivery of basic services and institute a more transparent and responsive governance to strengthen community resilience amidst armed conflict.


“We are very happy for this visit of Secretary Deles. It demonstrates the concern of  national government for our province”, Governor Khalid Dimaporo expressed.


Among the national line agencies that OPAPP identified as key partners in their implementation of PAMANA are the DSWD and DILG,


The beneficiary barangays belong to conflict affected areas that were harassed before by lawless MILF forces.


Deles assured that upon the scheduled implementation of PAMANA on 2012 the identified barangays will receive substantial livelihood support programs, improved health services, additional school facilities and better road conditions.


The Department of Social Welfare and Development is also tasked to include these communities to their list of beneficiaries for the KALAHI-CIDDS, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K) program.


“National government will also be allocating P40-million for additional peace-building and livelihood projects”, Deles added.


The Aquino administration vowed to resolve the insurgency problem before his term expires on 2016 and end the Mindanao armed struggle once and for all. VNL/PIO-LDN