Bacolod City – The Peace Development Center (PDC), or resettlement areas, for members of the defunct Revolutionary Proletarian Army – Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) is up for establishment in Sitio Huebesan, Barangay Celestino Villacin, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.
The site assessment was jointly initiated by representatives of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), former RPA-ABB members now known as KAPATIRAN, 542nd Engineering Construction Battalion, escorted by the Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion soldiers.
The OPAPRU PAMANA (Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan) program is a key component of the national government’s comprehensive peace process program for convergence of peace and development.
It is regarded as the ultimate and definitive settlement of the peace deal that put an end to years of armed confrontation between the state and the RPA-ABB, according to a statement issued by the 79IB.
It added that the PDC will serve as a symbol of the KAPATIRAN’s transition to the mainstream society, their key role in peace-building efforts, and their reaffirmation of their commitment for the progress of the country, especially in northern Negros.
Another PDC is also up for establishment in Brgy. Locotan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star)