PR/via PCOO Usec. Rocky Ignacio
CABANGLASAN, BUKIDNON – Cabinet Officers for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) Region X turned over 50 houses to resident beneficiaries here, which marks the launch of the new civilian counter-insurgency program to address poverty.
In line with the Duterte Administration’s toil to mitigate the poverty incidence rate and to combat insurgency in the country, the Cabinet Officers for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) Region X.
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, the Cabinet representative for CORDS Region X, together with regional stakeholders, led the turn-over ceremony of the housing projects on Friday, June 29 in Brgy. Iba, Cabanglasan, Bukidnon.
“I want to extend the promise of President Rodrigo Duterte of bringing the projects and assistance [of the government] to your barangay and to all other barangays across the Philippines that would lead us to progress,” Andanar said during the ribbon cutting rite.
The housing project, worth P4.2 million, is co-funded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the local government unit of Cabanglasan.
CORDS selected the Municipality of Cabanglasan for the launch of CAPDev as it is once a community infested with militants of the New People’s army. In October 2018, some 117 communist rebels surrendered to the government after they were offered humanitarian assistance from the enhanced comprehensive local integration program (E-Clip).
The housing project turnover also marks the launch of CORDS Region X’s program “Convergence Areas for Peace and Development (CAPDev).”
CAPDev operationalizes President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s Executive Order 70, which paves the way to the establishment of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
“While the concept of convergence is not new, what was obviously lacking in the past is institutionalization. Now, we are doing it the right way,” Andanar said.
The CAPDev program aims to promote the establishment of durable peace and development while empowering communities in the priority focus areas through peacebuilding and reconciliation, socio-economic transformation, good governance, and institution building.
Sec. Andanar said that the CAPDev heeds the call of President Rodrigo Duterte to prioritize and harmonize the delivery of basic services and social development packages to vulnerable communities in conflict-affected, geographically isolated, and disadvantaged areas, while facilitating social inclusivity and ensuring the participation of all sectors.
“CAPDev stresses that all of us here have a stake in building peaceful and resilient communities, even as it recognizes the primary responsibility of the local government unit in pushing forward this agenda,” Andanar, mentioning the target communities as both duty-bearers and claim-holders peace and development.
Sec. Andanar said that he looks forward to the effective roll-out and implementation of the program.
CORDS Region X is the first to launch such a program since President Duterte designated representatives for CORDS. Under that initiative, Cabinet members may be assigned to discharge their functions, duties, and responsibilities to a particular region in addition to their regular duties.
