Brig. Gen. Maurito L. Licudine, commander, 402 Infantry Brigade. (PNA file photo by Alexander Lopez)
BUTUAN CITY – A member of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) in Agusan del Norte said Tuesday they would like more surrenderers from the ranks of the communist New People's Army (NPA) through the economic programs under its Poverty Reduction, Livelihood, and Employment Cluster (PRLEC).
Brig. Gen. Maurito Licudine, commander of the Army's 402nd Infantry Brigade, also praised the PRLEC’s People Empowerment in Agriculture for Community Enterprise (PEACE) project in the province.
In a statement, Licudine described the move as “another trailblazing feat of the PRLEC recognizing it as one of the most active clusters of the TF-ELCAC with several accomplishments in addressing the root causes of the insurgency problem.”
Launched on Aug. 28 in Agusan del Norte, the PEACE project is a collaboration among the different local government units (LGUs) in the province, the Technical Education Skills Development Authority in the region (TESDA-13), the Agricultural Trainings Institute (ATI-13) of the Department of Agriculture (DA-13), the Army, and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“The project will further strengthen the implementation of the Whole-of-Nation Approach to end insurgency in the area as mandated by Executive Order No. 70 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte,” Licudine said.
With the support of the PEACE project, he said all initiatives of government agencies and LGUs will be synchronized that will address the problems commonly exploited by the NPA to recruit new members to fight the government.
In Agusan del Norte, the PEACE project will directly involve the former rebels who will undergo different skills and technical training, including new agriculture technologies.
Trained rebel returnees will then replicate their acquired skills and technologies to communities through the development of demonstration farms that will serve as the venues for the village-level transfer of knowledge and skills.
Licudine said the project will be implemented in 50 barangays in Agusan del Norte that are identified as Geographically Isolated, Disadvantaged, and Conflict-Affected Areas.
“The success of this PEACE project lies with the utmost commitment of all stakeholders. We must ensure that we are all on board to continue to help uplift the lives of the Caraganons whatever the circumstances,” he added. (PNA)
