In line with the Aquino administration’s peace agenda “to bring all armed conflicts to a permanent closure through peaceful means,” the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) provided support to the government’s peace process.
The sole participation of UNO-R as representative of the academe was a response to the request for a neutral party from RPMP/RPA/ABB-TPG (Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Bongcayao Brigade -Tabara-Paduano Group) to OPAPP (Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process).
With the instruction from University President Fr. Dionisio Cachero, OAR, University Community Development Office (UCDO) Supervisor Mely Flores took action, and together with College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Nieves Hibaler-Pepito, organized the UNO-R peace process support team.
Flores, along with three senior CAS Masscom students selected by Dean Pepito: Rolly Baldivieso, Ariane Jane Gasataya, and Pollyana Tanaleon, joined the Task Force coming from OPAPP in profiling the members of RPMP/RPA/ABB-TPG on October 20 to 23 in a remote site in Negros.
In his letter of request to Fr. President Cachero, Usec. Luisito Montalbo said that the profiling activity would identify the socio-economic needs, competencies, and aspirations of RPMP/RPA/ABB-TPG combatants in order to match and come up with development interventions towards their socio-economic and political mainstreaming in society.
The profiling results, he added, would also be considered as inputs to draft the Closure Agreement with the RPMP/RPA/ABB-TPG.
Usec. Montalbo is the Executive Director of OPAPP which is under the Office of the President of the Philippines.#msf