NEW BATAAN, Davao de Oro - Equipped with courage, determination, and packs of goods for the youth in what is considered as a Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA), volunteers of the Youth for Peace Movement (YFPM) New Bataan Chapter and personnel from the 66th Infantry Battalion (IB) trekked to Brgy. Pagsabangan here, to conduct its first-ever Community Peace Symposium (CPS) on December 9, 2021.
CPS is a peace and security awareness campaign organized by the YFPM Davao de Oro (DdO) that evolved from its Online Kalinaw Talks, which aims to reach out to the youth among far-flung barangays that have no access to the internet and are vulnerable from the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG).
The recently-implemented CPS in the said barangay was able to convene 30 youth who are mostly members of the Indigenous Peoples and are common targets of the CTG's recruitment.
During the symposium, relevant topics were discussed by various Resource Speakers such as the "Peace Security Situation in the Province of Davao de Oro" provided by Cpl. Delmer A. Daquil of 66IB, "Kasinati-an of a Former Rebel" by Ka Duday who squeezed the truth about the disparity in joining an armed struggle, and the "PLGU DdO's Peace Initiative: Oplan Pagbabago" through Christopher M. Basan.
During the program, the participants also expressed their desire to be part of the campaign to finally end the local communist armed conflict and attain peace and development, especially in their community, by reciting the Youth Manifesto of Peace.
Along with the CPS, a simple community outreach entitled "A Peace of Happiness" or APOH was also conducted by the organization on the same day by giving school kits and sweet treats to children the children of barangay Pagsabangan.
The successful implementation of the said event was made possible through the support of the various peace partners such as the Provincial Local Government Unit (LGU) of DdO headed by Gov. Jayvee Tyron Uy, LGU of New Bataan, Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), and the 66th Infantry Battalion.
Written by: Peace Communication Unit, Youth for Peace Movement New Bataan, YFPEM
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