Provincial Government of Surigao del Sur, OPAPRU launch Hamugaway Peace Center

TANDAG CITY, SURIGAO DEL SUR—In a concerted bid to finally put an end to armed conflict, the Provincial Government of Surigao del Sur and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) led the launching of the province’s Hamugaway Peace Center here on Thursday, August 15.

The sprawling facility located about five kilometers from the city proper is part of the national and Surigao provincial government’s joint effort to support former rebels (FRs) who have laid down their arms and returned to the folds of the law.

Promoting peacebuilding

In his opening remarks, Surigao del Sur Vice Governor Manuel Alameda Jr. emphasized the center’s role in promoting peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and social justice.

“Our hope is that this Peace Center will serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration for all who seek to make a positive difference in the world,” Alameda said.

“As we mark this new chapter, let us remember that peace is not merely the absence of conflict but the presence of understanding, compassion, and respect for one another,” he added.

Alameda thanked everyone involved in the establishment of the facility, noting their unwavering dedication to peace and unity.

Once a dream, now a reality

In her presentation, Hershey Lorenza Nuñez, head of the Provincial Social Welfare Development Office (PSWDO), thanked the OPAPRU for providing PHP 5 million in funds to be used for the Peace Center’s operations.

Nuñez recalled that the construction of the facility, which was once just a dream, has now become a reality.

“This will be the place where we will process FRs. The most important thing is their return to the folds of the law, as we all seek to achieve peace and development,” she said.

Abandon armed struggle

In his remarks, Surigao del Sur Governor Alexander Pimentel reiterated his longstanding appeal to the New People’s Army (NPA) to abandon the armed struggle and return to the government’s fold.

He expressed his gratitude to the Philippine Army for helping withdraw cases filed against FRs, highlighting the government’s commitment to caring for those who have surrendered.

“This is how the government takes care of you. We don’t need war. Let us work together to solve your issues. We are all Filipinos,” Pimentel said, stressing the importance of a whole-of-nation approach to achieving lasting peace.

A ‘sacred and safe space’

John Vincent Pimentel, chief-of-staff of Surigao del Sur Second District Congressman Johnny Pimentel, underscored the significance of peace in enabling people to exercise freedom and liberty.

“From the outside world, the peace center might must be any kind of ordinary building. But to all of us who have been fighting, advocating, championing, peacekeeping for the longest time, this means so much more,” Pimentel said.

He described the Peace Center as more than just a building, but a “sacred and safe space” where peacebuilding initiatives can flourish.

“We can only achieve peace through a whole-of-society, whole-of-nation approach. We believe that true development can only be achieved through long-lasting peace,” Pimentel said.

Rebuilding lives

In his testimony during the launching ceremony, Aljun Intano, a former political instructor of the New People’s Army’s (NPA) Guerilla Front 21 for Northeastern Mindanao, expressed his gratitude to the national and provincial government for the establishment of the facility.

“This will be a big help for us,” Intano said in the vernacular.

“This center will be our rallying point, a venue to raise our issues, and a place to conduct activities like deradicalization workshops.”

He said the center will provide a safe and secure environment for FRs who are in the process of reintegrating into mainstream society.

He acknowledged the financial assistance he and his wife received from the government’ Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) assistance in 2018, which has been instrumental in rebuilding their lives.

“The government is very sincere in helping to transform our lives,” Intano stressed.

Business venture

He used the ECLIP assistance to buy a piece of land and purchase farming inputs to start abaca production.

“Two years after planting, we made our first harvest. Our income was enough to sustain our daily needs,” he shared.

In 2020, he and his wife returned to school and later received student assistance through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), with additional cash assistance from Surigao del Norte Governor Alexander Pimentel.

Intano urged his former comrades to use the assistance they received from the government wisely to ensure their future.

“The government won’t be here forever to attend to our needs,” he cautioned, while expressing his commitment to continue helping the government in fostering peace and development in the province.


Not an ordinary facility

OPAPRU Deputy Presidential Peace Adviser USec. Isidro Purisima, who represented Presidential Peace Adviser Sec. Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. in his keynote address for the occasion, highlighted the importance of the Peace Center in the province’s overall peace-building efforts.

“This Peace Center is not just an ordinary facility. More than anything else it is a symbol of our collective goal – to bring long-lasting peace to the province,” Purisima said in Filipino.

He lauded the invaluable role of the Provincial Government of Surigao del Sur, led by Gov. Pimental and other stakeholders in the establishment of the Peace Center.

“Through our whole-of-nation, whole-of-government approach, what we once thought was difficult to accomplish was effectively carried out and successfully realized,” Purisima stressed.

According to him, the Peace Center will enable the provincial government to effectively implement its peacebuilding initiatives in the province, as well as the Transformation Program for FRs being spearheaded by the OPAPRU.

The Transformation Program aims to uplift the well-being of FRs and their families, and enable them lives as peaceful and productive members of their communities, Purisima explained.

“Rest assured that the national government and the OPAPRU will stand behind you as you continue your journey towards sustainable development and long-lasting peace,” he said.