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Foundations for Sustainable Development PART VI FOUNDATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Attaining Just and Lasting 17 Peace Chapter 17 Attaining Just and Lasting Peace | 257 Chapter 17 Attaining Just and Lasting Peace Economic growth cannot be sufficiently buoyant, sustained, nor inclusive without durable and enduring peace. Communities that experience armed conflict are frequently among the poorest in the country. Families that belong to these communities always need to be prepared for evacuation at a moment’s notice whenever fighting erupts. As a result, families are unable to build up assets, particularly immovable ones. Moreover, very few put up businesses not only because they fear for their safety but also because they cannot secure property rights. At the same time, schoolchildren in these areas are either forced to suspend or quit schooling, which leaves their learning stunted and options for the future limited. In response, the government has been relentless in its pursuit of peace, through intensified development and other peace-building initiatives in conflict-affected1 and -vulnerable2 communities. While much has been achieved, so much more remains to be done. Assessment and Challenges 1 2 There was a breakthrough in the peace talks political settlement with two main thrusts: with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (MILF) but there was no enabling law to (BBL) that will create the new Bangsamoro implement the peace agreement. In 2012, entity and replace the current Autonomous a year after the exploratory talks resumed, Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), a breakthrough in the peace process was and the normalization3 process in the achieved with the signing of the Framework Bangsamoro. Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) between the government of the Philippines The proposed BBL went through (GPH) and MILF. This was subsequently deliberations in Congress and several public followed by the signing of the Comprehensive hearings. Unfortunately, the 16th Congress Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) in adjourned without enacting the bill. The 2014, which proposed a comprehensive setbacks encountered in the legislation of 1 Conflict-affected areas (CAA) are communities where (a) there are actual armed encounters between the government forces and political armed groups; (b) where political armed groups dominate the state of affairs of the community; or, (c) where other forms of violent conflicts exist. 2 Conflict-vulnerable areas are communities that are proximate to CAAs, where possible “side-stepping” of armed group(s) are imminent. It can also include GIDAs (geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas) whose resources (actual or symbolic) are deemed valuable by the political armed group. 3 Normalization is defined in the agreements as a process whereby conflict-affected communities can “return to conditions where they can achieve their desired quality of life, which includes the pursuit of sustainable livelihoods and political participation within a peaceful deliberative society. It aims to ensure human security in the Bangsamoro and build a society that is committed to basic human rights, where individuals are free from fear of violence or crime, and where long-held traditions and values continue to be honored. Chapter 17 Attaining Just and Lasting Peace | 259 the proposed BBL remains a stumbling Review Process (TRP). The government block in the implementation of the signed will then focus on the implementation of peace agreement with the MILF and in the its remaining commitments under the 1996 achievement of lasting peace in Mindanao. FPA. Nevertheless, as part of confidence-building A Bangsamoro convergence framework measures, the government launched the is needed. Intra-Bangsamoro convergence Sajahatra Bangsamoro Program in 2013 to is a crucial pre-requisite to the passage of uplift the health, education, and livelihood the new enabling law that will be brought of priority Bangsamoro communities before Congress. There must be a neutral, and targeted individual beneficiariesinclusive and independent space where through quick-gestation, high-impact, and an all-Bangsamoro conversation can take social protection-type programs. Other place, as well as a credible and impartial commitments under the normalization facilitator for the process. This will require process that were fulfilled include the the meaningful convergence of key non- submission and public release of the state actors in the peace process, some of Transitional Justice and Reconciliation which were challenged by divisions and Commission’s comprehensive report to both intra-group conflicts. If effectively managed, negotiating panels. The report provided the Bangsamoro conversations may also situationers and recommendations on address concerns on the participation of correcting historical injustices, and communities and their traditional leaders addressing legitimate grievances, human in the peace process. rights violations and marginalization resulting from land dispossession in the Other threat groups pose security risks. Bangsamoro. In addition, the ceremonial The socio-political environment on the turnover of 75 high-powered and crew- ground is marred by security threats posed by served weapons and decommissioning of private armed groups, including those who 145 combatants, as part of the phase I of have aligned with terrorist cells. Controlling the decommissioning in the normalization radicalism and violent extremism fueled by a process, and the provision of reintegration growing discontentment among disgruntled interventions were implemented. elements or former allies and members of the MILF and the MNLF is another security Several issues on the implementation preoccupation. These further complicate of the peace agreement with the Moro the peace process in Mindanao. National Liberation Front (MNLF) remain pending. A fast-tracked review of the Peace negotiations with the Communist phase II of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement Party of the Philippines-New People’s (FPA) was undertaken, which produced 42 Army-National Democratic Front (CPP- consensus points that were translated into NPA-NDF) collapsed. The resumption a draft amendatory bill. However, the draft of formal talks between the GPH and the bill was not submitted to Congress due to CPP-NPA-NDF in 2011, after seven years two outstanding issues on the establishment of impasse, was hampered by the unilateral of the provisional government and the postponement of peace talks by the NDF conduct of a plebiscite for the expansion of when the government refused to release territory. The 42 consensus points and two the alleged NDF consultants who are high- remaining issues were then incorporated in ranking CPP/NPA officers. However, several the drafting of the BBL, which Congress was efforts to facilitate the revival of peace talks unable to enact. Nevertheless, both parties failed due to the demands of NDF, which finally agreed to complete the Tripartite were unacceptable to the government. 260 | Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 A Closure Agreement with the of interventions leading to socioeconomic Rebolusyonaryong Partidong Manggagawang transformation still need to be completed. Pilipinas - Revolutionary Proletarian Army- Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB) Implementation of the Payapa at is pending. Pending the signing of the Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) draft Closure Agreement, the inter-agency Program4 needs to be enhanced and preparatory work at the national and strengthened. The government’s peace regional levels has proceeded to ensure and development convergence program that the implementing agencies, local extended development interventions government units (LGUs), the Tabara- to communities in isolated and hard- Paduano Group (TPG) of the RPMP-RPA- to-reach conflict-affected and conflict- ABB, and the various stakeholders on the vulnerable areas. PAMANA has improved ground will be ready to operate once the socioeconomic conditions by providing agreement is signed. Various programs PhilHealth insurance, scholarship grants for socioeconomic integration, social and livelihood opportunities. Road protection, and institutional transformation infrastructure enhanced the access of were implemented. In particular, the TPG communities to facilities and improved transformed itself from an armed group security conditions. to a lawful and legitimate legal personality registered with the Securities and Exchange As of 2016, PAMANA has covered 16 Commission (SEC) that recently won a seat regions, 50 provinces, 6 highly-urbanized in the House of Representatives through the cities, and 523 municipalities--all with Abang Lingkod party-list. communities affected by conflict due to the CPP-NPA-NDF and MNLF. Total funding Signed Closure Agreement with the for the program from 2011-2016 amounted Cordillera Bodong Administration- to ₧36 billion. The program enabled Cordillera People’s Liberation Army community members to access basic social (CBA-CPLA) needs to be completed. In services, such as health and education. 2011, the GPH and the CBA-CPLA signed Improved accessibility and socioeconomic a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and security conditions resulted in lower “Towards the CPLA’s Final Disposition of transaction costs, which have significantly Arms and Forces and its Transformation brought down prices, made profit margins into a Potent Socio-economic Unarmed bigger and spurred economic activities in the Force.” This resulted in the turnover of about communities. Responding to emergencies 76 percent of
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