CLARIFICATIONS. GRP peace panel member Atty. Angela Librado says President Rodrigo Duterte is still very much intent on releasing more political prisoners, but said it was in the understanding that the release would be in tranches. Librado made the comments in a peace forum held at the Ateneo De Davao Univerity on Tuesday, Dec. 13 (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The government peace panel urged the Filipino migrants to participate in the third round of peace talks with the communist group as both groups are tackling essential issues on socio-economic reforms.
During the celebration of International Migrants’ Day on Wednesday Dec. 14 at the Ateneo de Davao University, Atty. Angela Librado-Trinidad, government peace panel member, discussed the important contributions of Filipino migrants to the peace process.
Central to the next round of peace talks on January 2017 in Rome, Italy are the discussions on the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms.
Librado said that if they have the choice, most migrants prefer to stay in the country and work here rather than go abroad.
On the socio-economic reform, Librado identified two main contentious issues: the agrarian reform and industrialization.
“The GRP and the NDFP know that to employ more and retain the migrants here, there is need to build more industries,” she said.
Apart from migrants, Librado also said that they are gathering different issues of the working sector to be addressed during the talk with the communists.
“Our thrust is to consult with the people regarding CASER,” she said.
In a recent press conference last Dec 5, Inorisa Elento, executive director of Mindanao Migrants Center for Empowering Actions, Inc. said they will submit a substantive agenda tackling the issues of OFW including health and employment.
Elento said the migrants have a huge part on the talk of socio-economic reforms as most of them were only forced to go abroad since unemployment rate in the country is high.
Peace BOC
Librado also encouraged the people especially migrants to visit and participate via online on the on-going peace process through Peace Buddies Organizing for Change, a social networking application launched by Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.
“The social media is a major component as people are spending more time in internet. So we launched this application so that more people will be involved in the issue of peace ,” she said.
Librado said peace BOC is also a feedback mechanism for the netizens to make suggestions for the peace talks. (davaotoday.com)
