OPAPP sec, 2 generals lead Peace Month bash in Bohol

THE Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and two Philippine Army major generals led guests in the celebration yesterday of the 3rd National Peace Consciousness Month hosted by Gov. Erico Aumentado and Col. Arthur Tabaquero of the 302nd Infantry Brigade in Katipunan, Carmen, Bohol. OPAPP Sec. Jesus Dureza and Aumentado also handed a check worth P50,000 from the provincial government to the Composite Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CFMPC) headed by Agapito Eduava to start up livelihood projects for the members.

Maj. Gen. Cardozo Luna and Maj. Gen. Juanito Gomez, commanding generals of the Central Visayas Command (Centcom) and of the 7th Infantry Division in North Luzon respectively witnessed the turnover. Both were commanding officers of the 302nd IBde when they were still colonels. Dureza and Aumentado also turned over checks from the national government for livelihood assistance for qualified Kanhi Rebelde (KR or former rebels) coursed through the Office of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development (OPSWD) under Constancia Tuñacao.

The activities highlighted the program held at the Coop House of the Rajah Sikatuna MPC headed by Francisco Payot. During the program, Eduava, Payot, Julio Hinampas of the Bayanihan Community MPC in Barangay Tuburan, Ubay town and Adela Membrillos, head of the newest group of KRs presented reports on their respective groups, the project proposals they hoped OPAPP, the national, provincial and municipal governments and the private sector can help them materialize to start lie anew.

To note, OPAPP's Ma. Carla Munsayac-Villarta and Danilo Encinas in a meeting at the Capitol here Friday guaranteed Romeo Teruel, the governor's chief of staff, that their office – if within their means – will provide the KRs with the assistance they need, or else match agencies and funders with the co-ops. Most Hinampas-led and Payot-led co-op members now have housing units and land to till in Ubay and Carmen respectively. The provincial government is assisting the Composite Farmers MPC with their proposed oil palm planting project while the Membrillos-led group is now working on its papers for registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Tabaquero, Luna, Aumentado and Dureza gave the response to the KRs' proposals. Gomez presented a briefing on the Rajah Sikatuna MPC – organized and its projects launched during his stint as brigade commander here. Among others, the projects include animal (cattle, goat, chicken, duck and tilapia) fattening and dispersal, rice farming, vegetable gardening, cut-flower production, and skills training. Project visitation through Euphrobia lanes with Gomez and Tabaquero as guides followed.

A “boodle fight” – a tradition in army training of eating with the fingers the food spread on banana leaves capped the yesterday's Panaghiusa uban sa mga KR (“ Reunion ” with the KRs). Standard “boodle” includes rice and sardines – with the quantity barely enough for the trainees so that they “fight” for their food, hence “boodle fight”. Training tradition also does not guarantee that there will be tables. There have always been no chairs. With top brass and visitors around however the tradition lives on but with a twist – there are still no chairs, but more than enough food for the guests is served – and on tables at that.

Show, photo exhibit

Early-bird KRs and delegates from other towns were treated to a video showing of an episode of Probe hosted by Cheche Lazaro featuring the peace initiatives of Bohol , Abra and Sagada in Mt. Province while waiting for the other delegates and guests to arrive. These initiatives are documented so that a photo exhibit was also mounted at the Coop House – the members' meeting place and where they also undergo skills training and enhancement courses. The afternoon saw Dureza and his staff on a tour to the Chocolate Hills in Carmen, the tarsiers in Loboc, a visit to the old churches along the way including Baclayon's and Loboc's – the oldest hereabouts – and the Blood Compact Shrine in Bool District, Tagbilaran City.

Peace Concert

Meanwhile, OPAPP and the delegates including several Cebu-based regional directors of various national government agencies and Loboc residents will be treated to a free peace concert called Taghoy sa Kalinaw by the Loboc Children's Choir at the 17th century Loboc Church at 2 p.m. today. The program and posters provided by OPAPP vaunted the multi-awarded choir as one that started from a regular school choir composed of 30 pupils and students of various local Loboc schools in 1980. Now it has evolved into one of the outstanding choirs in the country. It was adjudged the champion in the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) in 1993, 1995, and 2001.

In 2000, it bagged numerous awards at the International Children's Culture and Arts Festival in Tianjin , China and performed concerts in Beijing and Hongkong. This year, it also performed in Jiangxi , China and Singapore. Prior to that, the children performed in international music festivals in Florida , Washington , New York , San Francisco and Los Angeles in California all in the United States .

It recent roadshow in 10 countries in Europe – Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands – received remarkable commendations. It is also the country's official representative to the Second World Vision International Children's Choral Festival in Seoul , South Korea this year. But it garnered the highest award at the Sixth International Folksong Choir Festival in Barcelona , Spain in 2003 – besting world-renowned Vienna .

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