PEACE Process Presidential Adviser Teresita Quintos-Deles expressed hope for the peace negotiation to pursue after both the Philippine Government peace panel and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) showed eagerness for a substantive agreement.
The talks between negotiators held last November 4 in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia was enough reason for the government peace panel to hope for a focused negotiation.
“ There’s clarity between the two parties and another meeting will be set before the end of the year”, Deles told Davao media during her recent visit in the city.
MILF negotiators earlier also bared a sense of hope to forward the peace process.
During the KL talks, negotiators clarified certain concepts and identified common grounds where both parties can work on when they start talking again.
Both sides also called for a joint investigation into the deadly clash in Basilan’s Al-Barka town that left 19 soldiers and five rebels dead on October 18.
Deles disclosed plans of President Benigno Aquino III of visiting Basilan with Secretary of Interior and Local Government Jesse Robredo to check the condition of the displaced residents.
Meanwhile, the OPPAP secretary welcomes the P8.5 billion roadmap and investment plan for the five provinces of the ARMM.
The budget is on top of the P11.8 B regular ARMM budget for 2011.
Deles clarified the need to first validate some municipalities if these still have occupants. There are also set conditions before the release of such fund.
Bulk of the stimulus fund will go to health services to rehabilitate hospitals and to the Department of Public Works and Highways for the construction and repair of national roads.
Secretary Robredo stressed that the allocation of the multi-billion-peso funds for ARMM is one of the efforts of the present administration to alleviate ARMM’s social economic development, governance reforms and for improving peace and security in the region. [PIA 11/MAI GEVERA MACAPAGAT]
