MARAGUSAN, DDO – More youth leaders are committing to
take part on building peace in the Province of Davao de Oro, as another Youth
Peace Camp (YPC) concluded last May 27-29, 2019, at the Maragusan National High
School, here.
The recently conducted YPC is its 3rd implementation in Maragusan after it was
last held in 2014.
Various youth leaders from different barangays and sectoral groups in the
Municipality were gathered in the camp, mostly from the Indigenous Youth,
Out-of-School, In-School, LGBT, Young Professionals, Sangguniang Kabataan (SK),
and others.
With the theme “Malinawong Davao de Oro: Ascending to Genuine
Peacebuilding for a Higher Ground of Youth Empowerment,” the 3-day activity
aims to empower and transform the youth into genuine peace advocates, who will
help the government in promoting and attaining peace.
It also targets to insulate the youth from armed struggle, which is reportedly
rampant in the hinterlands of the Province.
“According to the data provided by the 1001st Infantry Brigade in 2017,
85% of the NPA forces in Comval who surrendered to them are youth aged 15 to 30
years old. This is why we need this camp to address the rampant use of youth in
armed conflicts,” said Mr. Neil Mark Reopa, President of YFPM Maragusan.
Some of the lectures discussed during the camp are about the Youth in
Volunteerism, Role of the Youth in Peacebuilding, Role of the Youth in
Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, and Preventing Drug Proliferation
among the Youth, which aims to encourage the participants to take part in
addressing social issues affecting them.
The activity also includes various challenges
that instill the essence of peace, unity, and active participation among the
participants, as well as test their leadership, good citizenship, and
patriotism.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Mayor of Maragusan,
Hon. Maricel Colina-Vendiola encouraged the participants during the Opening
Program to share their potentials as a way of helping attain peace in their
Municipality.
“With all your potentials, we can create a
strong-bonded society together. Ang inyong henerasyon mahimong susi aron atong
makab-ot ang atong susamang pangandoy – to live in peace, ang magpuyo dinhi sa
kalibutan nga malinawon,” she said.
The YPC Maragusan was co-organized by different
peace partners such as the LGU Maragusan, SK and Youth Development Office of
Maragusan, Youth for Peace Movement Maragusan and Comval, 66th Infantry
Battalion, and other key stakeholders.
