TAGUIG CITY - Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, as Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for Region IV-B, MIMAROPA (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan), underscored the importance of peace and order in attaining the economic targets of the region even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a virtual meeting yesterday (10 July) with members of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC), Secretary Cusi said that it is important for MIMAROPA to uphold regional security to entice more investors to come in, and for people in MIMAROPA to gain confidence to move forward in the “new normal”. Provinces in MIMAROPA are mostly known for exporting products and tourism.
“We must ensure the safety and security of MIMAROPA for businesses to thrive and for us to entice more investors to come in. Businesses, residents, and workers must be protected from coercion and exploitation. If we want more people to choose MIMAROPA over other provinces, we must uphold and protect our regional security,” he said.
The Secretary also emphasized that the displacement of jobs in the urban areas has also led to a massive exodus of people to rural areas, which could affect the socio-economy dynamics within the MIMAROPA region.
He said that the primary concerns of the region should be to address the influx of people from urban areas, such as those from the “Balik Probinsya, Balik Pag-asa Program”; identify enough livelihood opportunities and economic activities for people in MIMAROPA to thrive; ensure the health and safety of the people, whether residing or relocating in the region; and ending local communist armed conflict.
Per the Balik Probinsya, Balik Pag-Asa Program website, 2,701 individuals applied to return to their provinces in MIMAROPA.
Aside from providing support to local livelihood, one solution that the Secretary also emphasized is to permanently settle land issues among indigenous peoples (IPs) and their ancestral domain concerns.
Secretary Cusi said that “IPs reportedly comprise about 70% of the New People's Army or Communist Terrorist Groups. Therefore, the Regional Task Force's efforts to deliver basic services and provide financial assistance will be in vain if IPs are persistently displaced from their ancestral lands.”
During the meeting, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro Mayor Elgin Malauan presented the recently launched Sustainable Community Program (SCP), a pilot project that shall provide additional livelihood support to IPs and former rebels, where a 5-hectare lot is being allocated in his municipality. While another SCP is being established in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, the RTF-ELCAC MIMAROPA is working on replicating similar projects for other areas in the said region soon.
The Energy Chief also expressed his gratitude to the RTF-ELCAC members for their continued efforts and accomplishments, most especially in working towards establishing lasting peace and security in the region.
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