by Gigi Dumallig
TABUK CITY, Kalinga, Nov. 24(PIA) -- The city government here is conducting a two-day POPE FORUM (Police-People Forging United Move) Dornat or renewal to forge a peace plan that would enhance the active participation and cooperation of the populace, prosecutors and the police (3Ps).
The event’s theme is “Igaw ko , Andog ko” (My place, my watch).
In a message, City Mayor Ferdinand Tubban called on the participants from the different sectors in the city to delve deeper into the root causes of the city’s peace concerns and come up with a plan that is responsive, attainable and people empowering.
He said that peace efforts have succeeded in bringing perpetrators to justice and that criminality rate has decreased but the real and lasting peace still remain elusive.
“I feel that up today, despite the programs on peace and order we have embarked on, the support we have extended to our peace officers, the advocacies we have conducted, I sense we are still far from really achieving a meaningful and lasting peace and order situation,” he said.
With the renewal of the POPE FORUM, the challenge is for the participants to look back and review the programs that were implemented as a result of the 1st POPE FORUM held in 2002.
He said that peace efforts should not only end in the apprehension and putting criminals behind bars, and reduction of criminality. Meaningful peace effort, he said, should also capacitate the people to eat three decent meals a day, build secure houses, provide clothing and education for their children and better access to government services.
Through workshops, the participants during the event were asked to identify the peace issues and concerns and provided recommendations and proposals to address the same.
