INSTITUTIONALIZING THE WHOLE-OF-NATION APPROACH.

In a Regional Task Force 2 to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF2-ELCAC) Technical Working Group Meeting held yesterday, DENR Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan proposed the conduct of Regionwide Handog Titulo Program in June, this year in time of the Environment Month Celebration.

 

“We would like to request that our massive Handog Titulo Program will be subsumed by the RTF2-ELCAC for a greater impact and collaboration of all national government agencies (NGAs) and local government units (LGUs),” said the regional environment chief.

 

The RTF2-ELCAC where the DENR is a member-agency is tasked to sustain peace and order among the local communities. It facilitates the provision of livelihood assistance among the grassroots and the catering of basic social services to the public.

 

RED Bambalan said the awarding of more than 2600 patents to landowner beneficiaries will provide them security of tenure which they have been longing for. “This will also address issues on low revenues among the LGUs,” she added.

 

Meanwhile, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Director and RTF2-ELCAC TWG Chairperson and Presiding Officer Joel Gonzales appreciated the DENR’s Handog Titulo Program. He said the program is one activity to improve the economic condition of the local community residents which will eventually evade them from joining communist armed groups.

 

The TWG through Chairperson Gonzales will present the proposed activity to the Regional ELCAC Task Force during its meeting with DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III on May 6 in City of Ilagan. It will recommend for the event to be graced by President Rodrigo Duterte tentatively scheduled on June 8, this year in Tuguegarao City, subject to his availability.

 

The RTF2 ELCAC TWG will also set another meeting on May 11 to finalize the preparatory activities entitled Pamana sa Mamamayang Pilipino: "A Duterte Legacy".

 

The Handog Titulo Program is one strategy to institutionalize the whole-of-nation approach for inclusive development and sustainable peace. It will be conducted along with other services offered by NGAs and LGUs through a caravan.

 

The recognition of environmental law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders; and the engagement of local communities to the Department’s National Greening Program and other government interventions will also be highlighted.

The TWG Meeting was attended by key officials of the different government agencies.#