CATBALOGAN CITY, SAMAR – The DILG Regional Office 8 spearheaded the Harmonization Workshop on the Samar Island Peace and Prosperity Roadmap for the provinces of Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar on October 14, 2022 at the Lucas Wharf Restaurant.

Conceptualized to be part of the Phase 1 of the Samar Island Peace-Building and Resiliency Initiative from 2023 to 2028, the workshop aimed to foster island-wide collaboration to create sustainable peace and prosperity, identify and harmonize programs to stop negative peace in Samar Island, and to identify institutional arrangements / role delineation, timelines and assessment indicators to achieve positive peace.

Discussions included the Review of the Framework on Positive Peace, Presentation of Provincial Highlights and Plans, Presentation of GIS Map on Insurgency and Development Needs, Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) and Support to the Barangay Development Program (SBDP), Workshop on the Identification of Priority Programs and Workshop on Institutional Arrangements, Timelines and Assessment Indicators.

Present during the event were former Undersecretary of the DILG Marivel C. Sacendoncillo, DILG Eastern Samar Provincial Director Johannes Dorado, DILG Northern Samar Cluster Head Fortunato Lagarde. Also present were the representatives from the different sectors of the respective provincial government offices.

DILG Samar Provincial Director Judy L. Batulan who represented Regional Director Arnel M. Agabe in his message said that plans should be responsive to the needs of Samarnons, and that good governance is the key to achieve lasting peace.

Leading the delegations were Gov.  Sharee Ann Tan of Samar, Vice Gov. Maricar Goteesan of Eastern Samar and OIC-PPDO Keeson Acebuche of Northern Samar.

The outputs of the workshop will be collated in a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Samar Island Peace and Prosperity Roadmap. (ORD | C. Malate)