The province, with its exemplary performance in upholding peace and order, was cited by Sec. Jesus G. Dureza, of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Precess (OPAPP), highlighting unity and the initiative among different sectors in the province.

The provincial government last Monday hosted the Regional Forum on the Comprehensive Peace Process at the Bohol Cultural Center as convened by the OPAPP.

Attending the affair were Sec. Jesus G. Dureza and Usec. Ramon G. Santos of the OPAPP; Presidential Adviser for Central Visayas, Usec. Felix A. Guanzon, Bohol Provincial Planning and Development coordinator Juanito Cambangay, and GRP Panel chairperson for talks with the CPP/NPA/NDF, Prof. Nieves Confesor.

Provincial Administra-tor Tomas Abapo Jr. welcomed the guests.

Given due credit were the local government units, PNP and the elements of the armed forces based in the province.

The National Peace Plan for 2005-2010 was presented before the gathering, aimed at creating socio-political and cultural solutions.

Santos points out that the approach before and now regarding the National Peace Plan is a big leap from what the government and the military has envisioned. This time, by giving due attention to human needs and human rights, anti-government groups and activities are invited to convert towards the administration. Sec. Dureza added that `human rights is a big weapon to strengthen our institution."

Part of the forum was the presentation of Bohol's peace and development plan by Atty. Juanito Cambangay of the Provincial Planning and Development Office. Particular in the presentation are problems and measures pertaining to poverty issues. Some of the challenges addressed by the provinces' local Peace Agenda are high population growth rate, scarce employment opportunities and sustainable livelihood, poor management of land resources, widespread poverty itself, and so forth. During a survey conducted last 2000, Bohol is sixteenth among the country's Top 20 poorest province in the country. Now, it has improved, moving to forty-one, according to the Human Development Index or HDI.

The Agenda's counter-measures against these problems includes focused targeting of poverty groups, regular monitoring of poverty indicators, the institutionalizing of other offices to open new windows for job generation, among many more.

The open forum began right after the presentations were made. The whole activity lasted one day with a workshop following lunch break aims to solicit ideas from the different participating agencies concerning areas of peace and development. (w/ reports from Romeo Teruel Jr. and Oscar Ted Avanzado)