PRIVATE organizations are being urged to help with the peace process.
The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the Regional Development Council (RDC) has partnered with the Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC) to include input of civil society groups [CSO] and non-government organizations (NGO).
NEDA director and RCD vice chair Milagros Rimando said the gathering of NGO's and CSO's will open the doors for a wider coordination in the region for projects and ideas.
Rimando said there are problems that NGO's and CSO's face in the region especially in the uplands which deals with militarization and conflicts.
NEDA and the RDC is aiming for the eventual accreditation of NGO's and CSO's to certify the groups as legitimate government partners and avoid tagging groups as rebel sympathizers.
Groups gathered for a forum on "Cordillera Dialogue on Peace and Development" aiming to bring together representatives of the national government line agencies, local government units and CSO's and come up with a meaningful discussion and interaction towards a better understanding as well as generating responses to the concerns and needs of the communities in the region that are affected by conflict.
Objectives of the forum is to understand the perspectives of the communities that are conflict- affected or conflict- vulnerable; articulate current efforts and possible solutions to address the concerns and needs of these communities; clarify and agree on how to enhance the CSOs' role in promoting peace and development through accreditation and other approaches and to agree on next actions to improve agency/LGU/CSO procedures and programs to avoid recurrence of issues and improve peace in the region.
