PolPHIL urges stakeholders to work together for peace

The People’s Progressive Humanist Liberal Party (PolPHIL) encouraged all stakeholders to work together in unity to achieve peace towards greater economic development of the country and for every Filipino family to live in abundance.

This was emphasized by Fortunato Agbayani, Vice-President for media and social media of PolPHIL, at the forum hosted by the Press Photographers of the Philippines (PPP) when it launched a photo exhibit with the theme “Give Peace a Chance” at the National Press Club in Intramuros, Manila.

“Our battlecry in PolPHIL is ‘Larga Magkaisa Pilipinas.’ There are greater threats that must be suppressed. if we don’t create new narratives, the relentless pinpointing of people as red-tagging, right, centrist will continue,” Agbayani said.

Agbayani cited the economic forecast of Dr. Bernardo M. Villegas, Professor Emeritus at the University of Asia and the Pacific, that the Philippines can attain advanced economy status by 2050 and will have the 16th largest economy in the world.

“Economic progress is based on the unity of every Filipino who will create new narratives. Recognize the voices of different groups working together to create a circle of dialog. It is a united organization that needs to be listened to in any peace talks, not only between the communist rebels and the government panel to end the armed conflict in the country,” Agbayani explained.

“Let’s attempt to put an end to all conflicts, including those caused on by false information, conflicts of principles, conflicts of interest, organizational conflicts, and particularly armed conflicts, which not merely impede development and progress but also inflict pain and suffering,” he elaborated.

Among the guest speakers at the PPP forum were Director General Joe Torres of the Philippine Information Agency; Director Wendell Orbeso, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPRU); National Press Club President Lydia Bueno; Usec. Paul Gutierrez, executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security; Dir. Topher Balagtas of Presidential Communications Office; and Director Dominick Calamba, Commission on Human Rights.

Government officials expressed their aspiration to achieve peace as they promote the rights and welfare of each citizen in line with the orientation of their respective agencies.

Director Orbeso of OPAPRU stated that after a decade of signing a peace agreement under the late President Benigno Aquino Jr., the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is now on an upward path, which is the continuation of peace, development, and security.

Meanwhile, Gil Nartea, a photo exhibitor, disclosed that he had to do his job appropriately. While working on the battlefield, he tried to maintain mental focus and control over his shaking hands.

On March 21, 2000, former President Estrada issued an executive order declaring “all-out war” on the MILF. On Mindanao, government forces attacked the MILF’s Camp Abu Bakr. Thirty-five people lost their lives in the conflicts on both sides, and thousands of civilians had to flee their homes and means of subsistence.

Nartea narrated his account of having witnessed over 30 incidents in different zones of armed conflict. “Possibly me and each other “field/war photographer’ endure anxiety, depression, and fear, especially when the pictures are published,” he added.

According to Nartea, it is encouraging that the PPP “Give Peace a Chance” theme provides “photographers like us an incredible opportunity to share with the public our anguish and personal awareness of the horrors of armed conflict, and to convey our terrifying experience in the hopes of bringing about lasting peace that’s beneficial to everyone.”