OPAPP, UNDP close deal for stronger ties in peacebuilding

December 9, 2017

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a government cost-sharing agreement on Thursday to strengthen initiatives for peacebuilding and development.

Dubbed as “Support to Peacebuilding and Normalization (SPAN) Programme”, the project intends to accelerate OPAPP initiatives on the ground as well as to equip stakeholders, peace workers and advocates with tools for conflict prevention and peacebuilding., the OPAPP said in a statement on Saturday.

Among government programs that will receive support under SPAN are the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan projects; Annexes on Normalization for Socio Economic and Normalization for Security as stated in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB); and social healing and peacebuilding programs for Marawi.

In his message, UNDP Country Director Titon Mitra thanked OPAPP for placing its trust. “This is your money – the Filipino people and its taxpayers’ money that is coming through UNDP. I can guarantee you that you would know where every single centavo is being spent efficiently,” he said.

The implementation of SPAN will primarily focus on areas covered by CAB and in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao within a year with a total amount of P 649,261,957.58.

UNDP’s support also include procurement of supplies and equipment, monitoring and evaluation, administrative support and technical advisory services.

“There are two things here that we need support from UNDP: first is how to fast track projects with good quality implementation; and second is capacity building. We at OPAPP admit that we still lack that capacity to perform on the ground and we need that mentoring from UNDP,” said Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza. DMS