8ID calls NDF-EV to stop mocking development in Samar Island instead let the people’s desire to thrive

By CMO Battalion, 8ID PA
October 25, 2010

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan, Samar  –  The National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas (NDF-EV) had kept on tagging the developmental drive in Samar Island to be an anti-insurgency tool and a militarization of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division partnering with other concerned corporations and agencies in the pursuit of peace and development in Region 8. [ NDF-EV assails 8th ID for hustling for US grant and promoting militarization and underdevelopment ]

The 8ID has been stormed by criticisms from these self praised organizations for having consistently dealing with other stakeholders to make the Region move forward in terms of development and nation building.

In the recent four-paged press release of the CPP’s information bureau in Eastern Visayas, Mr. Santiago Salas strongly opposed the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) that granted about $200 million for a circumferential road to connect three (3) provinces of Samar which is eyed to be bringing greater economic uplift of the island.

Salas once again barks out loud trying to stop the project by deceptively calling out for the people to enjoin his pleadings that the project is being pursued with the evil intention while his heart shakes because their usual propaganda lines that “the government does not show concern for the people” will be eventually nullified.

While it is also true that land reform and national industrialization are needed for development as what they are claiming, it is a big question why the CPP-NPA-NDF had done nothing in the pursuance of these noble undertakings? It could not be denied that the requisite for the land reform and national industrialization to be realized is a need for roads and bridges to be tied-up with other sort of developmental projects that would pave the way for the safe passage of investors, bringing of products to the market, the entry of electrical facilities in the remote barangays and the open and wide access to information technology and alike. It is really unimaginable why the NDF-EV hinders these projects if indeed they want genuine peace and development for our people?

Salas continuously tagged the development line of the 8ID to make it appear that the 8ID is not really for development and that “Major General Mario Chan is masking counter-insurgency campaign behind development.”

In the onset, development in Samar is a choice of the people, and strongly supported by the 8ID. It is included both in the Regional and Provincial Development Plans of the Provinces of Samar and Leyte islands. These development projects are in fact being pushed by no less than Governor Paul Daza of Northern Samar, Governor Sharee Ann Tan-Delos Santos of Samar, Governor Conrado Nicart Jr of Eastern Samar, Governor Jericho Petilla of Leyte, Congressmen Raul Daza and Ben Evardone, Congresswoman Milagrosa Tan and other chief executives down to the municipal level in the whole Region 8. These developmental projects had also been prepared long before the assumption of General Chan as commander of 8ID.

8ID has been strongly supporting the initiative. It is the people that want their barangays to have roads, electrifications, water systems, school facilities and health centres for their economic, health and educational benefits.  8ID only serve as a security force for the realization of these projects that the NPAs tried to block.  8ID just carried out the demand of our people to assure that their long desired infrastructure projects will surely be completed as soon as possible.

If the NDF-EV desires for a genuine development of the region, we are with them.  We have the mutual intention to bring out and push development in the region.

As a mutual endorser of development in the Region and for us to pave the way towards mutual desire to bring genuine development in the region, why don’t the NPAs stop extorting fees from civilian and local project contractors that reduces great amount of the project costs causing stoppage of infrastructure projects particularly in the country side?

Why don’t they stop sabotaging and harassing the Army engineers who take over projects from the civilian contractors because of the destructive actions of their armed group, the New People’s Army?

Why don’t they stop bombings of cell sites and communication satellites, burning of buses and construction equipment, destruction of irrigation machines and continuous mass actions against the partnership of our country with the other nation in the name of economic stability?

Instead of continuing engagement to this unruly and harsh behaviour which are violation of our human rights, why the CPP/NPA don’t just lay down their arms, join in the mainstream of the society  and be with us to unitedly pursue the dreams and aspirations of our people in Samar.  Full economic stability and country’s development could be attained in the presence of peace not by violence.

In a statement made by the Commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division Major General Mario Chan, he said that no one can stop the people from progressing.  Not the selfish desire of the Communist Party of the Philippines to grab power, not the lies of the National Democratic Front, not the terror being carried out by the New People’s Army, not even by the eloquent wordings of Mr. Santiago Salas who keep on barking at the crowd with his tails rapped-in to him and not by vicious claim of some people with vested personal interests.

“Try to look outside of this region. Misamis Oriental, Cebu and Bohol are now peaceful provinces and their economies steady rising, booming and progressing.  The Leyte, Southern Leyte and Biliran which are almost freed from the internal threat are now keeping-in steps with their neighboring provinces to make their names in the countries economic stake.  The formula is simple. They gave peace and development an opportunity to meddle in their midst.  Look at the difference and in few years from now, they can also be lined up among the progressive cities and provinces not just in our country but in the other nations as well,” General Chan adds.

“To our people, members of the POs, CSOs, NGOs and other sectoral organizations including the media, let us all unite and work hand in hand to instil to our people’s mind that the government is doing this for the people’s benefit once and for all.  The three provinces in Samar are left far behind from other provinces economically but not in the aspiration of its people to progress. Let us double time not to surpass them but rather even just to keep-in steps with them, not for our own good but for our children and for our children’s children sake,” adds General Chan.