he Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) and the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of South Cotabato jointly highlighted notable strides in peacebuilding and community development during the DILG-led Cluster 2 second quarter meeting held today at The Farm @ Carpenter Hill.
The meeting gathered local government officials, members of the security sector, and civil society organizations in a show of unified commitment to sustainable peace and inclusive growth in the province. Key updates centered on the continued success of the province’s reintegration programs, which provide livelihood and psychosocial support to former rebels transitioning back into civilian life.
In their joint presentation, PTF-ELCAC and E-CLIP detailed expanded efforts in empowering conflict-affected communities through capacity-building programs and resilient livelihood initiatives. These efforts, they said, have strengthened local peace structures and bolstered trust between the government and grassroots communities.
Officials reaffirmed South Cotabato’s holistic approach to peace, emphasizing that the province’s campaign goes beyond counterinsurgency and centers on fostering development and inclusion.
The Cluster 2 quarterly meeting forms part of the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) regular monitoring mechanism to ensure effective local implementation of national peace strategies, particularly under the Whole-of-Nation Approach institutionalized by Executive Order No. 70.
South Cotabato continues to be recognized as one of Mindanao’s more proactive provinces in implementing programs that address the root causes of armed conflict through governance, justice, and socio-economic transformation.
