Francis T. Wakefield
Manila Bulletin
July 12, 2011

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles Tuesday lauded Senator Francisco “Kiko” Pangilinan for his initiative to urge both the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) to go back to the negotiating table.

“We hope that Senator Pangilinan’s efforts to encourage peace and goodwill will bear fruits in the near future – not just in terms of the peace talks with the NDFP but also in inspiring more Filipinos to become involved in peace creation in the country,” Deles said in a press statement.

“Today, more than ever, Filipinos need to contribute to peace constituency building that would inspire those on the table to focus on the task that is given to them, which is to pursue a peace agreement with finality and fruition,” Deles added.

The OPAPP chief said that a peace agreement can only mark the start of many great things to come to the country such as security, development, employment and overall, an entire nation’s progress.

“In order for us to win the peace, we need more Filipinos like Senator Pangilinan,” she said.

Earlier, Pangilinan met with NDFP panel chair Luis Jalandoni and NDFP chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison who warmly welcomed him during his visit to Utrecht, The Netherlands last week.

During the meeting, Pangilan, who is chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Food and the Senate Committee on Social Justice and Rural Development, pushed for the peace process to carry on between the GPH and NDFP.

According to a statement released by his office, Pangilinan presented to the NDFP officials his proposals for “solving socio-economic and political problems and his reasons why there is hope for the Philippines.”

“Jalandoni and Pangilinan agreed that there is urgent need for the peace negotiations to move forward in the face of problems and in response to the desire of the Filipino people to address such problems with comprehensive agreements on basic social, economic and political reforms,” the statement read.

Both agreed on the need for the negotiating panels to continue their formal talks soon, and for the Reciprocal Working Committees on Socio-Economic Reforms and for the Working Groups on Political and Constitutional Reforms to continue with their tasks on the negotiating table. More importantly, they agreed on the importance of moving forward in addressing serious problems of the nation through the comprehensive agreements on these reforms.

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