In Geneva, PHL affirms commitment to violence reduction

The Philippines affirmed before the United Nations its commitment to reduce armed violence and enable development during a recent review conference in Geneva, Switzerland from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. Philippine Permanent Representative Evan Garcia represented the Philippines at the 2nd Ministerial Review Conference of the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development (GDAVD). "As Philippine delegation leader, Ambassador Garcia outlined the Philippines' peace and development initiatives in his address to the conference," the Department of Foreign Affairs said. The GDAVD is an international diplomatic initiative launched in 2006. It addresses the interrelation between armed violence and development, and is subscribed to by 110 UN member-states. The Philippines plays a leading role in the initiative, as one of its 14 "Core Group" countries. The conference, which included representatives from among subscribing states, international, regional and civil society organizations, discussed a proposal to develop a multi-sectoral "global alliance" to advance the GDAVD. Garcia added the Philippine government and civil society engagement in human rights, humanitarian, peace building and disarmament activities are important and recognized contributions to the global armed violence and development discourse. Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Undersecretary Ma. Cleofe Sandoval discussed the challenges of and lessons learned from the peace process during the high-level panel of the conference. She said the Philippine government has a holistic approach to achieving peace, rejecting "all-out war" and including economic opportunity and job creation elements in its policies. Sandoval cited the "Pamana" program, which "synergizes" government services in conflict-affected areas, and its placement of the peace process at the center of the country's internal security plan. Minister Jesus Domingo chaired a Thematic Session on "Conflict, Armed Violence and Insecurity as Challenges for Development." The Philippine delegation also included DFA, UN and Other International Organizations (UNIO) Executive Director Marian Jocelyn Tirol-Ignacio, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Management Staff Director Jocelyn Reyes, and Attaché' Hossana dela Cruz. — LBG, GMA News