BAUKO, Mountain Province (PIA) — Residents of Barangay Mt. Data in Bauko, Mountain Province, look forward to better access to essential services and community programs with the improvement of the Mountain Province Peace and Development Center.
Funded under the Payapa at Masaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) Program of the OPAPRU, the P40-million-worth project will transform the existing Mount Data barangay hall into a multipurpose facility. It will serve as a central hub for peacebuilding initiatives, social services, and sustainable development programs.
Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, with Mountain Province officials headed by Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan Jr., led the ground-breaking ceremony of the project on Sept. 12, 2025, as one of the key activities of the 39th commemoration of the Mt. Data Peace Accord.
The project, which is expected to be completed within 18 months, serves as a symbol of the government’s commitment to lasting peace and progress in the Mountain Province, according to OPAPRU.
Lacwasan emphasized that the event marked a significant achievement for OPAPRU in strengthening communities, sustaining peace, and serving as a beacon of hope for future generations.
Barangay Captain Ferdinand M. Ayochok expressed his gratitude, saying that what was once only a dream of the community is now becoming a reality.
“Idi gamin ket pangarap mi lang daytoy nga ma-concrete daytoy nga center. Isunga mayat nga inmay kayo ditoy tapnu makita yo masapulan ditoy. Maragsakan amin ti taga Mt. Data ta napunduan ti improvement na daytoy nga building,” he shared.
(This was just our dream before, the concreting of this center. That is why we are glad you [OPAPRU] came here to see our needs. We, the people of Mt. Data, are very happy that this improvement has finally been funded.)
Mt. Data Hotel in Barangay Mt. Data was the venue of the 1986 Peace Accord or “Sipat” between then President Corazon C. Aquino and the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army led by former priest Conrado Balweg on Sept. 13, 1986. This was reported to be the first successful peace pact entered into by the government and the armed groups.
The OPAPRU has already implemented several projects in the province, and continues to do so, in efforts to accelerate economic development and social growth. **JDP/VLT-PIA-CAR, Mountain Province
