THE SOUTHERN

PHILIPPINES
COUNCIL FOR
PEACE AND
DEVELOPMENT
( SPCPD )
SPCPD
The Peace Agreement between the
Philippine government and the Moro
National Liberation Front (MNLF)
signed in 1996 .
Is envisioned to be a transitory body to
coordinate and promote the economic
and social growth, and development of
the SZOPAD .
THE DAVAO AGREEMENT ON JUNE 1996:
SPCPD

The SZOPAD covers the provinces
of : Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi,
Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del
Norte, North Cotabato, South
Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan
Kudarat, Lanao del Norte, Lanao
del Sur, Davao del Sur, Sarangani
and Palawan .
Including the ceties of:
Cotabato, Dapitan, Dipolog, General
Santos, Iligan, Marawi, Pagadian,
Zamboanga and Puerto Prinsesa and
the newly created city of
Kidapawan.
These areas are to be the focus of
intensive Peace and Development
efforts for a period of three years.
Some of the intensive development efforts
to be provided to these areas are:
Basic services for depressed, areas such as
water, electricity, educational facilities,
socialized housing, health and sanitations.
Adequate infrastructures facilities
Domestic and International trade
investments
Livelihood assistance and credit facilities
for vulnerable sectors.
Capability-building Assistance for local
communities and organizations especially
womens group.
The Council is composed of a
Chairman, Vice-Chairman and three
Deputies, one each representing the
Muslims, the Christians, and the
Cultural Communities or Lumads, to be
appointed by the President.
The Council is to be assisted by the
Darul lfta ( religious advisory group )
to be created by the Chairman of
SPCPD.
The powers and functions of the
Council are the following:
To take charge in promoting,
monitoring, and coordinating the
improvements of peace and order in
the SZOPAD;
To focus on peace and development
efforts, more particularly in the
depressed areas and cause the
implementation of peace and
development projects;
To provide support to local
government units if necessary;
To exercise such other powers and
functions necessary for the effective
implementation of its mandate as may
be delegated by the President;
To assist in holding of elections,
referenda or plebiscite and peoples
initiative in the area deputized by the
COMELEC upon the recommendation of
the President;

To cause the creation of such offices or
instrumentalities as shall be necessary
for the effective and efficient
administration of the affairs of the
areas- to be approved by the President
for the budgetary purposes.
In describing the SPCPD then, Pres.
Ramos had this to say:
The SPCPD is not a regional government.
It is not a governing authority, it has no
law-making power. It has no power over
local government units. Neither will it
have control over the local police and
military.
The SPCPD is neither an autonomous
region nor a political subdivision of the
government. It simply a transitory
administrative arm under the control and
power of the President. Its powers and
functions are extensions of the power of
the President.


CONSULTATIVE ASSEMBLY
This Assembly is composed of 81
member distributed as follows:
The Chairman of the SPCPD is the head
and presiding officer of the Assembly;
The ARMM Governor and Vice Governor,
the 14 Governors of the provinces and
the 10 City Mayors in the SZOPAD;
Forty four members from the MNLF and;
Eleven members from various sectors
recommended by the NGOs and POs.


The Assemblys functions and power are:
To serve as forum consultation and
ventilation of issues and concerns;
To conduct public hearings as may be
necessary and to provide appropriate
advice to the SPCPD ; and
To formulate and recommend policies to
the President through the Chairman of
the SPCPD and make rules and
regulations to the extent necessary for
the efficient and effective administration
of the affairs of the area.
DIFFERING POSITIONS VIS--VIS
THE CREATION OF THE SPCPD


The creation of SPCPD is meant to
represent the "full implementation of
the Tripoli Agreement".
Three congresswoman namely:
Reps. Clara Lobregat of Zamboanga
City, Daisy Fuentes and Lualhati
Antonio of the First and Second
Districts of Cotabato, are spearheading
the opposition to the creation of the
SPCPD.
Zamboanga del Norte Governor Roldan
Dalman, Cotabato City Mayor Ludovico
Badoy are also in this camp.
The oppositions are based on the
following:

Historical prejudices,
Fear of MNLF domination.
The 1989 plebiscite results, and
The dismal performance of ORC, RAG,
ARMM.

Thank you
shi shi
Gomawo