Peace caravan moves on to Legazpi City

Even bad weather couldn't stop the “Peace Buzz” caravan of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) from delivering the message of peace in Legazpi City, Albay.

Peace advocates from different parts of the country are expected to arrive today, Sunday, in the capital of Albay province in Bicol to kick-off the Visayas leg of the caravan in celebration of the National Peace Consciousness Month. The theme for this year's peace month is "Puso Para sa Kapayapaan, Magkaisa Para sa Bayan."

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), a low pressure area (LPA) was spotted 195 kilometers east of Legazpi City last Friday. PAGASA said that a southwest monsoon was also affecting the western sections of southern Luzon and of the Visayas.

But peace advocates were hopeful there will be no problem in the conduct of the peace activities in Legazpi, dubbed as the city of fun and adventure.

The peace activities will begin with the welcome ceremonies of the Peace Buzz at 8 a.m. in the provincial capitol led by Governor Al Francis Bichara and Mayor Noel Rosal, to be followed by "Lakaw para sa Katoninongan" or Walk for Peace from Peñaranda Park to Ayala Malls in Legazpi City.

An exhibit of Ayala Malls peace products and PAMANA (Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan), the socioeconomic intervention program of OPAPP focused on infrastructure building, will also be held around 10 a.m.

Peace Ambassador and Bb. Pilipinas-Grand International 2017 Elizabeth Clenci will lead a kid's tour of orphaned children at the Albay Wildlife Park and Cagsawa Ruins, story-telling and games before departure for Bicol University.

Simultaneous with the kid's tour is a film "Peacetival."

The highlight of the event is a peace conversation among youth groups from Bicol where topics on youth, peace, and development will be tackled.

At 5 p.m., the Peace Buzz will conduct a "peace torch parade" from Bicol University to Peñaranda Park for the closing ceremonies.

The Peace Buzz will then travel to Catarman and Catbalogan in Samar on Sept. 25 to complete the Visayas leg of the caravan.

The Peace Buzz, which was launched in Baguio City last Thursday, aims to promote the culture of peace through an on-the-ground outreach to the public.

It will drop by in the cities of Butuan, Davao, Cotabato and either Marawi or Iligan for the Mindanao leg beginning September 26 to October 1.

The Metro Manila leg was held at the Quezon City Memorial Circle last Friday.