From centers of conflict from the 1970s to the early 1990s, four communities in Sitio Alimodian in Barangay (village) Banayal in Tulunan town, Cotabato in southern Philippines on Monday celebrate 17 years as "sanctuary of peace."

The town of Tulunan used to be the frequent site of fighting between government security forces and communist rebels, the New People's Army until the 1990s. The town gained international notoriety in the 1980s when a leader of a civilian paramilitary cult cannibalized Italian missionary Tulio Favali.

Then on February 15, 1992 the Diocese of Kidapawan declared Tulunan and three other communities, "sanctuaries of peace," and prohibited all armed groups, including the military and communist rebels from entering the town with their firearms. The aim is to prevent the constant displacement of thousands of villagers during fighting.

Since then on, no armed confrontation was reported in the peace sanctuaries and villagers have finally begin to enjoy life.

One of the villagers who survived the violent fighting was 70-year old Prudencio Capalla, a member of the Sitio Alimodian Peace Zone council.

He lost two of his children during the violence in his town. A stray bullet hit one of his children and the other died of malaria while taking refuge at an evacuation center in Tulunan.

When Sitio Alimodian was declared a 'Peace Zone' in 1992, Capalla was among those that benefited from it.

He said when his community was declared a peace zone in 1992, he returned to plowing to his field and his surviving children had gone back to school.

Before the peace declaration, Capalla said Tulunan has no public school and no infrastructure to speak off. It was literally neglected.

Tulunan Mayor Lani Candolada said the fighting should end so that healing could take place.

"There is so much pain and trauma brought about by wars," she declared.