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You're watching UNICEF Television.

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It is hard to believe that this picturesque countryside in southern Philippines

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has been part of an ongoing and often violent battle between the government

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and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, known as the MILF.

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But in a historic agreement between MILF and UNICEF,

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fighting was suspended in this and many other remote areas

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so that health workers could reach these often overlooked populations

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in a campaign called Days of Peace.

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What we have agreed with both the MILF and government agencies

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is that we've agreed on the principle that children should be considered zones of peace

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and that programs for children should be prioritized and kept as neutral as possible.

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Armed conflict has affected thousands of villages here,

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leaving these children without access to basic health services because of safety concerns.

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During the two-week Days of Peace, children and their families in 700 hard-to-reach villages

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were brought essential services such as immunizations, counseling, and micronutrient supplementation.

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In what can only be considered a success,

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villagers and health care providers work together,

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spreading awareness, gathering communities, and offering encouragement.

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I'm so happy the health workers are here

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because we don't have to travel far to help our children.

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There are two more Days of Peace campaigns in the works for the Philippines,

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one in June and July and the other in October.

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One can only hope that the positivity and happy faces seen on the many villagers here

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is an indicator of things to come for so many still unreached.

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For so many still unreached.

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Reporting for UNICEF Television in New York, this is Anwalika Okafor, Unite for Children.