BAGUIO CITY ? Abra, a province known for political violence during elections, celebrated its second annual ?Week of Peace? where elders, church leaders and politicians engaged in a dialogue about ending poll-related conflicts.

This year, the ?Week of Peace,? which ran from Dec. 4 to 10, highlighted the Abra youth?s role in peace making.

In a Dec. 5 assembly, 57 college students offered to monitor and report about the political environment there under the ?Botosko, Dayawko, Bantayak (My vote, my home, I?ll protect it)? program organized by the Abra Community Journalists and Broadcasters Club (ACJBC).

The students wore black ribbons.

Maritess Peña, ACJBC coordinator, said the ribbons symbolized their sympathy for the 57 victims of the Maguindanao massacre, as well as a reminder that Abra is no stranger to election-related violence.

Some Abra youths found a more positive outlook for the 2010 polls.

At an extemporaneous speech competition on Dec. 5, the winning entry delivered by a student from the Abra Valley College discussed why Abra?s progress and development would ultimately give birth to true peace among local politicians.

Last week, a new study about the province?s election-related violence was presented in a workshop by the Ateneo School of Government?s Political Democracy and Reforms (Poder) Program.

The Ateneo School of Government referred to the same study in its Dec. 3 condemnation of the Maguindanao atrocities, which is posted on its website.

Citing the study, the statement said Ateneo found ?an all too familiar cause? for election violence?the long hold on power of a handful of political families and their use of arms.

?These families have built solid machineries to control and monopolize power?power with strong connections to the State and to many segments of society ? As in Abra and likely in Nueva Ecija, election-related violence in Maguindanao follows a pattern: The presence of long-standing political families that have used violence to stay in power and who are protected by politicians at the national level,? it said.

Chief Supt. Orlando Pestaño, Cordillera police director, had alerted the Commission on Elections to an initial police evaluation of Abra?s security issues, which indicated that the province was once again on the verge of ?potential violence? due to intense political rivalries.

But youth participation may turn the tide once they break the culture of violence, said Salacnib Danggalan, president of the Abra Central Board of Students.

?If we want change [for our] province ? it is about time we broke our culture of indifference because we all can do something good for our province,? he said.

Abra Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin also pledged a peaceful campaign and election next year, as he closed ranks with other northern Luzon politicians to support Lakas-Kampi CMD standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro Jr.

?As responsible leaders, we have pledged to [Teodoro] that no act of election-related violence would take place in Abra [in next year?s elections],? Bersamin said in a statement.

He said support for Teodoro has been strengthened by his governance platform ?with its emphasis on more development projects? in the country?s rural areas.

?[Teodoro] knows fully well that developed rural communities are the backbone of a strong national economy,? Bersamin said.

Earlier, Teodoro won the backing of local leaders in Cagayan, Isabela and Ilocos Norte.