MANILA, Philippines — Palawan is now free of communist rebels.
President Marcos issued this declaration as he led the celebration of the National Peace Consciousness Month in Puerto Princesa City yesterday.
“Continue what you have started so that the Philippines will be more peaceful,” the President said in his speech.
Marcos cited the contribution of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and their local counterparts for the government’s peace efforts.
Marcos said the declaration of Palawan as insurgency-free is vital in the country’s efforts to further revitalize the tourism industry.
“That is the problem that we are slowly solving now. Unless you have a peaceful community, unless you have security in the area, it’s really difficult to attract investments,” the President said.
The Palawan Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PPTF-ELCAC) and Provincial Peace and Order Council declared Palawan as insurgency-free last year.
Law enforcement agencies said they have observed the absence of both violent and non-violent urban activities initiated by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels since the fourth quarter of 2020.
The Mimaropa regional intelligence committee reported that there are no more NPA guerrilla formations in the province, citing intelligence reports since October 2021.
As this developed, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) has forged a partnership with the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA) to boost the government’s information campaign on anti-insurgency and peacebuilding.
The partnership among OPAPRU, PCO and PIA aims to increase the awareness of local journalists and government information officers on localized peace engagement and transformation program.