The enduring pursuit for peace has finally paid off as the province of Davao Oriental has been declared ‘insurgency-free’ following the series of successful peace and order interventions that totally dismantled the remaining forces of the Communist-Terrorist New People’s Army.
During the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting yesterday, September 19, at the Honey’s Hotel in the City of Mati, the council members unanimously approved a resolution declaring the province of Davao Oriental as insurgency-free and development-ready.
Brigadier General Oliver Maquiling, the Commander of the 701st Kagitingan Brigade, reported that the Weakened Guerrilla Front 18 is now dismantled and totally dysfunctional, with only two remaining insurgents left, which he says is now insignificant.
“They can no longer implement the basic function of the front because they have no political and military structures to carry out their purposes of its creation,” said Brig. Gen. Maquiling, adding that all areas of the province are now cleared and no more “influenced area” left.
Brig. Gen. Maquiling explained that aside from the focused military operations, this success is attributed to the convergence of government agencies in implementing various peace and development programs. The downpour of development projects under the Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) which provided high-impact projects such as roads, water systems, schools, and livelihood projects, among others in communities, is another significant factor.
Moreover, army-initiated programs such as the Community Support Program, the deployment of Battalion Sustainment Teams, and the police-initiated program Revitalized Pulis sa Barangay have also played a huge role in gaining the people’s trust and support, especially those in the hinterlands.
“We saturate the CTG concentration areas with convergence forces, services, and interventions,” said Brig. Gen. Maquiling.
Through these programs, former NPA mass supporters, who are the lifeblood of the insurgents, were formed into people’s organizations that are now engaging in enterprising and income-generating activities. While the masses joined government-supported groups, the Communist group could no longer infiltrate communities and recruit civilians. Currently, there are already 180 people’s organizations formed in the province.
On the other hand, since 2016, 335 former rebels have already been enrolled under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and processed at the Happy Home, a halfway house and transition home for rebel returnees.
Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon lauded the efforts of the security sector, notably the Philippine Army and all development partners, as she happily welcomed the promising development.
She expressed her gratitude, especially since it was also during her last term as Governor in 2013 when Davao Oriental was first proclaimed insurgency-free by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The Governor, who led the establishment of the Happy Home, said it was high time to be declared insurgency-free, especially now that the province is aggressively promoting its tourism.
“We have what it takes to be a premier tourist destination and Davao Oriental is worth visiting. But we also have to consider that the tourism industry is too sensitive to peace and order,” she said.
The insurgency-free declaration was based on the result of the evaluation and validation made by the AFP-PNP Joint Area Clearing Evaluation Board (ACEB) and the AFP-PNP Joint Area Clearing Validation Committee (ACVC) and is set to be elevated to the national level for confirmation and final approval. By Karen Lou Deloso | Photos by Mark Alvite
