President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. announced Friday that Palawan is now insurgency-free.
"It brings me great joy to be able to be with you to preside over the pronouncement of Palawan as an insurgency-free province and to lead the opening ceremony of this year’s National Peace Consciousness Month," Marcos said in his speech as he graced the celebration of the National Peace Consciousness Month 2023 in Puerto Princesa City.
"I cannot think of a better way to open the celebration, the commemoration of the National Peace Consciousness Month, then to also at the same time be able to announce and to declare Palawan Island as insurgency-free," he remarked.
The Provincial Peace and Order Council, the regional and provincial task force ELCAC, the partner organizations, and the residents of the province were all praised by the President for their cooperative and inclusive efforts in putting the whole-nation strategy to end the local communist armed conflict into action.
"The milestone that we celebrate today epitomizes the commitment that you have put to end the decades-long insurgency in the area through the provision of national reintegration programs for former rebels and promotion of the island’s peace and security," he noted.
Meanwhile, National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año said on Thursday that the national government is aiming to reduce the number of communist rebels to an "irrelevant number" by the end of the Marcos administration.
According to Año, it is crucial to understand that putting an end to war will support efforts to fortify national borders and safeguard the integrity of the national territory.
