In Samar
MATUGUINAO, Samar — This municipality has been officially declared under a Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition (SIPSC), marking what officials described as a major milestone in ending the decades-long influence of insurgency in the area.
The declaration was made during a ceremony at the municipal gymnasium on June 8, attended by local officials led by Mayor Aran Boller, military representatives headed by 8th Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. Peter Burgunio, and officials from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
For decades, Matuguinao had been considered one of the strongholds of insurgency in Samar, with communist rebel influence reported in nearly all of its barangays.
Local officials said the situation began to improve in 2019 following intensified government security operations and the municipality’s declaration of the New People’s Army as persona non grata.
Mayor Boller, visibly emotional during his speech, described the declaration as the result of years of effort and sacrifice.
“It has been a long journey toward the total emancipation of Matuguinao from the influence of the CPP-NPA-NDF,” he said, recalling the deaths of soldiers, barangay officials, and civilians during the armed conflict.
The town mayor said the SIPSC declaration signals that the municipality can now fully focus on development and long-term progress.
Boller also cited improved access to the town as a key factor in its transformation. Once accessible only by a four- to six-hour motorboat ride, Matuguinao is now connected by road to Gandara through a PAMANA-funded project completed in 2019, reducing travel time to less than an hour.
“By delivering services to all citizens equally, we have eliminated the grounds for complaints used by the NPA to justify recruitment,” he added.
The mayor credited the sustained support of military units, including the 63rd, 19th, and 43rd Infantry Battalions and the 8th Infantry Division, for helping restore peace in the municipality.
The local government is currently assisting around 60 to 70 former rebels through reintegration programs, livelihood support, and planned housing projects under the “Saad nga Balay” program, in partnership with national and provincial agencies.
Maj. Gen. Burgunio commended the cooperation of the local government and residents, saying the achievement was made possible through community support alongside security operations.
He noted that while Matuguinao had once been a difficult area for peace efforts due to its terrain and isolation, significant improvements have been achieved not only in the municipality but across Samar Island.
The SIPSC declaration means insurgency-related threats have been effectively addressed and that local institutions are now deemed capable of sustaining peace and security, based on assessment and validation by security forces.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
