TACLOBAN CITY — Northern Samar achieved a significant milestone in its anti-insurgency campaign after all 14 municipalities in the province’s first congressional district were officially declared under a Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition (SIPSC), making the district insurgency-free, while two towns in the Second District also attained the same status.
The declaration was formalized during a ceremony held at the Provincial Capitol on July 3 through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and a Peace Commitment Pledge attended by provincial officials, military and police leaders, national government agencies, and local chief executives.
Leading the ceremony were Governor Harris Christopher Ongchuan, Major General Peter Burgonio, commander of the 8th Infantry Division, Brig. Gen. Carmelito Pangatungan, commander of the 803rd Infantry Brigade, Northern Samar Police Director Col. Jorge Buyacao Jr., Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Provincial Director Geraldine Maquelabit, representatives of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, municipal mayors, and other stakeholders.
The declaration covers all municipalities in the province’s first congressional district—Allen, Biri, Bobon, Capul, Catarman, Lavezares, Lope de Vega, Mondragon, Rosario, San Antonio, San Isidro, San Jose, San Vicente, and Victoria—signifying that the entire district has successfully transitioned to a Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition.
The municipalities of Laoang and San Roque in the second congressional district were likewise declared under SIPSC, bringing the total number of towns in Northern Samar that have attained the status to 16.
Government officials said the declaration reflects the success of the government’s Whole-of-Nation Approach in addressing the decades-long communist insurgency through sustained military and law enforcement operations, effective local governance, socio-economic development programs, and active community participation.
Governor Ongchuan said the achievement belongs not only to government agencies and security forces but also to the people of Northern Samar, whose cooperation has been instrumental in sustaining peace.
“Peace is a shared responsibility. We must continue working together to ensure that these gains will translate into greater opportunities, improved public services, and a better quality of life for every Nortehanon,” the governor said.
League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Northern Samar Chapter President and Victoria Mayor Maria Ana Gaborni-Abalon described the declaration as a testament to the resilience and unity of the Nortehanon people.
“This milestone reflects our collective determination to build communities where our people can live without fear and where development can flourish,” she said.
For its part, the 8th Infantry Division emphasized that the SIPSC declaration does not mark the end of security efforts but the beginning of a new phase focused on sustaining peace and preventing the resurgence of insurgency.
Military officials urged local government units, national agencies, and communities to remain vigilant and continue working together to preserve the hard-earned peace.
During the ceremony, member agencies of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) renewed their commitment to strengthen inter-agency coordination, expand community engagement, and ensure the continuous delivery of government programs, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
Officials said the improved security environment is expected to accelerate infrastructure development, attract investments, create more livelihood opportunities, boost tourism, and enhance the delivery of basic services throughout the province.
The program also featured the distribution of assistance to newly surrendered former rebels, who will undergo reintegration through the provincial government’s Balay Darangpan program.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
