DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) -- The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of Negros Oriental has passed a resolution pushing for the province to be granted Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status. 

The proposal  was made upon the recommendation of Philippine Army 302nd Infantry Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, who cited the dismantling of all guerrilla fronts operating in the province and the absence of major violence and incidents perpetrated by the New People’s Army (NPA) as the significant factors for the declaration of SIPS. 

Escanillas added that this is a key factor in boosting the local tourism industry as well as encouraging business entrepreneurs to venture and attain sustainable progress. 

He explained that declaring a state of SIPS does not mean the province is insurgency-free, as there are still remnants of the guerilla fronts who will be the subject of relentless focused military operations.

The Army official assured that troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines assigned to the province would not be pulled out after the declaration.

“We will still cooperate to maintain the peace and order, especially in the sitios because they are most vulnerable and it is where the recruitment started by the communist terrorist groups,  particularly in the GIDAS or geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,” explained Escanillas. 

What is SIPS?

Provinces that have been declared in a state of SIPS are considered cleared, unaffected by communist insurgents and relatively peaceful. 

At the local government unit level, the peace and order council recommends the declaration of SIPS for adoption by the city or municipal council.

The mayor, Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Army have to pass a joint resolution formally declaring the SIPS in the locality.

The SIPS status in a locality would attract investments, generate jobs, and bring more opportunities to its people.

Welcome development for biz sector

Edward Du, president of the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry, welcomed the move, saying that this will have a positive impact on the business sector.

“For us in the business sector, this has been a dream because ever since, the province has been perceived as not peaceful. We are hopeful that with the move for this SIPS, more investors will come to the province,” said Du.

He expects that future investors in the Tamlang Valley Sustainable Agriculture for Growth and Resiliency Project (TVSAGRP), business process outsourcing, hotels, and the agriculture sector will be encouraged to do business in the province.

TVSAGRP aims to boost agricultural productivity, promote food security, and address insurgency and social inequalities in the province. 

It is expected to be implemented this year with an initial budget of over P1.4 billion to be taken from the general fund of the regional line government agencies involved in the project. 

Tamlang Valley, which encompasses the shared borders of the towns of Sta. Catalina, Siaton, Valencia, and Sibulan, was once known as “no man’s land” at the height of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) insurgency in the late 1980s up to the early 1990s. 

Dismantling of CPP-NPA

The Philippine Army reported that five guerilla fronts of the CPP-NPA have already been dismantled, resulting in the reduction of their manpower, firearms, and influence in the barangays. 

SIPS status is one of the criteria for an area to be declared an insurgency-free community.

Escanillas added that the declaration of a state of SIPS also aims to acknowledge the need to effectively counter the CTG-led terrorism that continues to manipulate and deceive innocent constituents who become victims. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)