MisOr, Oro economic growth cited in ISO handover

ECONOMIC progress remains the primary factor in determining whether local government units (LGUs) can, on their own, address counterinsurgency problems, an area largely left to the military, an Army official said.

In Misamis Oriental, the transfer of internal security operations (ISO) from the military to the LGUs has been attributed, among others, to the "steady and sustained growth of peace and development condition of the province."

Post your reaction to the Manila hostage crisis

The Army's Fourth Infantry Division (4th ID) said Misamis Oriental has "established and pursued an agenda of development based on eight indicators for good governance: revenue generation, investment in infrastructure, Misortel (the province-owned telephone firm) resuscitation, education and environment protection and development, poverty alleviation, agricultural productivity, teamwork and streamlined bureaucracy, and hospital and health systems upgrading."

These economic and governance programs, 4th ID said, "drastically improved" the peace and order situation in the province."

Economic development, it said, was evident in the "influx of investment from big companies, such as Paseo del Rio de Cagayan, Steag power plant, Gothong shipping lines, and Nestle Philippines and much more."

It also cited the establishment of "high impact infrastructures like the Laguindingan International Airport and Tagoloan International Container Port."

The military said LGU leaders, "by operation of law and by virtue of their popular mandate," have the "fundamental responsibility to provide leadership and good governance in their localities. It is therefore expected that they actively exercise the lead role, particularly in bringing government services to the people, and integrate the efforts of all the stakeholders for collective action being the best antidote to insurgency as a social malady."

A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Philippine Army and the Capitol on the handover of internal security operations (ISO) of Misamis Oriental to local government units will be formally signed today.

The signing will come after Army and police officials jointly endorsed to the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) the ISO responsibility, which means the police will now have the primary duty in handling communist insurgency in the province.

The MOA will be signed by Governor Oscar S. Moreno and Major General Victor Felix, commanding general of the Army's Fourth Infantry Division (4ID). Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Armed Forces Chief Ricardo David are expected to witness the signing at the Capitol.

Governor Moreno said the transfer of ISO to local officials signals the reduction of New People's Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, into irrelevant level in the province.

But the handover, he said, should not be construed as "victory in war but rather a victory in peace." (DVAIII)