The journey to lasting peace in Davao de Oro continues to gain momentum, celebrated and embraced by its people.
For the third consecutive year, the provincial government marks Davao de Oro as an insurgency-free province, maintaining this status through inclusive governance and dynamic development programs.
Officially declared insurgency-free in June 2022, Davao de Oro was the first in the region to earn this distinction after successfully dismantling all guerrilla fronts of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in the area. Following its lead, the entire Davao Region was declared insurgency-free by the end of 2023.
This historic milestone is largely credited to then-commander of the Army’s 1001st Infantry Brigade, Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III, who emphasized that such a declaration demands strategic planning and persistence.
Leading the charge against insurgency in the province, he regards the liberation of Davao de Oro from the NPA as one of his proudest achievements.
From a previous stronghold of 12 NPA guerrilla units, only one remained by late 2021. That final group — Guerrilla Front 2, the oldest NPA unit in Mindanao — eventually withdrew, sealing the province's liberation.
According to 2022 data 2022, before its liberation, 30 percent of the country’s 55 known insurgent groups were based in Mindanao.
Half of those operated in the Davao Region, with 8 percent in Davao de Oro alone.
Durante attributed the success to strong collaboration between local government units and communities.
“Until now, the NPA has not regained ground in the province. They are no longer relevant,” he said.
At the third-year anniversary celebration on June 17, outgoing Governor Dorothy Gonzaga lauded the collective efforts that led to this achievement.
Under her administration, peacebuilding expanded through the Pagpalahutay Framework—a community-based, sustainable development strategy.
Among the province’s key initiatives:
- Kamustahan sa Barangay and Tunol Serbisyo Para sa Katawhan—bringing direct government services to former conflict-affected communities
- Scholarship grants for families of former rebels
- Livelihood programs, organizational support for people’s groups, and targeted sectoral interventions
“Together with the key initiatives of the province we then made sure that all uniformed personnel carried out the LGUs various programs objectives with respect for the dignity of all surrenderers, a sense of compassion in the performance of our duty, and a willingness to lend a hand as we welcomed them into their new communities,” Durante added. PR