DavNor remains open to rebels wanting to surrender

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte —The provincial government of Davao del Norte has remained open to accommodate and receive rebels who would opt to seek refuge, surrender, and seek assistance.

Davao del Norte Provincial Governor Edwin I. Jubahib made this social commitment to sustain peace and deliver government services in far-flung communities of the province, as he embarked on his last term.

“Nagpabilin kitang andam nga mudawat sa atong mga kaigsoonan nga gustong mobalik sa sabakan sa gobyerno, bisan asa nga probinsya pa sila gikan, aron hatagan sila og tsansa sa bag-ong kinabuhi,” he said during his recent State of the Province Address (Sopa) delivered at Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Gym.

(We remain ready to accommodate our brothers and sisters who would want to go back to the folds of the law, no matter what province they may come from, so they will be given the chance for a renewed life.)

He placed at 5,000 his estimates of the New Peoples Army (NPA) former rebels who had surrendered under his administration, and who had received additional financial assistance and other provincial government services.

“Daghan kanila ang dili taga-Davao del Norte, pero dinhi sila kanato misurender tungod sa atong ginahatag nga tabang ug dakong pagtagad sa mga Friends Rescued,” he said.

(Many of them are not from Davao del Norte, but they’ve surrendered to us due to the assistance we are providing and due to  our high regard for the Friends Rescued.)

He revealed having shelled out from his own pockets for additional assistance to FRs on top of those released through the localized  Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (Eclip).

The FRs also have received social services, psychosocial support, among other services, from the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), national government agencies, private groups, non-government organizations (NGOs), the police, and the military.

Infrastructure services were also brought to the geographically isolated and depressed areas (GIDAs) where 30 new provincial roads were opened, leading to communities of indigenous peoples (IPs), Jubahib said.

“Dako kini og nahimo sa paglambo sa ilang kahimtang ug para sa paghuman sa problema sa insurhensiya sa probinsya,” he said.

(These have substantially contributed in improving their economic state and in ending the insurgency problem in the province.)

Other provincial government services delivered, directly addressing issues capitalized by communist terrorist groups (CTG) are housing, classrooms, health centers, and services for livelihood opportunities.

On the other hand, Jubahib noted that the declaration of Davao del Norte as “insurgency free” had done well in promoting the entire province as “The Ultimate Island to Highland” tourist destination, generating two million tourist arrivals in 2024.

“Gumikan kay kita “Insurgency-Free” naman, ang kanhing mga kuta sa NPA, karon, nahimo na nga nindot nga mga destinasyon para sa mga turista,” he said.

(Because we are now insurgency-free, the previous lairs of  the NPA have now become tourist destinations.)