WITH most of Mindanao long burdened by conflict and insurgency, the island is now shifting toward economic recovery as stability takes hold.
Speaking to journalists on Dec. 5, 2025, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Leo Tereso Magno said Mindanao is now “practically insurgency-free,” creating conditions for long-delayed development to finally move forward.
Addressing the local business press at Probinsya Restaurant, VP NCCC, Magno called the moment a turning point—one built on years of communities, security forces, and local leaders working together to reclaim safety.
“Practically all municipalities, cities, provinces, and regions in Mindanao have been declared insurgency-free,” he said. “This is our only chance. If we do not develop Mindanao now, we risk going back to the old situation we fought so hard to escape.”
Emerging from a decades-long armed struggle
Mindanao’s security landscape has changed dramatically in the last three years. The Davao Region, once among the most affected, was declared insurgency-free on Sept. 19, 2022, through a unanimous Peace and Order Council resolution. Authorities reaffirmed that status in 2024 after reporting zero armed encounters with communist rebels.
By 2025, military units had dismantled the remaining guerrilla fronts. The Eastern Mindanao Command said it neutralized nearly 600 NPA members this year, while the 10th Infantry Division reported 705 surrenders, arrests, or casualties from January to early December. These developments collapsed rebel structures in Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, and parts of Davao del Sur.
Other regions followed. Misamis Occidental was declared insurgency-free in 2024, and reports from Caraga, Northern Mindanao, and portions of Barmm show long-standing guerrilla fronts have lost their mass base and capability. Most municipalities across Mindanao have since been cleared.
Investor confidence fueled
Economic officers from partner countries and development institutions have stepped up visits to Davao, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, and Cotabato City—missions that were rare in earlier years due to security risks.
Magno said the region’s improving conditions are now reflected in economic data.
“All indicators show that Mindanao is on an upward path,” he said. “Inflation has returned to acceptable rates, and our contribution to national GDP has improved.”
He added that business activity is picking up in agricultural sites, growth centers, and logistics corridors as communities regain stability.
Laying groundwork for 2026
With peace holding, MinDA is preparing for broader development efforts in 2026. Infrastructure projects, power and transport networks, and digital connectivity are expected to anchor the island’s next phase of growth.
A key initiative is the PPP One-Stop Facilitation Center, which aims to streamline investor requirements directly in Mindanao and reduce delays that previously discouraged major projects.
Foreign investors have shown interest in agribusiness modernization, renewable energy, processing zones, and port development—sectors aligned with Mindanao’s land resources and strategic location.
Human side of the peace dividend
Magno underscored that Mindanao’s gains are rooted in years of sacrifice by communities, security forces, and local governments. In former conflict zones, farmers are returning to their fields, markets are reopening, and former combatants are entering livelihood programs.
He said development must reach remote barangays to ensure peace is not only achieved but sustained. Communities, he added, must feel progress in their daily lives to prevent old conditions from taking root again.
Mindanao's new economic story
With armed insurgency collapsing in the Davao Region, most municipalities now cleared, and investor visits rising, Mindanao is beginning to rewrite its economic story. Instead of conflict, the island is positioning itself for growth built on stability, connectivity, and long-term development.
As 2026 approaches, leaders, businesses, and communities across Mindanao are preparing to turn hard-won peace into sustained economic transformation. DEF