Calabarzon declared insurgency-free on Independence Day
LUCENA CITY – The entire Calabarzon region (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) was formally declared free from the influence of communist insurgents during a ceremony held here on Friday, June 12.
The declaration of “Stable Internal Peace and Security” (SIPS) in Calabarzon was made at the Quezon Convention Center in line with the celebration of the 128th anniversary of Philippine Independence. The event was streamed live on social media.
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The event was attended by Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla Jr.; Quezon Governor Angelina “Helen” Tan, chairperson of the Calabarzon Regional Peace and Order Council; Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., executive director of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict; Lt. Gen. Cerilo Balaoro Jr., commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Southern Luzon Command (Solcom); Major Gen. Ramon Zagala, commander of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division (2nd ID); and Police Brig. Gen. Hansel Marantan, director of Police Regional Office 4A, along with other national and local government officials.
Calabarzon is the first region in the country to be granted SIPS status.
A locality declared under SIPS means the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), no longer pose a significant threat to peace and order.
Authorities said possible remnants of the NPA may still be present in the region but are no longer capable of launching terrorist activities and no longer enjoy community support.
Tan and Zagala signed the memorandum of agreement formalizing the regional SIPS declaration.
The Army’s 2nd ID oversees operations in Calabarzon as well as the island provinces of Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon.
“As the first region in the Philippines to attain an insurgency-free status for 2026, this milestone stands as a testament to the collective efforts of government agencies, security forces, and local government units in promoting peace and development across the five provinces of Calabarzon,” Tan said in a statement posted on her Facebook page.
She said the problem of insurgency rooted in grassroots communities was addressed through extensive consultation and collaboration among the people, various sectors, and local governments to ensure a strong foundation for every city and municipality.
In his speech, Balaoro said the SIPS declaration in Calabarzon was the result of a broader peace framework that Solcom calls the “road to peace in Southern Luzon.”
“Through the road to peace, we learned that victory is not just dismantling armed groups but restoring trust in government, empowering the youth, and creating opportunities for long-neglected communities,” Balaoro said.
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“These programs are the pillars of our success,” he added.
Balaoro noted that over the past eight years, Calabarzon has undergone significant transformation.
“The economy has grown, communities have become more stable, opportunities have expanded. More importantly, we have proven that peace is not merely the absence of armed conflict,” he said.
Records from Solcom showed Cavite was the first province in the region to be granted SIPS status on Dec. 4, 2018, followed by Laguna on Sept. 26, 2019; Batangas on March 10, 2021; Quezon on June 12, 2023; and Rizal on Sept. 23, 2024. INQ
