ANGELES CITY – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has reported that the strength of the New People’s Army (NPA) has been reduced by 78.7 percent, or from the peak of about 25,200 regular members in 1987 down to only 4,702.
Brig. Gen. Francisco Cruz, Jr., commander of the AFP Civil Relations Service, said that during the Arroyo administration starting 2001, “there has been an annual average of 10.8 percent consistent decline in NPA strength, while the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA is estimated to be in existence at only less than 3 percent in rural barangays.”
But Cruz stressed “there is no absolute military solution to insurgency” as it appealed to local government units and “other stakeholders to mobilize and take active role” in fighting insurgency.
He cited the “need to civilianize this war” by “allowing non-military methods to dominate our strategy with LGU taking the lead role.”
“Considering the multi-dimensional nature of insurgency, there needs more synchronization of government efforts to strategically and categorically defeat the CPP-NPA-NDF (National Democratic Front). The best approach is the holistic approach that addresses the root causes of insurgency – injustice, deprivation and ignorance,” he said.
He cited Executive Order No. 773 or the Further Reorganization of the Peace and Order Council enacted in 2009, as an effective response to insurgency.
“EO 773 aims to achieve a unity of effort in strategic, operational, and tactical levels,” he noted.
“Local chief executives should be empowered and become more decisive to lead us in our counter-insurgency efforts because they can effectively address the grievances in their localities through the use of their development funds,” he stressed.
Cruz cited the case of Bohol province as “an exemplary paradigm of an LGU-led counter-insurgency” even as he reported that Aurora, Cebu, La Union, Marinduque, Quirino, Guimaras, Siquijor, Biliran, Apayao, Tarlac and Romblon have already been declared insurgency-free. “More are poised to follow,” he added.
“To be declared insurgency-free means that the CPP-NPA influence in the areas is non-existent or are too insignificant to affect the lives of the residents,” he said.
Cruz said the AFP “will sustain its non-traditional duties such as its engineering civic actions through the National Development and Support Command (NADESCOM) and its Kalayaan Barangay Program (KBP); the deployment of Peace and Development Teams (PDTs) nationwide to fast-track the delivery of government’s basic services and localized dialogues; its support to literacy through the Army Literacy Patrol System (ALPS) and the adopt-a-school projects, among many others.”
“Assigning more troops will never be enough to enforce lasting peace and sustainable development. The nation can always depend on our soldiers’ unflinching courage, professionalism, and commitment,” Cruz said.
“But we cannot win this fight alone. We enjoin all stakeholders to join us in this fight. The mobilization of every sector shall serve as a powerful catalyst in securing democracy and ensuring sustainable peace and progress,” he added.
Brig. Gen. Francisco Cruz, Jr., commander of the AFP Civil Relations Service, said that during the Arroyo administration starting 2001, “there has been an annual average of 10.8 percent consistent decline in NPA strength, while the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA is estimated to be in existence at only less than 3 percent in rural barangays.”
But Cruz stressed “there is no absolute military solution to insurgency” as it appealed to local government units and “other stakeholders to mobilize and take active role” in fighting insurgency.
He cited the “need to civilianize this war” by “allowing non-military methods to dominate our strategy with LGU taking the lead role.”
“Considering the multi-dimensional nature of insurgency, there needs more synchronization of government efforts to strategically and categorically defeat the CPP-NPA-NDF (National Democratic Front). The best approach is the holistic approach that addresses the root causes of insurgency – injustice, deprivation and ignorance,” he said.
He cited Executive Order No. 773 or the Further Reorganization of the Peace and Order Council enacted in 2009, as an effective response to insurgency.
“EO 773 aims to achieve a unity of effort in strategic, operational, and tactical levels,” he noted.
“Local chief executives should be empowered and become more decisive to lead us in our counter-insurgency efforts because they can effectively address the grievances in their localities through the use of their development funds,” he stressed.
Cruz cited the case of Bohol province as “an exemplary paradigm of an LGU-led counter-insurgency” even as he reported that Aurora, Cebu, La Union, Marinduque, Quirino, Guimaras, Siquijor, Biliran, Apayao, Tarlac and Romblon have already been declared insurgency-free. “More are poised to follow,” he added.
“To be declared insurgency-free means that the CPP-NPA influence in the areas is non-existent or are too insignificant to affect the lives of the residents,” he said.
Cruz said the AFP “will sustain its non-traditional duties such as its engineering civic actions through the National Development and Support Command (NADESCOM) and its Kalayaan Barangay Program (KBP); the deployment of Peace and Development Teams (PDTs) nationwide to fast-track the delivery of government’s basic services and localized dialogues; its support to literacy through the Army Literacy Patrol System (ALPS) and the adopt-a-school projects, among many others.”
“Assigning more troops will never be enough to enforce lasting peace and sustainable development. The nation can always depend on our soldiers’ unflinching courage, professionalism, and commitment,” Cruz said.
“But we cannot win this fight alone. We enjoin all stakeholders to join us in this fight. The mobilization of every sector shall serve as a powerful catalyst in securing democracy and ensuring sustainable peace and progress,” he added.
