COMMITMENT TO PEACE. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivers his speech during the “Panabang si Kasanyangan” peace offering ceremony in Sumisip, Basilan on Saturday (March 2, 2024). The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity said Marcos' visit to Basilan highlights his decisive leadership and determination to bring lasting peace and development to areas severely affected by armed conflict. (Photo courtesy of OPAPRU)
MANILA – Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s visit to Basilan over the weekend highlights his desire to bring peace and development to areas severely affected by armed conflict.
"The presence of President Marcos in Basilan is a testament of his decisive leadership to win the peace in areas throughout the country that were once ravaged by armed conflict," Galvez said in a statement Sunday.
Marcos witnessed the decommissioning and destruction of 550 small arms under the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Management Program.
The weapons were turned in by former Moro rebels, Abu Sayyaf members and civilians.
“With these positive developments in the SALW program, Basilan is gradually shedding its image as a former hotspot and is transforming into a show window of peace and development not only in Western Mindanao but across the country and beyond as well,” Galvez said.
The OPAPRU chief also thanked the decisive leadership of the local government of Basilan and the strong support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and international community “in helping us achieve our common aspiration to free the island province of loose firearms and provide stability in terms of peace and security.”
Following the event, the President held a closed-door meeting with the military top brass inside the headquarters of the 64th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Tumahubong in Sumisip town. (PNA)
