Marcos lauds efforts to transform Basilan into an epicenter of peace

President Marcos lauded the dedication of the locals of Basilan, saying their dedication transformed the province from one that is tainted by violence and terrorism to an epicenter of peace.

In his speech, the President said the event was a sign that Basilan has been transformed.

“Our presence in today’s event reaffirms the truth that what was once a Ground Zero of war, is now turned into an epicenter of peace,” he said.

“A province that was once tainted by violence and terrorism is now a zone of peace, made possible not by military might alone but more so by a people saying no to violence,” he added.

According to Marcos, the province has already achieved a social order that values human dignity, improves lives, and promotes progress.

“This is the kind of peace that we see that dawned here in Basilan,” he said.

“The kind that endures because it uproots the causes of people’s discontent that purveyors of violence may want to exploit,” he added.

President Marcos said Basilan had achieved peace because it refused to continue to be a place of violence.

“Like its ancestors who fended off colonizers, the Yakans, Tausugs, and Chavakanos repudiated modern-day terrorism that was trying  to enslave them by enchanting them with lies,” he said.

“Attacked and threatened, the people of Basilan stood their ground, again and again and again. They never ceded their communities— never surrendered their future to an ideology that clashes with the values they hold dear,” he added.

During his visit to Basilan, the President witnessed the destruction of 400 surrendered firearms through the use of a road roller truck. He also led the distribution of motorcycles to eight former rebels or civilian gun owners as support for their livelihood.

Meanwhile, President Marcos said he ordered national and local government agencies to push for the development of Basilan and other areas that were once considered “conflict areas” in the Philippines, saying peace is not achieved by the mere cessation of the violence.

“What it also means is that we— the national government and the local governments and the autonomous government— all work together to make sure that the livelihood and the progress will come to Basilan and all of the other provinces who are once areas of conflict,” he said.

President Marcos said bringing developments to Basilan and other former conflict areas in the Philippines “is the most important thing” and a very significant milestone for the Philippine government.

— Argyll Cyrus Geducos