The Philippine Marine Corps Foundation Inc. (PMCFI) has honored Filipino Marines with a shootfest that showcased the firearms being used in the campaign against insurgency in the country.

Maj. Gen. Charlton Sean M. Gaerlan, commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, said the activity, in partnership with Stone of Hope Defense Foundation Inc., was held during the National Heroes Day and was attended by about 100 participants from the private and public sector organizations.

Other guests included Secretary of Justice Jesus Crispin Remulla, Stone of Hope Defense Foundation President Artemio Dy, Office of Participatory Governance Director Wendell Cabrera, PMCFI President Col. Romulo “Bim” Quemado II, Marine Capt. Joseph Andrew Asuncion, Marine Corps Public Affairs Office Assistant Director Capt. Orchie Bobis, and Marine Capt. Jason Aguirre.

For her part, Stone of Hope Defense Foundation Chairman Phebie Jame Dy expressed the need to support the Marines.

"As a daughter of a former soldier, it is my personal advocacy to help the wounded soldiers and their respective families and loved ones who lost their lives in the war to ensure that we can sleep soundly safe at night and to maintain the peace and order in the country," said Dy.

She also urged the private sector to help the government reach out to more poor families living in remote areas of the country to make them feel that both the government and the private sector are ready to help them so that they will not be deluded to join the communist rebels and terrorist groups.

"Our vision is to be the leading private organization in advocating the enhancement of the Philippines defense posture in establishing a peaceful orderly and equitable society while with our mission is to help secure the Philippines through research and development, self-resilience in software-based intelligence service through effective and reliable cyber security solutions, as well as the development of a reliable and effective defense manufacturing hub in the country," she said.

Quemado said the top priority of the PMCFI is to provide a livelihood program to the poorest of the poor living in the far flung areas of the country who are losing faith in government.

"There is a need to help them realize that the government and the private sector are here and ready to help them to uplift their lives and at the same time eradicate the scourge of insurgency in the country," he said.

He explained that destitution and desperation are among the roots of insurgency in the country. Due to lack of education and social awareness, he said many innocent, impoverished civilians living in remote areas of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao can be fooled easily to join communist and terrorist groups of Abu Sayyaf, and the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People's Army and the National Democratic Front.

Combatting insurgency and its roots, he said, should be a joint effort of soldiers and the community, assisted by the government and public sector.

“The real heroes are not just the Marines or the soldiers. Every peace loving citizen who actively participates in maintaining a peaceful environment to attain a progressive community are all heroes. We need to help our brethren who are deprived of a peaceful community by providing them education and basic services," Col. Quemado added.