TIAONG, Quezon – This town was officially declared insurgency-free by the Philippine National Police on Wednesday, June 7.
Town officials called this a new chapter in its long history of being Ground Zero to clashes between the military and communist rebels.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed certifying the declaration in ceremonies held at the Villa Escudero Plantation.
The signing was led by Tiaong Mayor Vincent Arjay Mea, head of the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict; Councilor Eula Lopez, representing the provincial government; Police Lt. Gen. Rhoderick Armamento, Area Police Command-Southern Luzon head; Police Brig. Gen. Carlito Gaces, Police Regional Office 4-A director; Tiaong Vice Mayor Rhoderick Umali, and Brig. Gen. Erwin Alea, 201st Infantry Brigade commander.
TIAONG, Quezon Mayor Vincent Arjay Mea (right), Councilor Eula Lopez, representing the provincial government; Police Lt. Gen. Rhoderick Armamento, Area Police Command-South Luzon commander, and Police Brig. Gen. Carlito Gaces, Police Regional Office 4-A director, show copies of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) declaring the municipality insurgency-free on Wednesday, June 7, at Villa Escudero Resort in Tiaong. (Danny Estacio)
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Signatories said that the level of NPA activities here is very manageable and that internal security operations in this town has been handed over to the MTF-ELCAC to enable the local government to have a shared responsibility in managing peace and order.
In a speech, Mea said his town will finally have a shot at progress even if it still lacks industrial sites to attract investors.
"A few years ago, the town of Tiaong was not even worth mentioning, believed to be infested with insurgents, which perhaps contributed to its slow development," said Mea.
He recalled that his first order of business after being elected mayor in the 2022 elections was to usher in economic development.
The mayor said he has been enticing entrepreneurs from Metro Manila to invest in his town and its people.
The local government is developing potential tourist spots such as Ticub Lake in Barangay San Pedro.
In the next few months, a giant industrial factory will be built in town, Mea noted.
To attract more investors, he said his office has beefed up the town’s security by providing four mobile patrol cars and motorcycles to augment the police force's capabilities.
Gaces lauded Mea's efforts to make Tiaong more competitive and prosperous.
"The Tiaong local government is constantly supportive of all the PNP's (Philippine National Police) peace and order campaigns and we are particularly proud to say they truly deserve this certification of being insurgency-free," Gaces said in his speech.
Mea thanked the military and the police for their efforts in making this town insurgency-free.