President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Friday that the declaration of Palawan as insurgency-free is important in the country’s efforts to further revitalize the tourism industry in the country.

In a media interview in Puerto Princesa City, President Marcos expressed his confidence that the local government units can finally implement more programs for the benefit of their respective communities now that there is no longer impending danger brought about by communist terrorist groups (CTGs) in the province.

“That is the problem that we are slowly solving now, because unless you have a peaceful community, unless you have security in the area, ang hirap talaga maka-attract ng investment,” the President said,

“So now that we are able to wave that flag, sabihin natin, Palawan is free, then Palawan is already a very large part of all our plans for transformation of the economy. Tourism plays a very, very large part in that. And Palawan plays a very, very large part in Philippine tourism,” he added.

Palawan is one of the famous destinations for tourists year-round, making the province one of the biggest contributors to growth in the tourism industry and the economy.

Pursuant to the joint resolution issued by the Palawan Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) and the Provincial Peace and Order Committee (PPOC), Palawan Island has been declared insurgency-free.

The joint resolution states that the CTG in the province has been decimated and strategically defeated with the neutralization of its leaders and members which led to the dismantling of guerrilla formations in the province. PND