Photo opportunity of RDC XI and RPOC XI Executive Committee (ExCom) members with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, Special Assistant to the President Antonio F. Lagdameo Jr., and OIC Senior USec. Jose C. Faustino, Jr.

(NSFA, Panacan, Davao City). His Excellency, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. graced the event, highlighting the declaration of Davao Region as insurgency-free and re-launching of Davao Region as a tourism and investment-ready destination on October 27, 2022, at the Eastern Mindanao Command (EMC) – Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Headquarters, Naval Station Felix Apolinario, Panacan, Davao City. The event was initiated by the Regional Development Council (RDC) XI and the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) XI, in coordination with the Department of National Defense (DND).

The event commenced with the showcasing of the Captured, Confiscated, Surrendered, and Recovered (CCSR) firearms from the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) as a result of Focused Military Operations (FMO), led by LTGen. Greg T. Almerol of the EMC. DND’s Officer-in-Charge and Senior Undersecretary Jose C. Faustino, Jr. then proceeded with the Declaration of Davao Region as Insurgency-free parallel to the same proclamation of the Region’s Provinces and Highly urbanized City (Davao City) through their respective Local/Provincial Peace and Order Councils.

(Photo of RDC XI Chairperson and Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon, delivering her message)

RDC XI Chairperson and Davao Oriental Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon gave a message emphasizing that Davao Region now, more than ever, is ready to welcome all visitors and investors. With the declaration of Davao Region as insurgency-free by the Department of National Defense OIC and Senior Undersecretary Jose C. Faustino, Jr., based on RPOC XI Resolution No. 07, series of 2022 dated October 12, 2022, Governor Malanyaon said that it was indeed an opportune time to re-launch Davao Region as a Tourism and Investment-ready Destination. As a complementary move, the RDC XI Chairperson mentioned that the RDC XI, through RDC XI Executive Committee (ExCom) Resolution No. 43, s. 2022, manifested Davao Region’s preparedness as a “Tourism and Investment-Ready Destination” that shall reinforce the economic recovery efforts of all sectors and make it known to the rest of the country and the

world what Davao Region has to offer in terms of tourism and investments/opportunities.

President Marcos, in his keynote message, underscored that the declaration of Davao Region as insurgency-free is a significant milestone as it marked the collective victory of the government, together with various sectors that work together towards attaining peace and security in the Davao Region. He acknowledged the efforts of the men and women in uniform, particularly the EMC-AFP, for ensuring the protection and security of the people through its various civil and military operations. He also recognized the efforts of the local government units, the various government agencies, and the law enforcement authorities in Davao Region for supporting the National Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) by improving public safety and implementing programs that improve the living conditions for everyone. The President stated that there is no better way to commemorate the eradication of insurgency in Davao than to declare the Region as a tourism and investment-ready destination.

“It’s my hope that all the things you have achieved here in Davao can also be replicated across the country. This way we can reproduce our shared success a hundredfold, allowing our fellow countrymen to reap the benefits of safety and prosperity for present and future generations to come”, he said.

Photo of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, delivering his keynote message, together with Vice President Sara Z. Duterte and other high-level National and Local Government Officials

Also present during the event were Vice-President Sara Z. Duterte, Special Assistant to the President Antonio F. Lagdameo Jr., Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo, DND OIC and Senior Undersecretary Jose C. Faustino Jr., together with the Executive Committee members of the RDC XI and RPOC XI.

(Photo credits to the Office of the Press Secretary) From left to right: DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, DOLE XI ARD Jason Balais, RED Abel Monteagudo, DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo, DENR XI RED Bagani Fidel Evasco, Mayor Sebastian Duterte, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., RDC XI Chairperson and Governor Corazon Malanyaon, SAP Antonio Lagdameo, Jr., NEDA XI RD Maria Lourdes Lim, DTI XI RD Maria Belenda Ambi, and DSWD XI RD Vanessa Goc-ong
(Photo credits to the Office of the Press Secretary)

Prior to this event, the President likewise attended during the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Samal Island – Davao City Connector Bridge in Lanang, Davao City. An executive briefing, moderated by RDC XI Chairperson and Governor Malanyaon, was also conducted for President Marcos at the Presidential Guest House at the DPWH Compound, also in Panacan, Davao City, to apprise the President of the Region’s status in

terms of Agriculture (by DA XI RED Monteagudo), Labor and Employment (by DOLE XI ARD Balais), Trade and Industry (by DTI XI RD Ambi), Social Welfare and Development (by DSWD XI RD Goc-ong), and the Davao Regional Economic Situationer (by NEDA XI RD Lim).

-RDC XI Secretariat, Photos by NEDA XI