insurgency-free

• IP elders say NPA recruitment in Talaingod has ceased

TRIBAL leaders now describe their communities in Talaingod, Davao del Norte, as peaceful after years of being a battleground for communist recruitment and skirmishes between the military and the New People’s Army.

Speaking at the Davao Peace and Security press briefing on Wednesday, Jan. 14, Datu Gusting Dawsay, an IP elder of the Ata-Manuvu tribe, claimed the municipality is steadily developing because peace and security have finally taken root.

The most significant change, according to Dawsay, is the safety of the youth. 

He noted that the days of armed groups entering their ancestral domains to recruit for the communist armed group are over.

“The youth can now go to school properly. There are no more groups entering our area to recruit for the NPA, which was a major concern for the community before,” Dawsay said in the vernacular. 

He added that the absence of active conflict has allowed residents to return to their normal daily lives.

Talaingod, Davao del Norte, has undergone a profound transformation from being a hotbed of communist activity to being officially declared insurgency-free in 2022. 

For nearly 50 years, Talaingod–about 55 kilometers from Tagum City–was a primary stronghold for the New People’s Army and the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee. The region’s rugged terrain and historical marginalization made it a fertile ground for the NPA. Recruitment often targeted the youth, and the community lived under constant fear of being caught in the crossfire between rebels and the military.

Schools like the Salugpongan Ta’tanu Igkanugon Community Learning Center (STTICLC) thrived, even as the government alleged they were used as training and recruitment hubs for the NPA. This led to mass evacuations (such as the 2014 and 2018 incidents) and the eventual closure of these schools.

Several tribal families were also brought and languished in UCCP Haran in Davao City, purportedly to protect them from the “alamara” (paramilitary groups).

When asked about the possibility of armed groups returning, Dawsay is confident that they can protect their territory.

“We, the IP leaders, are ensuring that no armed groups or bad elements can enter and cause trouble for us again,” he emphasized.

Bartolome Arcala of Kalinaw SEMR echoed these sentiments, confirming that they have received zero reports of recent insurgent recruitment in Talaingod.

“Instead of recruiting for the armed struggle, they should deliver true services and projects to the communities,” Arcala said. “We are the ones who suffer—civilians are caught in the middle, soldiers and NPAs die, properties are destroyed, and families are torn apart. Let us think of the future of our youth.”

Datu Dawsay concluded with a plea to respect the rights of the IP community when passing through or visiting their lands. 

He reiterated that the Ata-Manuvu remains open to cooperation with the government and other sectors to ensure that the hard-won peace in Talaingod is sustained for future generations.

The security situation began to shift due to the “whole-of-nation” approach through the NTF-ELCAC. Between 2019 and 2023, hundreds of former rebels, including high-ranking leaders, surrendered to the 56th Infantry Battalion.

In June 2022, the municipality of Talaingod, along with the rest of Davao del Norte, was officially declared insurgency-free.