TIAONG, Quezon – Following the joint efforts of the military, the police, local government units (LGUs), and national government agencies, including civic groups, this progressive town was finally declared as an “insurgency-free” municipality.

Led by Mayor Vincent Arjay Mea, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the declaration of “Stable Internal Peace and Security” (SIPS) was finally signed at Villa Escudero Plantations and Resorts on Wednesday.

His co-signatories were Quezon Governor Angelina Tan, who was represented by town Coun. Eula Lopez, Vice Mayor Dick Umali, Area Police Command head Lt. Gen. Rhoderick Armamento, Calabarzon police regional director Brig. Carlito Gaces, 201st Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Erwin Alea, PNP-RIAS director Brig. Gen. Joseph Bayan, Quezon police director Col. Ledon Monte, 59th Infantry Battalion (IB) commander Lt. Col. Ernesto Teneza, Municipal Local Government director Abel Suministrado, 1st Quezon Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) commander Major Rodelio Calawit, and the town police chief Lt. Col. Marlon Cabataña.

In his message, Mea extended his gratitude to all the concerned sectors, especially the military and the police, for exerting effort to make his town insurgency-free.

Situated between Laguna and Quezon, Tiaong is “the gateway” of the latter to the leading coconut-producing province.

Being so, Mea lamented that Tiaong deserves to be and should have been among the industrialized towns in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) region, but it has been hampered by the “stigma” that Quezon is considered a “hotbed of insurgents.”

With the SIPS declaration, the Tiaong mayor is “optimistic” that there will be an influx of investors in his town.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Gemi Formaran