Davao region's former NPA-infested areas now draw tourists

Uraya's Peak, Talaingod, Davao del Norte

DAVAO DEL NORTE, Nov. 4 (PIA) -- Former bases of the New People's Army (NPA) in the areas of responsibility (AOR) of the 10th Infantry Agila Division are now tourist destinations as the people and these places were transformed by projects of the national and local governments implemented in coordination with the  Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Discussing the "Peace Culture and Peace Consciousness" topic on the latest episode of Kapihan sa DavNor as chief guest, Major General Ernesto C. Torres Jr, commander of the 10^th Infantry “Agila” Division of the Philippine Army highlighted the transformation of Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) in their AOR terrorist-influenced areas into tourist-preferred destinations.

" Ang visible transformation na makikita natin sa area is that the whole area has been transformed from terrorism to tourism," (The visible transformation we can see is that the whole area was transformed from terrorism to tourism), Torres said citing his stint as former 1003^rd Brigade Commander about four years ago during which he immersed in covered areas in Davao del Norte and in Davao City.

He even described some of the places he visited that were transformed into tourist destinations.

"Pinuntahan ko yung mga dating hot-bed of insurgency like Paquibato, alam naman natin yan, pumunta ako dun, I drove around, met some of the old friends who are tribal leaders and you could really feel the transformation already of the people and the place. Ang gaganda na po ng infrastructure," (I went to the hot-beds of insurgencies before like Pakibato, we all know that place, I went there and met some of the old friends who are tribal leaders and you could really feel the transformation of the people and the place. The newly constructed infrastructures are impressive), Torres' statement reads.

"I went to Uraya's Peak (in Talaingod Davao del Norte), and then I drove there and you can see a lot of tourists both local and foreign going into the area. I went to Aliwagwag Falls sa Cateel, (Davao Oriental) and the Sea of Clouds in Maragusan (Davao de Oro)," he added.

As he mentioned these tourist spots, he expounded how they were flooded with the presence of CTGs before.

"Alam naman po natin dati, (We all know) of what these places are. These used to be hotbeds of insurgency, now that is, in general, my observation of what these visible transformations are," he explained.  (PIA XI Davao del Norte/jmda/Ezri M. Coda, Jr.)