The government is “very optimistic” that a final peace agreement will be signed with the National Democratic Front (NDF), the political wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), within the term of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to end the decades-long armed struggle of the communist group.
Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., said on Monday that exploratory talks are still ongoing following the signing of a joint communique in Oslo, Norway last November 2023.
“Ang masasabi lang namin ngayon (What we can say for now), in order not to compromise ‘yung (the) ongoing (talks), the President is very committed to finish all agreements and implement it during his time. ‘Yun po ang guidance niya sa amin (That’s his guidance to us), and we commit to the aspiration of the President and national government to finish the final peace agreement with the CPP-NPA (New People’s Army) in the future,” Galvez said in a Palace press briefing.
Galvez said they are “very optimistic ” that the government could sign a peace accord with the communist group during Marcos’ term or “even before the term ends.”
The peace adviser was in Malacañang to join Marcos and other Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) officials for the opening ceremony of 2024 National Peace Consciousness Month and commemoration of the 28th anniversary of the Final Peace Agreement between the government and MNLF.
The government and the NDF-CPP both agreed to resolve the decades-old armed conflict and return to the negotiation table last year.
Previous administrations had tried but failed to forge a peace deal with the communist rebels, who have been fighting with the government through its armed wing, the NPA, since 1968.
According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, there are now only seven weakened guerrilla fronts in the country as of June 2024, from 89 active NPA guerilla fronts in 2018. (PNA)
Photo credit: Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies website