Thank you very much, General Narag, Task Force Tawi-Tawi Commander.

[Will the Troop Commander give the order of tikas pahinga?]

Thank you. Well, I’m very happy to be able to claim to be the first president who was able to come and visit you here and the reason is not because other presidents did not want to come here, it was because other presidents were not allowed by the security conditions that had passed before to be able to come here.

And that is why, I am very happy that we can now show that it is peaceful in Tawi-Tawi. [applause]

It is peaceful in Tawi-Tawi because of all the efforts of all our troops and I have to say that I am — after very many years, I am happy to be back in Marine country. [applause]

Hindi tayo umabot sa ganitong kalagayan na dati ay talagang ito ang — Tawi-Tawi was the ground zero, dito ang takbuhan ng mga fighters dati, lahat ng mga kinukuha ay dinadala dito, tinatago dito.

Kaya naman, it was very much a conflict area kung saan puwede natin sabihin…

But because of the efforts of all our personnel in the Task Force Tawi-Tawi, we have now come to the situation where it is peaceful enough now.

Ngayon, imbes na naglalabanan, ang labanan ngayon dito pagandahan na ng resort and that is something that we — is a very, very, very big achievement and the part that you played in that is a very, very major part so congratulations for the good work and for a job well done. [applause]

But the mission is not over, we now have — we transform ourselves from war fighters, we transform ourselves into now peacemakers and this is what every time…

Pagka ako’y umiikot sa ating mga kampo lagi kong ipinapaliwanag na nandiyan pa rin ang mission natin na kailangan labanan ang mga nagtatangka na pabagsakin ang gobyerno for whatever reason.

Ngunit, kasama na ngayon sa mission natin ay ‘yung patuloy na peace-making na para bigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang mga fighters, ang mga — ang dating mga fighters na magkaroon ng mas magandang buhay na hindi sila nakatago sa bundok, hindi sila laging gutom at tayo naman bilang pamahalaan ay gagawin natin lahat upang mabigyan sila ng pagkakataon para iwanan na nila ang kanilang mga armas, iwanan na nila ang kanilang kampo at magkaroon na sila ng magandang buhay.

So, that is the mission that is before us now.

You have performed the war-fighting mission to an excellent degree. And now, let us also show them that the peace-making part of your mission, you will now fulfill as well to the same excellent degree.

Thank you and congratulations for the good work. Keep it up! [applause]

— END —