The government will continue to work to encourage rebels to lay down their arms, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Saturday, assuring the government will provide them with aid, livelihood and shelter.

The President made the remark when asked if the illegal weapons destruction conducted in Basilan will be replicated in other parts of Mindanao.

“So, patuloy lang. We are still ongoing on the process and we are still trying to bring those who are still fighters to come down from the mountains and to join society,” President Marcos said during a media interview after witnessing weapons destruction in Basilan.

“And we for our part will continue to support everything that they need in terms of housing, in terms of livelihood, int terms of schools, in terms of infrastructure. And that’s the role that we will play,” he said.

The peace efforts in Mindanao are continuously ongoing under the auspices of the UN, the European Union, and all other government partners abroad as observers, looking and seeing the decommissioning of weapons.

The President said BARMM governors are coming together to formalize an alliance to ensure continuous support to the autonomous government of BARMM.

“And I think that is also another very important step in the continuing road to peace,” he said.

Aside from witnessing the destruction of firearms surrendered by the rebels, Marcos also attended the Panabang si Kasanyangan peace offering ceremony in Basilan.

Seeing the province’s potential in food production, he assured local leaders and its people of continued support from the national government to make it a food and fisheries center. PND