By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
“When there is peace, people can build homes, open businesses, send children to school, [and] plan for a future. When there is trust, communities move forward.”
Championing sustained peace as the indispensable asset in nation-building, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. urged Filipinos to express oneness with the government in this agenda.
This, as the President led the opening ceremony of the 2026 National Peace Consciousness Month (NPCM), commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Government of the Philippines (GPH)-Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA), and 40th Anniversary of the GPH-Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CBA-CPLA) 1986 Mount Data Peace Accord “SIPAT” on Tuesday.
In the multi-milestone event, President Marcos Jr. underscored the importance of engaging in consistent and thorough dialogue to settle differences, thus establishing an environment where people can go on with their daily lives without fear or worry of running into lawless elements.
He addressed Filipinos in his speech, “The milestones we commemorate today tell us that peace entails responsibility. It must be chosen, it must be lived, protected, and strengthened every single day.”
The Chief Executive concluded by honoring the efforts of past peacebuilders, who went the extra mile to foster camaraderie that transcends generations.
The country celebrates the National Peace Consciousness Month this September and also commemorates the 30th Anniversary of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
Preparations are also ongoing for the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on September 14.
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