Ferdinand Marcos Jr and his military officials are daydreaming with their successive declarations of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) in provinces and regions in June. He is rushing to flaunt “victory” against the revolutionary movement in his fifth state of the nation address (SONA) on July 27, continuing the claim from last year’s SONA in July 2025 that “no guerrilla groups remain.”

The regime has declared entire regions of Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon (part of Southern Tagalog) and Caraga as SIPS. It is also rushing to declare SIPS in municipalities and provinces in Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Northern Mindanao.

The whole Ilocos, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Davao were earlier declared SIPS in 2022, and Negros Island in 2024. Many more municipalities, cities and provinces have been arbitrarily placed under SIPS over the past four years with the aim of declaring whole regions SIPS. Marcos aims to declare the entire country SIPS by 2028, before his term ends.

For whom?

The regime considers SIPS as the highest level of “peace” in a given area. This is a category for municipalities, provinces and regions supposedly “where the insurgency is already controlled” and “ready for development.” It is framed under the doctrine of a “whole-of-nation approach” led by the National Task Force (NTF)-Elcac, reinforced by the National Action Plan for Unity, Peace and Development in 2025.

Declaring SIPS entails turning over counterinsurgency operations from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to the local government and the Philippine National Police (PNP). Formation of Integrated Territorial Defense Systems in barangays will then support this.

Despite this, AFP operations remain focused against the New People’s Army (NPA). Calabarzon recorded the largest deployment of AFP and PNP suppression forces in the region’s history even after declaring it SIPS. Around 32-34 battalions were deployed within its scope and in Mimaropa.

The SIPS proclamation will supposedly usher unfettered foreign investment and “development” to the regions. It entices destructive mining operations, plantations, renewable energy projects like solar and offshore wind farms, and the conversion of agricultural land. All of these come at the expense of peasants and indigenous minorities.

Northern Samar first district was declared SIPS on July 3. The San Isidro Wind Project and a tidal energy plant are set to be launched in the district. Constructing the Samar Unity Roads cutting through three Samar Island provinces will also be rushed and will facilitate the destruction of the Samar Island Natural Park. Agricultural land spanning 5,000 hectares in the town of Bonbon were opened for export-oriented coconut production.

Collapsing illusion

Despite Marcos’ boast last year that “no guerrilla groups remain,” AFP units continue to encounter the NPA in various provinces. According to Ang Bayan’s records, NPA armed clashes with the AFP, PNP and paramilitary groups occurred in 26 provinces across 12 regions of the country.

Beyond armed action reports, the Party continues to take root in barangays, towns, districts, provinces and regions. It organizes and builds branches, units and committees at various levels.

Allied organization of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines are also actively strengthened and mobilized. They reportedly held activities in the National Capital Region and seven major cities and town centers in the country, and even overseas. Some NDFP organizations have launched a national congress, and have gathered in conferences and general assemblies. They continue to troop to the countryside to participate in armed struggle.

Wherever there is oppression and exploitation, the revolutionary struggle of the broad masses of the people rises and grows to fight for their rights and welfare. These struggles across the country shatter the SIPS declarations of the AFP, NTF-Elcac and the Marcos regime.