Insurgency in Northern Samar will end during the term of the current administration.

This was vowed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in a chance interview with DAILY TRIBUNE during the distribution of land titles and support services in Tacloban City, Leyte on Monday.

The Chief Executive also assured that the region will surely enjoy "sufficient progress" as armed conflict and insurgency are seen to end.

“Yes, I am, very much so,” Marcos responded, citing progress reports.

“It’s getting better and better. It is no longer as chaotic as before," Marcos added.

Hence, the President acknowledged that encounters with rebel groups are still occurring, but emphasized a decrease in terms of scale and frequency.

He then credited the dismantling of rebel organizations “bit by bit” to the ongoing efforts.

“I think the progress is sufficient. I think we will be able to do it within the schedule that we have given ourselves,” President Marcos said.

Marcos did not provide a specific timeframe for the resolution of the insurgency.

The President, in July 2023, expressed hope that Northern Samar would be declared insurgency-free by the end of that year.

The Philippine government has long grappled with communist insurgencies in various regions, including Northern Samar.

The New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been active in the area for decades.

Also, Marcos previously stated that the government's anti-insurgency body, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), would persist in eliminating insurgency from the remaining barangays.

Despite criticisms from militant groups accusing the government agency of red-tagging individuals, Marcos said the NTF-ELCAC should be permitted to fulfill its crucial mission.