Sagada folks want AFP, NPA out to maintain tourist influx

By Redjie  Melvic Cawis

SAGADA, Mountain Province – Officials and residents here urged the New People’s Army and government military forces anew to stay out of this tourist town with declaration of ceasefire for the holiday season.

They said this would give confidence to tourists to continue plans of coming here for the holiday season even with recent clashes between government and rebel forces.

Sagada municipal tourism officer Robert Pangod said the ceasefire between the government troops and the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army is a welcome development for the town to keep its tourism industry alive.

Last week, President Benigno Aquino III approved the suspension of offensive military and police operations against the CPP-NPA from Dec. 18 to Jan. 19, 2015, covering the yuletide season and the visit of Pope Francis in the country.

Pangod said with ceasefire declaration,  tourists  and  locals are assured of their safety and security  while in Sagada.

He said alarm was raised with the ambush of government troops by NPA rebels on Nov. 30 here in Sitio Pegew, Barangay Tetep-an resulting  to the death of two soldiers and wounding  of six others.

He said the municipality does not want to have a repeat of what happened in the last quarter of 2013 when more than 2,000 tourists booked for vacation in Sagada backed out due to the security threat following the clash of military and rebels in the area.

At the moment, there are at least 5,000 foreign and local tourists who are booked at  hotels, inns,  and home stays for the holidays until the end of January 2015 for the annual Etag Festival.

Pangod said peace-loving people of Sagada are hoping that both NPA rebels and military troops follow the ceasefire and maintain Sagda as Peace Zone.

Officials and town folks earlier condemned the latest ambush incident in this town.

Recently, more than 400 individuals, mostly students ,held an indignation rally  to deplore violence as a result of clashes between the government and rebel troops.

The rally was joined by local officials and elders led by Sagada Mayor Eduardo T. Latawan, Jr., with support of provincial officials headed by Gov. Leonard Mayaen.