Philippine Army Chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido led a high-level delegation visit to champion joint civil-military development initiatives and foster stronger ties with government agencies and partner nations in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi on June 24 to June 25, 2025, with their quest to make the said provinces globally competitive.
The multi-sectoral mission aims to strengthen diplomatic, educational, and economic partnerships while showcasing the region’s extraordinary progress in transitioning “from terrorism to tourism.”
Galido was accompanied by key Army staff, representatives from the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and a multi-national delegation composed of foreign ambassadors from Brunei, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam along with Foreign Armed Forces Attachés (FAFA) from Vietnam, Brunei, India, Malaysia, and Turkey in the Sulu visit on June 24.
“This visit is a celebration of peace and potential. We are witnessing the tangible results of sustained peace efforts, with communities now embracing development, education, and tourism as their new frontiers,” Galido said.
Once considered strongholds of insurgency, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi now emerge as models of resilience, growth, and cultural pride.
Through joint military-civilian operations and partnerships with local stakeholders, the Philippine Army has been instrumental in stabilizing these regions.
This visit symbolizes the collective commitment to a new perspective—one that sees Mindanao as a gateway to regional prosperity and global engagement.
DepEd and DBM officials assessed the implementation of peace education and infrastructure funding, committing to stronger support for remote island communities in line with national development goals.
The engagement highlighted cultural tours and interactions with local leaders followed by discussions on ongoing development projects and partnerships across the Sulu Archipelago.
The delegation toured the newly rehabilitated department offices at the Capitol Building, attended the inauguration of key infrastructure projects, including the Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Sulu Building, the Provincial Sports Complex, a new dormitory, the Sulu Provincial Women Council (SPWC) Building, and the Lupah Sug Library, and formally inaugurated the Darul Jambangan, a cultural heritage site in Maimbung.
The visit concluded with a multi-sectoral dialogue that focused on the integrated efforts in education, governance, and regional development as Sulu transitions from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to Region IX.
