Of all security concerns, the most pressing is the internal conflict involving armed groups with a capability to gravely affect lives and properties in areas in Southern Philippines, especially those with large Muslim population. While government instituted efforts to come to a political settlement with the armed groups and has worked to address the causes of conflict, these conflicts have persisted, thereby affecting the delivery of basic services and creating a large development gap between conflict-affected areas and the rest of the country. Among the causes of armed conflict are abject poverty, poor governance, abuse of power, corruption, failures of the justice system, human rights violations, disputes over land ownership and use of natural resources, marginalization of lumad and indigenous cultural communities, and the lack of respect and recognition of ancestral domain and indigenous peoples' rights.
Government will continue to pursue negotiated political settlements with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). There is also a need to complete the implementation of Final Peace Agreements with the Cordillera People's Liberation Army (CPLA) (1986), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) (1996), and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas / Revolutionary Proletariat Army / Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP/RPA/ABB) (2000). While this requires disposition of forces through appropriate reintegration, it will also involve provision of socioeconomic assistance to former rebels and delivery of basic services to conflict-affected communities. Meanwhile, the Tripartite Implementation Review of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement with MNLF is nearing completion, during which common grounds and common proposals were formulated for adoption and implementation.
While formal negotiations with both the MILF and the CPP-NPA-NDF have stalled in recent years, prospects have since improved for the resumption of formal negotiations. These include: (a) reconstitution by government of the negotiating panels for the MILF and the CPP-NPA-NDF peace talks; (b) continued implementation of the agreements with the MILF on ceasefire mechanisms, and rehabilitation and development of conflict-affected areas; and (c) agreement with the CPP-NPA-NDF on respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. Not the least of the reasons, however, has been the renewal of the government's legitimacy through the democratic election of an administration that enjoys the people's support and that is willing to invest its political capital on peace.
While peace negotiations are pursued, the causes of conflict must also be addressed in order to reap dividends from peace efforts. For conflict-affected areas, the peace talks must be complemented by the delivery of basic services, institution of good governance, people empowerment, assistance for the return or resettlement of IDPs, policy reforms, and local economic development.