In a paradigm shift on peace and order governance, Camarines Sur Governor LRay Villafuerte has rolled out a vision of a peaceful and prosperous Bicol that goes beyond regionwide efforts to beef up law enforcement and anti-crime operations.
As the newly appointed chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) in Bicol, Villafuerte said that topping the RPOC’s agenda on his watch will be forging a close working relationship between and among local government institutions, law enforcement agencies and all other stakeholder groups to accelerate poverty reduction in the region, given the correlation between poverty and crime.
“Together with our uniformed services, government agencies, LGUs (local government units) and every Bicolano who believes in a better tomorrow, we will build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Bicol Region.”
In his speech during the recent meeting in Camarines Sur’s capital of Pili of the RPOC-Region V following his assumption as its chairman, Villafuerte said that maintaining peace and order across the region is contingent on a much better effort to attack penury and destitution among Bicolanos, given the direct link between poverty and crime.
“Our mission goes far beyond preventing crime. Our mission is to defeat poverty because poverty is where fear grows, crime is born, and dreams are lost,” he said. “Together with our uniformed services, government agencies, LGUs (local government units) and every Bicolano who believes in a better tomorrow, we will build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Bicol Region.”
Villafuerte, who is also president of the National Unity Party (NUP) and senior vice chairman (for South Luzon) of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), said he was grateful to President Marcos for his trust in naming him RPOC chairman, a trust that has “all the more inspired me to serve our region with renewed passion and purpose.”
“Alam natin na ang tunay na kapayapaan ay hindi lang about law enforcement or security operations. Peace is about people. Peace is about families feeling safe. Peace is about opportunities, jobs, and a future full of hope,” he said. “Kapag payapa ang Bicol, bumubukas ang negosyo, dumadami ang turista, pumapasok ang investors. Jobs are created. Communities become vibrant. Families rise above hardship.”
“And every child in Bicol learns to dream bigger,” said Villafuerte, who added: “But I cannot do this alone. Hindi ito tungkulin ng isang tao. Hindi ito kayang buhatin ng isang ahensya. This is a mission we can achieve only if we stand together—as AFP, PNP, NICA, PDEA, BJMP, BFP, NBI, PCG, LGUs, private sector, and every Bicolano who wants a safer, stronger, and united region.”
He was referring to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency(NICA), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BMJP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and local government units (LGUs).
“Unity is our strength. Collaboration is our strategy. Peace and progress are our shared victory,” said Villafuerte, who was elected governor in last summer’s midterm balloting after serving for three consecutive terms as congressman for the province’s second district in the House of Representatives.
He said that, “I am committed—with all my heart—to working with each of you, listening to your insights, and building a region where progress is not just a promise but a daily reality.”
Villafuerte chalked up his comeback as governor to divine grace, and described his poll triumph in the May elections as a victory not only for himself but for all Camarines Sur folk.
“Together, let us build a Bicol Region that is peaceful, prosperous, and full of hope—a region worthy of the next generation,” he added.
During his assumption as SVP for South Luzon of the LPP last September, Villafuerte said that “milestone reaffirms my commitment to serve with dedication, unity, and vision—not only for Camarines Sur but for the whole of Luzon and our beloved country.”
“As we move forward, I am fully committed to pushing for greater local autonomy in governance—empowering provinces to respond faster, plan better, and deliver meaningful programs that uplift the lives of our people,” he said.
In his inaugural speech as Camarines Sur governor last June 30, Villafuerte vowed to lead his fellow Camarines Surenos to “greater heights” on the back of a 12-point governance agenda designed to bring about a “greener, smarter, healthier, better-connected and digitally savvier” Camarines Sur over the next three years.
Villafuerte chalked up his comeback as governor to divine grace, and described his poll triumph in the May elections as a victory not only for himself but for all Camarines Sur folk who believe in the “boundless potentials” in store for their province that has become one of the richest and fastest-growing local economies in the country.
He noted that the successive stints of his late father Luis Villafuerte, his sons Representatives Migz Villafuerte and Luigi Villafuerte, and of him as governor underscore “a living legacy of sustainable and bold leadership, a Ka Fuerte legacy of building the impossible and breaking new ground. We turned a struggling province into one of the richest and fastest-growing in the Philippines.”
He said in his inaugural speech at the Provincial Capitol that his resounding win in May’s midterm elections was a “message of hope, belief and expectations” from his provincemates, and that he aims to repay their trust by pursuing with greater resolve, courage and humility the still “unfinished mission” of breaking new ground, achieving the impossible, and building a future for all Camarinenses “where all their dreams can take flight.”
To flesh out this mission, Villafuerte pledged to pursue a 12-point program to transform Camarines Sur into a Bicol province geared for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the digital switch, equipped with first-rate medical facilities and free healthcare programs, thriving with more school campuses and scholarships for students, and boasting better public transport facilities including a high-speed rail line and an international airport.
Villafuerte said this 12-point priority plan of the provincial government on his watch is also meant to convert Camarines Sur into a center for agricultural processing and exports; a haven for clean energy in step with the country’s support for a low-carbon economy; a hub for tourism, sports and wellness; and a smart global city boasting an iconic Pili nut-designed Provincial Capitol building as well as an eco-friendly Camarines Sur uptown.
