Retooled Community Support Program launched in Agusan Sur town
By 1Lt. Krisjuper Andreo Punzalan
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, Sept. 7 -- The local government unit (LGU)
here has launched the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) to deliver
basic services in the conflict-affected areas of Sitio Tibog, Sitio Ugnop and
Purok 7 of Barangay Mabuhay, Prosperidad on September 2 benefiting 79
households.
It is composed of the Basic Services Delivery team which will serve as
the bridge of the RCSP team to the national government; the Citizenship and Community
Participation team which will strengthen barangay-based institutions and
sectoral organizations to engage in participatory issue resolution; the Peace
Law Enforcement and Development Support Team which will protect and secure RCSP
team and beneficiaries on the conduct of the peace and development activities;
the Local Development and Peace and Order Councils which will screen and
prioritize the needed government interventions in the community; and the RCSP
core team that directly supports the local chief executive in the
operationalization of the RCSP.
Upon identification of the issues by the RCSP and the Community Support
team of the 8th Special Forces Company of the 3rd Special Forces ”Arrowhead”
Battalion, the issues on basic services such as the rehabilitation of
farm-to-market road from Sitio Tibog to Purok 7 and access to potable water in
Sitio Ugnop were immediately addressed and resolved by the LGU and concerned
agencies.
Further, a Serbisyo Caravan consisting of outreach programs, medical services,
birth registration, free haircut, and donation of food supplies were provided
to 79 households.
“This is the first time that we focused our efforts and actually went to
those far-flung communities that needed the services of the government. Usually,
these services are brought to a barangay proper or the center among other
barangays, but this time we also have to immerse there for us to know their
real situation and needs,” Mayor Mellana said.
The mayor also added that the RCSP is aimed at addressing the root
causes of insurgency. "We hope na mawala na ang armed conflict sa
municipality of Prosperidad so we can explore our fullest potential in eco and
agritourism. We may not have all the resources but we are doing our best na
maramdaman ang good governance kahit sa pinakamalayong sitios,” said Mellana.
RCSP is one of the national government’s mechanisms in implementing the
whole-of-nation approach to successfully end local communist armed conflict
(ELCAC) which was institutionalized by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s
Executive Order No. 70.
Meanwhile, the Prosperidad RCSP is anchored on the theme
“USWAG-Prosperidad” which means ‘Uban ta Sa kalambuan Walay puwas nga
programang Agrikultura, industriya ng turismo para sa Gobyernong lokal sa
Prosperidad’ to drumbeat their campaign in promoting peace and development. (CMO
officer, 3SFBn/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Army joins 'serbisyo caravan' in SurSur town
By Capt. Edwin Leo Francisco
SAN MIGUEL, Surigao del Sur, Sept. 7 -- Amid the threat of coronavirus
disease 2019 (COVID-19), the 75th Infantry “Marauder” Battalion (75IB) ,
Philippine Army participated and secured the area during the conduct of the
Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) dubbed as “Serbisyo and Peace Caravan
2020" initiated by the local government unit (LGU) of San Miguel held in
Bolhoon Elementary School, Barangay Bolhoon, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur on
September 3, 2020.
RCSP is a convergence mechanism for LGUs particularly in the barangays
for the identification of issues and needed government intervention. It is
anchored on empowerment framework aimed to develop the capacity of the
community to organize themselves and own development by bringing about
value-chain interventions to uplift their current condition.
The delivery of various government services and programs through to the
people of Brgy. Bolhoon highlighted the event which benefited some 1,500
individuals.
Among the free services offered were medical consultation/check-up; free
acquisition of Police Clearance; registration of Birth Certificate; deworming
and rabies vaccination; acquisition of Certificate of Land Ownership (CLOA);
consultation regarding Alternative Learning System (ALS); feeding program;
civil registration for the "Kasalan ng Bayan" set on September 28,
2020; distribution of falcata seeds, fingerlings, relief goods; and free haircut.
The distribution of vitamins was conducted exclusively for the lactating
and pregnant women. Counseling as well as circumcision for the male children
were also offered.
“As a public servant, it is my role and responsibility to help and serve
you. Through Executive Order No. 70, the government and line agencies will
unite to deliver basic services and programs to the people and community,” said
Mayor Elizalde.
75IB commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Villarosa ably
represented by executive officer Major Marlon Bagara, emphasized that the
"Marauder" troopers have observed and respected the cultural
sensitivity of the Manobos, the indigent people of Brgy. Bolhoon.
“The government and the Philippine Army, together with the partner
stakeholders, united through this endeavor to serve well the communities
particularly in the far-flung areas,” Maj. Bagara said.
Department of Education (DepEd) Surigao del Sur Division representative
Danilo Alcantara confirmed that Tribal Filipino Program in Surigao del Sur
(TRIFPSS) is not accredited by DepEd. He encouraged the parents to enroll their
children in DepEd schools for them to obtain legal documents for their
children’s education.
Several Schools of Living Traditions (SLT), an indigenous peoples (IP)
school run by DepEd have already operationalized in the selected IP communities
in San Miguel that cause the closure of most TRIFPSS schools in the town.
For the duration of the activity, health protocols were strictly observed such as wearing of face mask, hand sanitizing, and social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (75IB-CMO/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
DepEd completes
construction of 2 IP schools in SurSur
By Lt. Krisjuper Andreo Punsalan
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Sept. 7 -- Two makeshift schools of
the Department of Education (DepEd) intended for the indigenous peoples (IPs)
in Sitio Simowao Diatagon, Lianga town and Sitio Lucnodon, Mahaba, Marihatag
town in Surigao del Sur are now completed and ready for use upon the resumption
of classes in October.
These schools, according to a report, will provide quality education and
will replace the communist-linked Tribal Filipino Program in Surigao Del Sur
(TRIFPSS) to prevent radicalization and NPA recruitment of IP youth.
The IP schools are part of the tangible peace development programs of
the Caraga Regional Task Force in Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC)
spearheaded by Surigao Sur Provincial Governor and Regional Peace and Order
Committee Chairman Alexander T. Pimentel, Regional Development Council-Social
Development Committee (RDC-SDC) Chairman and Bayugan City Mayor Kirk A. Asis,
DepEd Regional Office XIII Director Francis Cesar B. Bringas, the IP tribal
councils and local government units (LGU) of Marihatag and Lianga.
The 544th Engineer Battalion under LTC Rodel V. Pangilinan CE GSC PA
served as the workforce while the 3rd Special Forces “Arrowhead” Battalion
under LTC Joey Baybayan set the groundwork and security through the conduct of
Community Support Program (CSP), one of the mechanisms of the Whole of Nation
Approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
Contrary to the false reports, DepEd Surigao del Sur Schools Division Superintendent Josita Carmen said they are not closing the IP schools in the province, instead, the said department worked hard in opening DepEd IP schools to provide quality education.
“We did not focus on closing the alleged NPA terrorist-linked TRIFPSS or
ALCADEV schools. Rather, we put our time and efforts to lay the foundation in
building DepEd schools so that our IP community can have an option,” said Supt.
Carmen.
“Fortunately, the IPs have chosen to enroll in our schools as this is
their request to have DepEd accredited IP schools in their communities,” she
added.
Meantime, Lianga Tribal Chieftain Datu Constancio Duhac, along with
tribal and sitio leaders said, “We refute and we can prove, without blurring
our faces, that militant group MAPASU, Save Our Schools are spreading fake news
saying that the government and the military are abusing the IP community. This
is what we are working for, to build ‘genuine IP schools’ for our children to
stop NPA terrorists’ exploitation and recruitment. This is what the tribe
dreamt of and we thank the government for fulfilling it.”
Lianga IP Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Jumar Bucales (Datu Nahikyad)
said that Communist NPA Terrorist and its allies are working so hard to
discredit the government efforts through their propaganda in various platforms
of social media.
“If they are genuine enough (MAPASU and Save Our Schools), they should
have joined and helped the legitimate the IP leaders like us in our efforts to
bring hope to our children instead of attacking us and accusing us as
paramilitary. We will not allow MAPASU, Save Our Schools and their cohorts from
exploiting our children again,” Bucales said.
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and RTF-ELCAC
member agencies led by NCIP Secretary Allen Capuyan, with the IP children and
parents, Marihatag and Lianga LGUs held the first ceremonial flag raisings in
the newly constructed IP schools on August 24 in Sitio Simuwao and Sept 1 in
Sitio Lucnodon, respectively.
Meanwhile, the DepEd Surigao del Sur Division plans a systematic and
practical approach to provide quality education to cope up despite the new
normal brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are working on a practical approach for the continuous delivery of
IP Education despite the pandemic and the new normal in the hinterlands and we
will propose it to the IATF,” Supt. Carmen said. (3SFBn-CMO/PIA-Surigao
del Sur)
