THE ARMY"S 36th Infantry Battalion (36IB) late last week provided livelihood assistance to rebel surrenderers in the Ibuan Enterprise Village at Sitio Ibuan, Brgy Mampi, Lanuza, Surigao del Sur, a military official said Thursday.
Army’s 4th Infantry Division public affairs chief Major Rodulfo Cordero said the livelihood assistance is part of the government agency that heads the Poverty Reduction Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) of the Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC) in the province.
He said giving livelihood assistance not only to former rebels has already implemented an intensified program for agriculture production in Barangay Mampi, Lanuza, Surigao del Sur recently.
“It was promised during the crafting of the said livelihood program intended to all former rebels of Sitio Ibuan,” said Cordero.
He said that the 36IB handed over a total of 4 swine, 10 sacks of feeds for swine and tilapia, 100 pieces native chicken, and 4,000 tilapia fingerlings to Sitio Ibuan.
The livelihood was received by their Barangay Captain Hon. Danilo Duaso and Thelma Salazar, Chairperson of the Ibuan Peace Organization as part of their Tilapia Production, Native Chicken Production, and Animal Production (swine).
“In times of crisis, the act of giving we call 'Bayanihan' is innate to us all Filipinos. Being able to extend even a little out of whatever we have to our less fortunate 'kababayans' particularly to our former rebels,” Cordero said.
36IB acting civil-military operations officer 1st Lieutenant Rodante A. Soso said on May 6, 2020, The PRLEC of Surigao del Sur chaired by TESDA has distributed a total of 30 sacks of rice and 139 relief goods such as of canned goods, noodles, and soap intended to the locals.
Soso said that during the activity, a total of 88 former rebels also received P844,800 under the “Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa Ating Displaced Workers (TUPAD), a cash for work assistance by the Department of Labor and Employment.
“Delivery of basic services and social development package of the 36IB is a manifestation that the government is sincere to help the former rebels,” said Soso, adding that to reintegrated to the mainstream by providing their needs.
36IB commander Lt Colonel Jezreel Diagmel said the delivery of livelihood resources is an effort of the army as a partner in the implementation of the programs and projects of the PRLEC.
“This is an effort to alleviate the lives of our fellow Surigaonon especially those individuals that are considered geographically isolated and disadvantage areas and prone to CTGs deception,” said Diagmel.
Diagmel said the 36IB will continuously extend its efforts in assisting in partnership with other stakeholders to help the communities most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. (Ben Balce)
