Army officer vows to shed uniform if proven wrong about insurgency
by: Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 2 (PIA) --- A high-ranking Philippine Army officer stationed in Negros Oriental has vowed to remove his uniform and join the guerrilla's cause if insurgent groups can deliver on their promise to provide goods and services to the communities.
Lt. Col. Ramil Bitong, 11th Infantry Battalion Commander of the Philippine Army stationed inGuihulngan City, Negros Oriental, aired the challenge during an earlier forum held in a village in the third district of this province.
"If indeed, as promised by the NPA, that they deliver goods and services to the people and if they show me at least one of these projects they said they have done like schools, farm to market roads or hospitals, then I will remove my uniform and join them if they can deliver much better than what the government is doing," Bitong said, reiterating his statement in an interview held during the visit of former Sen. Mar Roxas and Interior and Local Government SecretaryJesse Robredo at La Libertad town on April 27.
The Army official's bold statement comes in the heels of the growing number of rebels returning to the fold of law in the province, a manifestation of what Bitong believes is their increasing confidence on the government.
Some 11 rebels in Negros Oriental have already surrendered to the government since January this year.
"We're still in the first quarter of 2011 and I'm sure that there will be many more who will surrender in the coming months," said Bitong, adding that some of the guerrillas who turned themselves over are allegedly high-ranking officers and members of the rebel group's "front" organizations.
Guihulngan, a newly-converted city around 90 kilometers away from Negros Oriental's capital city of Dumaguete, is home to most of these "front" organizations due to its strategic location between the Oriental and Occidental parts of Negros Island, said the Army official.
Since the government's Social Integration Program (SIP) has been suspended for now, Bitong said Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo has pledged to extend assistance to the rebel returnees who at the moment are undergoing a process to determine if they will qualify for government assistance or not.
The influx of guerrillas who surrendered to the government is also a result of reports from vigilant community members. "Stopping insurgency is everybody's responsibility and this shows that the populace has realized the importance of this," said Bitong. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)
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Phil. Army holds youth summit in Canlaon City
by: Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 2 (PIA) --- In an attempt to lure the youth away from the clutches of vices and insurgency, a three-day Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) was held in Canlaon City,Negros Oriental on April 27 to 29.
The summit, spearheaded by the 11th Infantry “Lapu-Lapu” Battalion of the Philippine Army and held at the Multi-Purpose Canlaon Pension Haus, gathered 52 out-of-school youths, students, and members of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and fraternities for discussions on topics such as the role of the youth in nation-building, leadership and team building, environmental awareness and consciousness and reflection/spiritual encounter.
The Army conducted the summit in line with its “Operation Securing the Youth” with the aim of holding “non-traditional” military activities nationwide to tap the potential of young Filipinos ascommunity leaders and at the same time protecting them from lawless elements, according to a statement released by the Lapu-Lapu Battalion.
Lt. Col. Ramil Bitong, 11th Infantry “Lapu-Lapu” Battalion Commander, explained that members of the insurgent groups CPP/NPA/NDF usually target for recruitment students and out-of-school youths.
“Some of the universities and colleges in the country have become the breeding ground for leaders and members of armed rebel groups,” said Bitong in a statement, adding that a number of those killed during armed encounters between government troops and rebels in the recent years were identified to be students of well-known schools who were recruited into the armed group.
The battalion has been constantly holding awareness drives in schools and villages in their coverage area in the first district of Negros Oriental to encourage students and youths to “avoid being deceived by militant groups” and focus instead on completing their education. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)
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10 outstanding students of Region 7 named
by: Jennifer Catan-Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 2 (PIA) The final set of 10 students for the Ten Outstanding Students in the Philippines (TOSP) for Central Visayas was named last April 30 at the PHCCI Conference Room, Dumaguete City.
The nominees were given recognition during the Awards Ceremony on Labor Day, May 1 at the Robinsons Place Dumaguete Main Atrium.
The TOSP-region 7 will participate in the TOSP national search this year.
The ten finalists are Chic Borromeo of St. Paul University Dumaguete; Jonathan Andro Tan and Marie Chielo, both from Silliman University; Lovely Genoguin and Alvin Pahati ofUniversity of San Jose Recoletos; Alan Angelo Llevares of Cebu Institute of Technologu-University.
Patricia Andrea Pateña of St. Theresa’s College, Cebu; Carla Marie Tumulak of University of the Philippines Cebu College; and Shiela Marie Ladroma and Athena Plaza, both from the University of San Carlos, Cebu.
The 10 were chosen from the 20 finalists who come from different universities and colleges of Cebu and Dumaguete. The finalists were chosen through a screening process overseen by the Commission on Higher Education in Cebu City, said Rolando C. Villamero Jr. Member, TOSP Region 7 Secretariat.
The (TOSP) program is an annual recognition of outstanding students which was launched on June 19, 1961, aptly on the 100th birthday of Dr. Jose Rizal, Villamero said.
This year's Search is supported by the RFM Corporation and Perpetual Help Community Cooperative (PHCCI) with special participation of the Province of Negros Oriental, Robinsons Place Dumaguete, Page Design Services Dumaguete, EDLAW Office, and Silliman University College of Mass Communication. (PIA NegOr/JCT)