Sibulan disaster council boosts pre-disaster efforts
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, July 11 (PIA) -- The Sibulan municipal government is set to purchase a new equipment that will step up its disaster preparedness measures.
The Sibulan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MRRMC) is in the process of acquiring a backhoe and vibratory compactor with the budget of P1 million each, according to Mayor Marcela Bartoces.
Said equipment will be used by the rescue and response team during emergency situations.
“These will also be used to repair disaster-damaged roads,” said Sibulan information officer Concepcion Rosales.
Sibulan was one of the hardest-hit towns in Negros Oriental at the height of typhoon Sendong in December last year.
The council is also set to meet this week to discuss augmentation funds for infrastructure projects along the Okoy River.
The municipal government earlier allotted over P2 million to bolster the periphery of Okoy riverbank, which overflowed and swept away houses following the heavy rains brought by the storm. (RMN-PIA7, Negros Oriental)
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Anti-insurgency campaign strengthens in NegOr
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 11 (PIA) -- Four members of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered last week at the 79th Infantry Brigade in 3rd district of Negros Oriental.
Army’s Information Officer, Capt. Anecito Naz said the surrender was brought by the series of encounters and the presence of Peace and Development Teams right in the established mass base areas.
The surrenderees were members of the South East Front of the Kilusang Rehiyon Sentral Bisayas, said Naz.
The surrender of the NPA members, Naz said was also characterized by the timely and quality information fed to the troops coming from the people in the conflict affected areas that led to the armed engagements and snowballing of surrender of their active armed members.
Army’s record shows that from 2008, there are 90 armed members of the NPAs in the said area that are deployed in four platoons operating in the hinterlands of the 2nd and 3rd districts of the province.
Naz said the members of the armed regulars were continuously reduced up to less than 30 for the first semester of 2012. The number of platoons was reduced to only one operating in the hinterlands of Sta Catalina and Siaton.
“The main reason for the NPAs to go back to the folds of the law is the hardship they endured while in the armed group. Time has come that they realized the futility of the armed struggle as a solution to the issues/problems in the hinterlands communities,” said the army officer.
On the other hand, “Winning the Peace” instead of “Defeating the Enemy” is a very popular approach of the military in addressing insurgency problem in the province.
The government, military and other stakeholders which crafted the Integrated Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan is optimistic that the conflict will end in a peaceful way.
Peace and progress can be achieved through convergence of effort and fostering solidarity among the Filipino people.
Meanwhile, Col Francisco Patrimonio, Commander of the Army’s 302 Brigade based in Camp Leon Kilat, Tanjay City said the brigade and its controlled units will continue to offer the NPAs peace and is willing to help through the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) for those NPA members who want to go back to the mainstream of society and abandon the armed struggle. (mbcn/JCT-PIA7 Negros Oriental)
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ONCAN spearheads ‘Lakbay Aral’ for children-victims of earthquake
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 11 (PIA) -- Some 60 schoolchildren in the hinterland barangay of Planas Elementary School, Guihulngan City who were earthquake victims in February will now have a chance to experience in a ‘Lakbay Aral’ to urban-city of Dumaguete on July 30.
This educational tour is one of the programs of Bayanihan Para sa Kabataan (BPK), a joint project of Oriental Negros Children’s Advocacy Network (ONCAN), Philippine Army, Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
In this ‘Lakbay Aral,’ the Grades 5 and 6 pupils accompanied by their teachers and some parents were ferried by a service military vehicle to Dumaguete City to expose them in an environment outside of their communities to widen their horizon and to have a positive outlook, said ONCAN president Marrieta “Baby” Jambora.
These schoolchildren will be treated to a lunch at Jollibee at Robinsons Place and after their tour, they are given souvenirs each consisting of school supplies, raincoats, slippers, bibles and goodies donated by kind-hearted and concerned citizens, said Baby Jambora.
ONCAN also requests for pledges in kind for the children from Barangay Planas, one of the hardest hit by the killer February 6 earthquake.(MBCN/JCT-PIA7 Negros Oriental)