In a remote area with steep roads and narrow curves near the Balatukan mountain range in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, no one in the community could have imagined that nearly 30 government agencies would come to provide information and basic services.
“Usahay maulaw man gyud mi og adto sa munisipyo, mas ganahan mi nga nakaabot mo diri medyo bisan wala ko’y grado pero nasabtan namo ang inyong pag anhi dinhi sa paghatod ninyo sa amo og serbisyo,” said Joel Vasallo, 56 years old, a resident of Sitio Bagang, barangay Camuayan, Balingasag Misamis Oriental.
(Sometimes we are really embarrassed to go to the municipal office, we prefer you to come here even though I don’t have a degree, but we understand your coming here when you deliver your services to the people.)
Joel benefited from the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-10, as their area was a former New People’s Army (NPA) hub. He received P3,000 in cash from DSWD-10, as did 34 heads of families in his community. He also took advantage of other services from the Department of Health (DOH)-10, such as free medical checkups, free medicines, hygiene kits, and jerry cans.
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) set up a booth to register Konsulta members and provide food packs for 35 families in the area. Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture provided free seedlings, the Department of Science and Technology provided nutribuns, the Department of Information and Communications Technology provided free WiFi, the National Dairy Authority provided fresh milk, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Misamis Oriental Provincial Social Welfare Development Office (PSWDO) provided sacks of rice and food packs, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) provided school bags for schoolchildren.
“Dako kaayo ko og kalipay mam og pasalamat sainyong pag-anhi (I am very happy and grateful to you for coming),” he said.
Meanwhile, the 58th Infantry Battalion and 4th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army provided free haircuts, dental checkups, and circumcisions to both young and adult participants. At the same time, children and adults alike gathered at the ice cream station that the Municipal Police Office had set up.
Genalyn Danzal, 38, mother of seven children, the oldest at 14 years old and the youngest at three, said, “Nalipay kaayo ko, daghan akong nadawatan bisan wala akong mga anak dinhi, nakadawat ko gihatagan ko nila sa assistance, salamat kaayo.”
(I am very happy; I received a lot, even though my children are not here. They gave me the assistance; thank you very much.)
Meanwhile, Jessel Guayan, a new mother of a three-month-old baby, shared that she availed of the free medical checkup from the municipal health office.
“Pa-checkup dani maayo siya kay dako iyang katabang sa mga taga dinhi sa bukid namuyo og pabor napud kay dili na mu adto sa lungsod (I availed check up here; this is good, a great help to the people here in the mountains; this is already a favor because we don’t have to go to the town anymore),” she said.
Elizabeth Maniagas, meanwhile, was surprised at the number of government agencies present at the Info and Serbisyo Caravan.
“Daghan kaayo salamat kay wala mi nagtuo nga ing-ani di-ay daghan kaayo among ma benepisyo, nga among nadawat, dako kaayo among kalipay, ilabi gyud apil among mga anak, naka benepisyo, daghan kaayo salamat sa mga agencies, nga nagpasiugda ani,” she said.
(Thank you very much, because we didn’t believe that we could benefit so much from this that we received. We are extremely happy, particularly our children, who have greatly benefited. Thank you very much to the agencies that spearheaded this)
LtCol. Christian C. Uy, commander, 58th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army, shared that because the area is so remote, residents are not able to avail of government services.
“Historically pud, kini siya nga lugar, gina bisitahan kini siya sa mga rebeldeng NPA kung diin one of the fatalities last year atong nahibaw-an nga taga dinhi sa Barangay Camuayan, so mao na siya nga we see to it that ang mga katawhan dinhi, makita gyud nila og ma feel nila nga naa gyud gobyerno,” he said.
(Historically, this place has been visited by the NPA rebels, where one of the fatalities last year we found out was from Barangay Camuayan, so we see to it that the people here can really see and feel that there is a government.)
Meanwhile, Weljhon S. Daguit, barangay captain, shared that, as of now, there are no major insurgency activities. He thanked the police and the army for their continued surveillance and support of the barangay.
“Akong panawagan sa mga kaigsoonan nga tua karon sa bukid, unta inyong mabati unsa ka maayo ang gobyerno, nga unta muuban og muduyog kita sa programa sa gobyerno, nga tinuoray nga nagtagad diri sa komindad. Salamat sa kadaiya nga ahensya sa gobyerno,” Daguit said.
(My call to the brothers and sisters who are now in the mountains is that I hope you will feel how good the government is and that we will join the program of the government, which really cares about the community. Thanks to various government agencies.)
Merlyn H. Ybañez, RAGCOM president and head, Public Affairs Office of Philhealth-10, shared that this Info and Serbisyo Caravan is a yearly major outreach activity of RAGCOM-10, which started last year, composed of information officers of various government agencies to sustain the whole-of-nation approach to peace and development. Meanwhile, the 58th Infantry Battalion chose the activity area.
Franklin P. Gumapon, the regional head of the Philippine Information Agency-10, clarified that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s new Bagong Pilipinas messaging amplifies activities like Information and Serbisyo Caravan, bringing government information and services closer to vulnerable communities and families.
Barangay Camuayan has about 1,000 people, particularly Sitio Bagang, which has more than 40 households that consist of farmers with products such as coconut, corn, and garden vegetables and plants.
Other government agencies that participated in the event include the Bureau of Jail Management Penology, Office of Civil Defense, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agrarian Reform, Misamis Oriental Provincial Information Office, National Housing Authority, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, National Irrigation Administration, Department of Labor and Employment, and private organizations such as ACCERT and AFPSLAI. (JMOR/PIA-10)
