CITY OF ILAGAN, Isabela (PIA) – In the pursuit of sustained and lasting peace and security in the recently declared insurgency-free communities, the members of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) Cagayan Valley brought various government programs and services to the residents of the remote coastal municipalities of Isabela.
Through a ‘Serbisyo Caravan’, the villagers in Palanan, Divilacan, and Maconacon, Isabela were able to seek assistance from the different government agencies that participated in the convergence caravan initiative.
Part of the services delivered is the distribution of 850 food packs and P2,000 cash assistance to each selected beneficiary by the Department of Social Welfare and Development; the distribution of garden tools and vegetable seedlings, the launch of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo; assistance for the registration of the existing farmers’ association by the Department of Agriculture; and the employment of El Niño affected farmers through the Tulong Pang-hanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers of the Department of Labor and Employment.
The 95th Infantry Battalion and the Department of Science and Technology distributed books and portable solar dryers while the Office of the Vice President-Cagayan Valley distributed PagbaBAGo bags containing school supplies, and also extended medical and burial assistance, and livelihood for fisherfolk.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources provided fishing gear and assisted fisherfolk in the registration of their organizations and boats; the Department of Trade and Industry offered business name registration and distributed sari-sari store and bigasan packages, while the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority gave starter tool kits to scholars and free training allowances to those enrolled in technical vocational courses.
The Office of the Civil Defense distributed disaster preparedness information materials to the local government units. The National Bureau of Investigation, the Land Transportation Office, the Philippine Statistics Authority, and the Police Regional Office also entertained those who secured certifications, permits, and licenses, while the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency conducted a symposium exposing the manipulative and deceitful recruitment tactics of rebel groups to the youth sector.
The caravan was carried out with the assistance of the Philippine Coast Guard, which transported the items and equipment brought to the coastal towns, and the Philippine Air Force, through Tactical Operations Group 2, which transported the officials to the caravan sites.
5th Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. Audrey Pasia lauded the collaborative efforts of the government agencies, recognizing their role in fostering community resilience and solidarity.
He said the declaration of the three coastal towns as insurgency-free and in a state of stable internal peace and security plus the conduct of Serbisyo Caravan highlighted the government’s commitment to bringing stability and prosperity to the said municipalities despite their geographic locations. (OTB/MGE/PIA Isabela)
