AFP completes 1,691 peace and development projects

Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City; September 23, 2010 – A total of 1,691 peace and development projects were completed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) nationwide from 2005 to 2010.

The infrastructure projects under the government’s Kalayaan sa Barangay Program were done thru the National Development Support Command (NADESCOM) which orchestrates peace and development projects in far flung villages in the country.

Said projects which range from school buildings to day care and health centers, rural electrification projects to barangay water system and farm to market roads were completed with the cooperation and support of Local Government Units, Line Government Agencies, Non-Government Organizations and other stakeholders nationwide.

In a periodic report submitted to NADESCOM by AFP Engineer units nationwide, a total of 54 more infrastructure projects are ongoing and nearing completion.

Major General Carlos Holganza, commander of NADESCOM and the AFP’s peace and development chief, expressed his happiness with the soldiers’ contribution in nation building saying, “The combined efforts and partnership of our soldiers with the LGUs, LGAs, NGOs and the people towards the attainment of peace thru meaningful projects that truly help our countrymen in far villages are gaining grounds.”

The National Development Support Command is in charge of the AFP’s peace and development projects nationwide.

Records from NADESCOM show that out of the 1,691 peace and development projects, 794 are in Luzon, 511 in the Visayas and 386 are in Mindanao.

Schools, farm to market roads – bulk of the projects

A total of 524 school buildings, 451 farm to market roads, 10 day care centers, 165 health centers, 155 rural electrification projects, 363 barangay water system, five bridges, four pathwalks, two fences, four riprap, three sanitary chambers, a spillway, a hanging bridge, a solar dryer, a drainage cover and comfort room were completed starting 2005.

In 2009, a total of 547 peace and development projects were done while in 2008, 643 were completed and from 2005 to 2007; 501 were finished.

“These worthwhile projects were made thru the peace and development initiatives of the government and genuine care of our peacebuilder-soldiers for our people.” Holganza concluded.

Cebu, Bohol declared insurgency-free

Cebu, Philippines (7 March) -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines in Central Visayas has declared that Cebu and Bohol provinces are now insurgency-free!

The AFP, PNP and various government agencies jointly signed the declaration on March 1 during the hand over of the Internal Security operations (ISO) from the military to the Regional Peace & Order council (RPOC-7) in Central Visayas headed by Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia.

In her opening message during the regular meeting of the council on March 4, Cebu governor Gwen Garcia acknowledged the inter-agency efforts of the members of the RPOC-7 that help in the region's quest for lasting peace and development.

Garcia said, "Our unequivocal declaration of an all-out-war against the insurgency problem; total all-out-war against illegal gambling, illegal drugs and criminality contributed largely to the overall peace and order situation in the region today."

"Our comprehensive efforts to see to it that basic services reach the remotest communities through the social integration program of former rebels and surrenderees created the necessary government impact among the people," the governor added.

She proudly declared that we have achieved the "insurgency-free" status without a single bullet fired, without a single blood shed.

However, she added that "peace is always a constant evolution and the status has given us the formal recognition of our efforts."

"We can't just sit back, we have to continue to guard our PEACE, because peace is the ingredient and the foundation of our economic growth and development," Garcia said.

The military reported that from 2007-2009, 91 rebel returnees from the region had been integrated back to our society and were given financial and various livelihood assistance through the government's social integration program.

With the ISO hand over to the RPOC, the military can now concentrate in its mandate to focus on other areas where insurgency problem is still prevalent and assist LGUs in its shift to development programs at the countryside where barangays are the most vulnerable. (PIA-7/MBCN)

RDC hails Army engineers for projects in remote barangays

By Ninfa B Quirante

Catbalogan City (February 24) -- The Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC) Chairman, Mel Senen Sarmiento was all praises for the army?s 543rd engineer battalion for the school bulding projects in Samar?s remote barangays.

In the recently concluded RDC meeting in Calbayog City, Mayor Sarmiento cited the army?s contribution to the barangays.

Some teachers, Sarmiento told the RDC officers, came to him to relate good stories about the infrastructure projects.

"Because the army engineers worked fast, they were able to save on the cost and instead bought a personal computer for the school," the mayor proudly beamed.

In the whole Samar island, the Kalayaan sa Barangay Project (KBP) has benefited schoolchildren and teachers and even barangay LGUs.

In some areas, they were able to construct streetlights as in the case of Paranas barangays namely Jose Roño, Paco and Concepcion that have been blessed with two classroom bulidings and one rural health center.

Streetlight and water system were also added to Barangay Concepcion. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),through the KALAHI program aims to alleviate poverty in the communities.

The KBP gives infrastructure programs in the communities threatened by insurgency. Government interventions converge in these communities to ensure the government's visibility.

published @ http://www.pia.gov.ph/

8ID: Campaign vs NPA in Eastern Visayas “a success”

By JOEY A. GABIETA
LSDE Staff writer
1/10/10

TACLOBAN CITY — The campaign of government troops in the region against members of the rebel group New People’s Army achieved a level of success which would be maintained this year until the insurgents are completely wiped out.

So said Lieutenant Colonel Armand Rico, information officer of the 8th Infantry Division, who added that their anti-insurgency campaign last year resulted to substantial gains.

Rico said that the 70 government-initiated engagements against the rebels had resulted to the death of 12 NPA members and the capture of 26 others.

“It also resulted to the surrender of 159 NPA members and the recovery of 145 assorted firearms from the enemy side,” the spokesperson of the 8th ID, which is under the command of Major General Arthur Tabaquero, said.

He also said that from the previous 14 guerilla fronts of the rebel group, there are now only two which exist in Northern Samar. Last year, their military operations have also yielded to the discovery and recovery of 28 camps of the rebel group, Rico added.

The information officer of the 8th ID also said that last year, around 140 villages, mostly in the Samar provinces were declared as “free” from insurgents.

“We can say that our anti-insurgency campaign was a success,” Rico said.

Insurgency problem in the region has been identified as one of the reasons why Eastern Visayas remains poor as investors and tourists shy away from the region.

President Macapagal Arroyo had earlier ordered the government troops to quell the problem by the year but Army officials in the region had admitted that totally ending the problem could not be attained.

However, their goal to reduce the group into an “inconsequential level” could be achieved.

Rico said that based on their intelligence information; there are less than 500 members of the rebel group who are mostly in Samar provinces.

The military official said that for this year, their campaign against the insurgents would continue until they achieve their goal.

He, however, was quick to say that aside from their military operations, they would providing basic services and projects to the people living in remote villages as part of their campaign against insurgency.

The Philippine Army, through its engineering battalions, are engaging in various projects like construction of farm-to-market roads, water system, health centers, school buildings and even electrification under its “Kalayaan sa Barangay Project.”

“We will enhance our territorial defense system and our community works as part of our campaign against the rebels here in the region” Rico said.

Published @ www.leytesamardaily.com and www.inquerer.net