SAN FERNANDO, Bukidnon (PIA) — The 88th Infantry Battalion (88IB) and the local government unit (LGU) of San Fernando in Bukidnon launched on February 12 the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
This is an offshoot of the LGUs commitment in support of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 70 (EO70) in an effort to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC).
Residents of Sitio Nala, Halapitan, San Fernando, Bukidnon gathered at the community-covered court to witness the launching of AFP’s RCSP and listen to their Sitio leader’s report on the priority projects needed by the villagers.
Sitio leader Roel Mahinay reported that the people of Nala, mostly farmers, are in dire need of access roads including drainage system; Daycare center for the preschoolers; Health center; additional schoolroom and a stage for Grade 7 students; and the most important project that villagers want to be prioritized—access to safe drinking water.
Taking action on the leaning issue, municipal engineer Wyman Lubido said the LGU is ready to implement the long-planned project once the Memorandum of Agreement is approved.
He, however, assured the residents that the road-widening project of Sitio Salumayag (the adjacent sub-village) would start soon.
As to the bridge connecting barangay Halapitan to remote areas of San Fernando town—especially Sitios Nala, Salumayag, and Casilaan, Engr. Lubido said that the Sangguniang Bayan already had the resolution to address the issue.
Lt. Col. Franklin F. Fabic, 88IB commander, said RCSP is a primary program in line with the government’s effort at the grassroots level to combat activities of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), which is focused on socio-economic and cultural problems.
He explained that RCSP is an inclusive program that is addressing identified issues of the community by closing the governance and development gaps through the provision of needed government programs and projects.
“It is our duty to protect the people against threats, intimidation, and extortion activities of the outlaws but we need communities’ cooperation to successfully carry out the mission,” Fabic said. (Jovan Marlou Caῇadilla/BukSU, with reports from Jeric Lambo and Reymart Pulido/PIA Bukidnon)