THE 344 residents of a Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA) in the town of Godod, Zamboanga del Norte benefitted last week from the "Serbisyo Caravan, Dialogue and Peace Security Forum."
The activity, which was conducted in Sitio Makinaryas, Bunawan village, Godod, was a joint effort of the Municipal Task Force to End Local Community Armed Conflict (MTF-Elcac) headed by Mayor Abel Matildo and 44th Infantry Battalion (IB) led by Lieutenant Colonel Filven Noche.
Sitio Makinaryas is a far-flung area in Bunawan village that was a previously New People's Army (NPA)-affected but now a cleared village in the municipality of Godod.
The 44IB said in a statement that Bunawan, being an NPA-cleared village, is a beneficiary of the Barangay Development Program (BDP) for Calendar Year 2022.
During the activity, different services were offered through the interagency efforts such as: local birth registration, issuance of community tax certificate, medical consultation, circumcision, haircut, ear piercing and food feeding.
Friends rescued or former NPA members who formerly organized NPA's illegal activities in Sitio Makinaryas gave their testimonies to counter the deceptive propaganda of the communist terrorist group in commemoration of their 53rd anniversary.
They also shared the different government interventions received through Elcac and Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip) in order to convince the remnants of Guerilla Front Feliciano Alpha and Main Regional Guerrilla Unit (MRGU) to lay down their arms and abandon the armed struggle.
The 44IB said it will sustain its support to the program of the MTF-ELCAC in Godod to uplift the living condition and quality of life of previously NPA affected villages amidst the health pandemic. (SunStar Zamboanga)