ANGELES CITY More than 300 Aeta families in Barangay Sapangbato of this city benefited from a recent outreach program sponsored by the Regional Internal Affairs Service Region 3 (RIAS3) and Regional Advisory Council Region 3 (RAC3) of the Philippine National Police in Central Luzon.
Former Magalang Mayor Lyndon Cunanan, chair of the RAC3, said this food pack distribution in said village is part of the regular project of RIAS and the advisory council.
Dubbed "Handog Mula Sa Puso", the group initiated the program for the less fortunate people in the community particularly Aetas.
"It is our humble and simple way to extend assistance by way of donating foodpacks as well as to promote the mandate of IAS as one of the discplining arm of erring policemen," Cunanan said.
The RAC3 head added that they started the program a few years ago in cooperation with a South Korean organization, 7LIONS Club chaired by Seven Piter Kim, who is also an executive officer of RIAS Advisory Council.
Kim, who is married to a Filipina, said the food packs contain rice, mineral water, canned sardines, milk, ramen, coffee, and other items.
Retired Police Major General Francisco Esguerra, former director of RIAS Region 3, now vice chair of RIAS3 Advisory Council; Mido Song, secretary of 7LIONS CLUB and member of RIAS3 Advisory Council; and Evan Jo, director of 7LIONS CLUB and member of RIAS3 Advisory Council assisted in the distribution of food packs to the Aeta families.
Cunanan and Kim thanked Colonel Segundo Lagundi, acting RIAS Region 3 director for supporting the project.
Also present during the event were Lieutenant Colonel Adriano Quizon, acting chief of the Legal Affairs Division (LAD), and other members of RIAS Region 3.
Regional State Prosecutor Jesus Simbulan and Mayor Eduardo "Diman" Datu of Bacolor town who are both members of the RIAS advisory council also extended their support to the project.
Both Cunanan and Kim vowed to continue similar projects for the Aeta communities.
Other members of the RAC3 who supported the project include Jay Yu and Jeff Lim, who both belong to the Filipino Chinese Pagibig Association. (RGN)