LIEUTENANT Colonel Rolando Vargas, Jr., 53rd Infantry Battalion (53IB) commander, on Thursday, June 12, led the inspection of an ongoing infrastructure project in Zamboanga del Sur that is expected to help improve economic activity in the countryside.
The Department of Agriculture-funded road construction project is located in Tinotungan village, Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur.
Vargas said the visit is part of 53IB’s Critical Infrastructure Protection and Security Operations (CIIPSO), a core program of the Philippine Army aimed at securing vital government infrastructure projects such as farm-to-market roads, bridges, and water systems, particularly in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (Gidas).
Vargas said these projects are key components in the government's broader rural development strategy, and the Army's role is to ensure they are completed free from disruption or threats posed by lawless elements.
Vargas said the road project in Tinotungan village, Tukuran, once complete, is expected to significantly improve mobility for local farmers and residents, enabling safer and more efficient transport of agricultural produce to market hubs.
He coordinated with local officials to assess on-the-ground security measures and reaffirm the battalion’s support to ensure project continuity.
The 53IB has been actively conducting sustained security operations in the area, complementing CIIPSO.
The security operations are designed not only to maintain peace and order but also to build community resilience and reinforce the government's presence in Gidas.
Vargas said the CIIPSO initiative, in alignment with the objectives of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) and the Provincial Task Force-Elcac, reflects the Army's commitment to a whole-of-nation approach to peace and development. (SunStar Zamboanga)