2,000 IPs benefit from Eastern Mindanao Command's medical missions

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 8): 2,000 IPs benefit from Eastern Mindanao Command's medical missions

In line with its community development efforts, the Eastern Mindanao Command said that its January medical and dental actions programs for indigenous people (IP) communities benefited 2,000 individuals last January.

"For the month of January, our units facilitated seven medical and dental civic action programs in remote areas, benefiting about 2,000 people from the marginalized sector (IP communities)," Eastern Mindanao Command head Lt. Gen. Aurelio Baladad said.

Aside from free medical aid, Baladad said that they are also performing non-military role to facilitate development and entry of social services in the countryside.

"Our Army engineers are finishing a 24-kilometer road in Kapalong, Davao del Norte. In partnership with Dole (Philippines), our units in Davao Del Sur and Davao Oriental are assisting the grassroots cooperatives which our troops facilitated the organization. Last year, our troops facilitated the organization of seven cooperatives mostly from the IP communities," Baladad said.

Also last year, Eastern Mindanao Command recorded a total of 14 encounters that resulted in the discovery of 15 New People's Army (NPA) encampments, recovery of 22 firearms and the surrender of 12 NPA fighters in its area of jurisdiction which includes the Davao and CARAGA Regions.

“These significant accomplishments to bring peace and order to our communities are the net result of good relation and support of various stakeholders in the area of Eastern Mindanao Command," Baladad said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=733549