LGU-Matuguinao, 19IB coin new meaning for COVID-19

From the Philippine Information Agency (Sep 18, 2020): LGU-Matuguinao, 19IB coin new meaning for COVID-19 (By PIA-8 with 19th IB, PA)

MATUGUINAO, Samar, Sept. 17 -- Counter-Operation against Violence and Insurgency towards Development together with the 19th IB or COVID-19. This is the meaning of COVID-19 as coined by the Local Government of Matuguinao and the 19th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.

Through this program, the Local Government of Matuguinao, Samar led by Mayor Arandela Cruz Boller and the 19th Infantry Battalion led by acting commanding officer, Lt. Col. Jasper Justito M. Pecson, conduct series of barangay visitations to far-flung areas of the municipality.

Per information from the 19th IB, after almost two decades, the geographically isolated and depressed areas (GIDAs) of barangay San Isidro, Sta. Cruz, Salvacion, Nagpapacao and Libertad were among the first sets of barangays visited in August and early September of this year by the LGU through the program dubbed as “Kamurayawan: Ugnayan sa Barangay,” one of the LGU’s Counter-Operation against Violence and Insurgency towards Development together with 19IB (COVID-19) strategies.

The visiting team included members of the Sangguniang Bayan, Department Heads, personnel from Matuguinao Municipal Police Station, 1st Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company of Samar Provincial Police, PRO8 and 19IB.



The program aims to conduct visitation to all GIDAs in order to listen to the residents and see first-hand the situation of conflict-affected areas due to the presence of communist terrorist group, conduct information awareness on the government programs, and solicit issues/concerns and recommendations to improve their living conditions.

Dialogues and consultations were conducted with the local leaders and populace to solicit pressing issues in their community. Simultaneous with the activity, a feeding program and parlor games were also participated by the children of the community. (PIA-8 with 19th IB, PA)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1053471