Air Force TOG-10 supports EO-70 to attain lasting peace

From the Philippine Information Agency (Oct 1, 2020): Air Force TOG-10 supports EO-70 to attain lasting peace (By Vincent Philip S. Bautista)

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Oct. 1 (PIA) -- In consonance with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s Executive Order (EO) – 70, which aims to end local communist armed conflict (ELCAC) in the contry, the Philippine Air Force – Tactical Operations Group (PAF-TOG) – 10 has expressed its commitment to provide pneumatic coordination and air support in Northern Mindanao’s aerial highways to help attain peace in the region and defend the country’s democracy.

Aside from conducting tactical civil-military air operations, the PAF-TOG – 10 offers mobility services to transport other agencies to far-flung areas to deliver their services.

“Naay mga Indigenous People (IP) communities sa far-flung areas ug isolated. Ang program namo sa TOG-10 kay gina-focus namo sa community sa IP. Mao nga nag create mi ug programs, through our engagement sa mga IP leader ug nakita namo nga naay diay silay wish-list nga wala na hatagan ug priority,” SSG Al-Zhale S. Ahmad, non-commissioned officer-in-charge of TOG-10 CMO said.

(There are some Indigenous People (IP) communities that are far flung and isolated. Our program in TOG-10 is focused on IP communities. That’s why we came up with programs through our engagement with IP leaders. And we learned that they had a wish-list that was not given priority.)

He also noted that that with the strong relations with TOG-10, they were able to determine the needs of the community.

Amidst the smog of propaganda being spread by the Communist Terrorist Group-New People’s Army (CTG-NPA) about the administration in the hinterlands, the TOG-10 aimed to counter the lies, engage the IP community in nation building, and act as a conduit to mainstream society.

Through their efforts, they were able to build a 35 x 25 square feet “Tulogan” or Tribal Hall for the Higaonon tribe, an infrastructure deemed essential by the community where the tribesmen conduct meetings, social practices and other rituals.

“Nakita namo ang importansya, mao nga nahimo namo ang tribal hall with the help of the stakeholders, public and private. Ato na ni siya na turned-over last December ni Datu Demetrio Mahusay-Orasan. Siya ang tribal chieftain sa Higaonon tribe diha sa Pigsag-an,” Ahmad disclosed.

(We saw the importance of a tribal hall. With the help of the stakeholders from both public and private groups, we had turned over said project last December to Datu Demetrio Mahusay-Orasan, a Higaonon chieftain.)

The Tribal Hall benefited 600 tribal members, as it serves as the venue when they have activities like gift giving, feeding, and peace/drug symposium dialogues.

TOG-10 also coordinated with the Department of Agriculture (DA) – 10 for the provision of vegetable seeds, tilapia fingerlings for the IP communities.

By empowering isolated communities in the hinterlands, the PAF-TOG-10 hopes to attain pacifistic zephyrs that breeze through peaceful skies free from unjust violence.

“Ang role sa TOG-10, kami ang ga-suporta sa mga mando gikan sa taas ug kauban namo ang 4ID,” Civil-military of Phil Air force – Tactical Operations Group (TOG) 1LT Amos M. Espinosa concluded.

(The role of TOG-10 is to support the orders from higher ups alongside the 4ID.) (VPSBautista/PIA10)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1054732