Gov’t brings Serbisyo Caravan to suppress armed-conflict in Zambo Norte

From the Philippine Information Agency (Dec 3, 2020): Gov’t brings Serbisyo Caravan to suppress armed-conflict in Zambo Norte (By Jayson R. Aucensillo)

Zamboanga City, Dec 3 (PIA) – Barangay Sto. Niño in Gutalac, Zamboanga Del Norte recently benefited from the Serbisyo Caravan, converged through the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC)-IX, in the hope to suppress armed conflict in this identified influenced area of Communist-Terrorist Group (CTGs).

Through a whole of a nation approach, the National Task Force (NTF)-70 headed by the Situation Awareness and Knowledge Management (SAKM)-9 Cluster began reaching out the communities for over a year now, particularly to the Indigenous People (IPs) in the uplands, which topped the New People’s Army – Communist Party of the Philippines (NPA-CPP) recruitment.

“Ninety percent of the NPA fighters are coming from the Indigenous People,” NICA-9 Regional Director Ariel Perlado said.



Therefore, the RTF-ELCAC persistently addressing the needs of the IPs through the government services being offered and consistently giving out awareness as well as information to counter the proliferation of wrong ideologies of the lawless group.

“We have to make them feel that they have a government. The government should be working for them,” the Director added.



He said that through the strategy of personally visiting the remote areas in the region, the Executive Order No. 70 has come a long way suppressing communism and terrorism in Zamboanga Peninsula (ZamPen) that exists for over fifty years of armed conflict.

More so, he explained that the RTF-ELCAC had also reached out to NPA fighters where they had ‘peace talks and community engagements with the known NPA personalities’.

“These engagements and community consultations have probably resulted to the surrender of several NPA members,” Dir. Perlado said.



Meanwhile, the different government agencies delivered their respective services to the residents of Barangay Sto. Niño, such as the provision of medical and dental care by the Municipal Health Office (MHO) and Department of Health (DOH); food packs and other social services by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Free training for some skills enhancement were also offered by the Technical Educations and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Tree and vegetable seedlings were provided by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and livelihood programs such as livestock from the Department of Agriculture (DA).

A feeding program and a hundred pairs of slippers were distributed by the Philippine National Police, while an information dissemination drive was conducted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

The government remains positive and committed to serve the public especially to end armed conflicts.

“We are one working on this because we have the responsibility to diswave you from joining the CTGs”, Perlado disclosed. (RVC/JRA/PIA-Zamboanga City)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1060831