Marine reservists protect environment, marine resources in Sultan Kudarat

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 13): Marine reservists protect environment, marine resources in Sultan Kudarat

To help protect environment and marine resources, the local government units of the seaside Lebak and Kalamansig towns in Sultan Kudarat have organized Marine reservists to guard the coastal areas against pirates and illegal poachers.

Both Mayors Dionesio Besana of Lebak and Rolando Garcia of Kalamansig will exercise joint ministerial supervision of the contingent, the 75th Marine Reserve Service Support Group, which has about a thousand non-uniformed members.

Composed of owners of fishing vessels and fisherfolks, the reservists are now guard the coastal barangays in the two towns.

They were established through a memorandum of agreement signed last September 10 at the headquarters of the Western Mindanao Command in Davao City by Vice Admiral Jesus Millan, flag officer-in-command of the Philippine Navy, and Emmanuel Lontok, president of the Lebak-Kalamansig Coastal Marine Association Incorporated (LKCMAI).

The signing of the MOA was witnessed by senior Eastmincom and Navy officials and Col. Emmanuel Salamat, commanding officer of the 1st Marine Brigade, which has jurisdiction over Lebak and Kalamansig, both located in west of Sultan Kudarat.

The Philippine Marine Corps is a component unit of the Philippine Navy.

The newly-organized reservist group, comprised of Moro, Christian and non-Moro indigenous Lumad members, shall help the LGUs of Lebak and Kalamansig address security concerns in their municipal waters, including illegal fishing and intrusion by pirates targeting hapless fishermen.

Danilo Chavez, an official of the LKCMAI, said Salamat, who graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1985, and the LGUs of Lebak and Kalamansig coordinated with each other in organizing the reservist group.

In a statement released Saturday, Salamat clarified that the reservist group is a civic organization and not a counter-insurgency unit.

”It will help make functional all government peace and development programs in the two towns and help promote unity among the local Muslim, Christian and Lumad communities,” Salamat said.

Marine reservists will also engage in activities meant to bolster the peace process between the national government and Mindanao’s Moro communities, Salamat said, adding that the creation of the group was based on Circular No. 3 of the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Section 10 of the Republic Act 77, also known as AFP Reservist Act.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=683804