4SF Army brings goods, livelihood to remote MNLF village in Basilan

From the Philippine Information Agency (Oct 6): 4SF Army brings goods, livelihood to remote MNLF village in Basilan

ISABELA CITY, Basilan – The Philippine Army’s 4th Special Forces Battalion in Basilan brought some volunteers and fed a hundred kids in Barangay Masula, this city recently.

LTC Andrew B. Bacala Jr., commanding officer of the 4SF said that volunteers from Tribes Mission of Iloilo City sponsored a treat to the children of Barangay Masula by providing packed lunch from a famous Philippine fast food chain to some 100 kids

“The Tribes Mission has decided to visit Basilan to bring some joy, even in a simple manner,” Bacala said adding that the initiative is part of the Civil Military Operations peace activities.

Bacala added that livelihood training in agriculture was shared to some members of the community, as the military’s contribution to the nation’s observance of the Peace Consciousness Month in September. The locals also benefitted from the services of the dental team during the activity.

In an interview, Isabel Grace P. Villegas, a tribal teacher-volunteer from Iloilo expressed her joy for being able to help.

“We witnessed that not all places here in Basilan are in conflict. This is one thing that we wanted to prove to outsiders, and that people and communities need help here to improve their lives,” she said.

Her first time to be in Basilan, she was amazed of the possibilities that the cooperation between and among the military, the Moro National Liberation Front, and the volunteers could bring about positive change in the community.

“Posible pala na magsama-sama ang military, MNLF, at ibang sector para magtulung-tulong para sa magandang kinabukasan ng mga kabataan (It is indeed possible for military, MNLFs and other sectors to unite so that more help could be extended to effect better future for the youth),” she said.

The military also surveyed the destroyed box culvert crossing a major road in the said barangay and that they will source out some donors who can help fix the box culvert soon.

Bacala said the road is crucial in the transport of goods for the people’s livelihood in this MNLF community.

Aside from that, they received some livelihood farm inputs like vegetable seeds and seedlings. The CMO team led by 1Lt Ron Villarosa taught them how to do seedling production using empty boxes of ammunitions and demonstrated how to operate the “kuliglig,” a motorized farm equipment used to till the land..

The equipment was lent for about three days and the military wanted to see some results in the use of the machines and apply what they learned in the coming days.

The 4SF Battalion in Basilan has been initiating social programs and projects to enable communities to become more productive, improve people’s lives, and create a positive impact.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1421475727121/4sf-army-brings-goods-livelihood-to-remote-mnlf-village-in-basilan