Poona Piagapo school children benefit from “Kalinga sa Bayan” Program

By Phil Paalan, Publisher-Editor, The Mindanao Gazette

POONA PIAGAPO, Lanao del Norte (December 21, 2014) – A two-day  Kalinga Sa Bayan undertaking was initiated  by the 15^th Infantry “Molave Warrior” Battalion, 3^rd Infantry Division, Philippine Army at Poona Piagapo, Lanao del Norte  in partnership with Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Lanao Development Team,  Christar of the Philippines, Inc. and the Local Government Unit of Poona Piagapo (LGU-Poona Piagapo), Lanao del Norte,  in cooperation with the  Department of Education (DepEd), and the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Administration (PDEA).

Dubbed as “A Gathering of Heroes”, the 2-day Kalinga Sa Bayan event, held at the Municipal Gymnasium at Barangay Pened, Poona Piagapo, Lanao del Norte aims to train the school children to become responsive, responsible, useful, and productive citizens to be able to contribute in the development of the communities as change agents, and was participated in by 300 school children from various schools in the 26 barangays of the municipality with ages ranging from 5 years old to 18 years old, both males and females.

The first day (Dec. 20) of the Kalinga Sa Bayan event included activities like orientation and sessions on Gawad Kalinga, Lakas ng Pagbabago and Bayani Challenge including  Kalinga Night. The second day (Dec. 21) included activities like early morning exercises, opening program, empowerment session, puppet show, story-telling, dancing, singing, film showing with morale values and lessons,  drug symposium, testimonials, distribution of certificates and closing program. The school children enjoyed most the servings of ice cream provided by the organizers of the program. The Molave Warrior Band of the 15^th IB provided the musical entertainment.

At left, Lt. Col. Doctolero and Col. Gapay, looking at the youth
crowd participants during workshop. (Photo by Jun Enriquez)

 

Lt Col Leomar Jose M. Doctolero, commanding officer of the 15^th Infantry Battalion welcomed the participants, guests and visitors while Municipal Mayor Farhana R. Palawan  of Poona Piagapo expressed the full support of the LGU-Poona Piagapo in the successful conduct of the “Kalinga Sa Bayan” affair. Department of Education (DepEd) represented by District Supervisor Ammilee A. Sanggacala expressed gratitude to the 15^th IB, of initiating the activity to educate and capacitate the youth for personal development to become good citizen.

Message of support were also given by Col. Gilbert I. Gapay, Commander, 2^nd Mechanized  Infantry  Brigade, Mechanized Infantry Division. Gapay said “Ang kabataan ay ang pag-asa at kinabukasan ng ating bayan. Nararapat lang  na sila ay ating alagaan at itaguyod ang kanilang mga karapatan. Karapatan na magkaroon ng magandang

edukasyon, pagmamahal at pagkalinga, ligtas na kapaligiran, maging masaya at malusog. Sa pagtutulungan ng LGU, Army, Non-government Organizations (NGO), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), mga magulang, mga Guro at cause oriented groups, ating samang-samang tugunan ang mga pangangailangan at karapatan ng mga kabataan para sa isang magandang kinabukasan.”  

In the drugs symposium attended by school children who are 14 years old and above, Rosemarie Bajao of PDEA made a power point presentation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 which was signed on June 7, 2002, published on June 19, 2002 and took effect on July 4, 2002, and which provides a more concrete course of action for the national anti-drug campaign and provides for heavier penalties to offenders.  She also stressed the role of PDEA in  enforcing the drugs law, which is to reduce illegal drugs supply as well as reduce illegal drugs demand and embark on a campaign of advocacy and help in the rehabilitation of the illegal drugs users. .

 Bajao said that the illegal drugs market in the country is estimated to be a P4 billion industry.  She added that more than 5,000 drug patients are  in rehabilitation centers and still increasing.  She said that 70% of brutal/heinous crimes are drugs related.  She said to avoid temptations, the children should remember the following: Don’t even think about it; Resist Negative Peer Pressures; Use Healthy Alternatives; God is the answer; and Say No (to illegal drugs). She said that 70% of illegal drug users have no control of themselves; that 45% of the users have been fired from their jobs; and that 50% of the drug dependents ended up in separation with their spouses. She said drug dependents include movie actors, like Christopher de Leon, basketball players, like Jojo Lastimosa and Norman Black,  ordinary office workers, school children, among others.  A film showing on the negative effects of illegal drugs was presented and viewed by the school children.

The testimonials were given by school children Saidomar Mamasao, Sohaira Macapaser, and Hanira Tomanork.  Mamasao  stressed that their dreams are their capital investments in realizing development in the country, while  Macapaser said that the affair is important to the children in checking poverty in the country. On the other hand, Tomanork said that the young children  are the strength of society and are vital component in the development of the country.  The three children expressed their thanks and gratitude to the people and organizations behind the conduct of the affair which is important to the youth as they learned a lot as well as enjoyed every activity of the event.

Military and public officials joined the crowd to establish good 

relations among the youth and children. (Photo by Jun Enriquez)

Certificates of appreciation were distributed to the individuals and organizations who have helped in making the affair a resounding success. ABC President Hadji Abdullah Gomampong Racmat of Poona Piagapo gave the closing remarks. He stressed the importance of the affair for the children and expressed his appreciation to the military, 15^th IB  and the civilians who are responsible for making the “Kalinga Sa Bayan” in Poona Piagapo a reality.

Lt Col Doctolero said  the “Kalinga Sa Bayan” Program helps train the youth to become useful citizens by providing them the opportunities and mobilize them as change agents and  subsequently contribute to the development of their communities and country. He asked the LGUs to support the program for the sake of the children.  He said a similar program had been conducted earlier in Munai, Lanao del Norte.  He said the next Kalinga sa Bayan Program will be held in Tangcal and then Kolambugan, to be followed by Maigo, which are part and parcel of the areas of responsibility (AORs) of the 15^th Infantry Battalion. (Edited by Jun Enriquez)