By PHIL PA-ALAN
BACOLOD,
Lanao del Norte (April 12, 2015 ) – A two-day
Kalinga Sa Bayan Ng Bacolod undertaking was initiated jointly by the 15th Infantry
“Molave Warrior” Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Philippine Army,
the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Lanao Development
Team, and the Local Government Unit of Bacolod
(LGU-Bacolod), Lanao del Norte, in
cooperation with the Department of
Education (DepEd), the DSWD, the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Administration
(PDEA) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
The
2-day Kalinga Sa Bayan Ng Bacolod event,
held at the Bacolod Central School Grounds
at Barangay Poblacion, Bacolod, Lanao del Norte aims to empower and capacitate school children to become responsive,
responsible, useful, and productive citizens to be able to contribute
largely in the development of the
communities as change agents. It was participated in by some 400 school
children from various schools in the municipality with ages ranging from 5
years old to 18 years old, both males and females, including pre-schoolers.
The
first day (April 11 ) of the Kalinga Sa Bayan Ng Bacolod event included
activities like facilitators training involving 80 youth leaders and 10 army
soldiers; Getting to Know You Activity; Bayanihan Race, Empowerment Talk,
Lecture on IPSP Bayahihan, Walang Iwanan, Lakas Ng Pagbabago, etc., by Gawad Kalinga; briefing and preparation on Bihis Bayani, Kalinga Night with Audio
Visual Presentation on The Philippine Army Today, Bihis Bayani and Jambayani
with the Molave Warrior Band. The second day (April 12) included activities such
as Wake Up Call, Human Peace Sign, Panalangin para sa Kapayapaan, a prayer, and
songs,” Let There be Peace on Earth,” and “Habang May Buhay” with the Molave
Warrior Band, unity dance and morning exercise,
and Lakad para sa Kapayapaan (walk for peace), participated in by LGU-Bacolod
employees, Sangguniang Bayan Members, Barangay Captains of Bacolod, Lt. Col.
Joemar Jose M. Doctolero, commanding officer of the 15th Infantry
Battalion, Philippine Army, military personnel, school heads of the various
schools in Bacolod, teachers, school children and parents and youth participants
from various barangays of Bacolod, Gawad Kalinga staff, among others. The
parade went around the barangay poblacion from
the Bacolod Central Elementary
School Grounds and back to the Bacolod Central Elementary School
Gymnasium. The youth participants were carrying placards shouting for
peace. Some of the placards read, “Yes
to peace, no to war;,”, “We support Peace.”. “We want Peace”, “Isulong ang Kapayapaan’, and “Kapayapaan
para sa Kaunlaran”, 4Ps “Preserve Provincial Peace for Progress”, among others.
The
parade was followed by the opening program at the school covered
gymnasium. In her welcome remarks Mrs. Josephine I. Viscaya, School Principal
of the Bacolod Central Elementary School welcomed the participants, guests and
visitors of the Kalinga sa Bayan ng Bacolod as she said , ”Peace should be in
our hearts.” She said, “Bacolod is
peaceful. Let us continue to maintain peace in our community.” She said Korina
Sanchez of ABS-CBN was warned not to go to
Bacolod because it is dangerous, but when Korina visited Bacolod she was
surprised to notice that Bacolod is very peaceful”
For his part, Jake Gerona, head of Gawad
Kalinga , Lanao del Norte said that peace should start with us. He said,
“Isulong ang kapayapaan.” He said that
the Kalinga sa Bayan is being replicated in other communities in Lanao del
Norte by the other army battalions to promote peace in our communities. He said the empowerment of the youth will
continue in the province. He said the
communities that suffered calamities were assisted by Gawad Kalinga to help
them go through life despite the tragedy.
He said “Walang Iwanan at isulong ang kaunlaran.”
On
the other hand, Col. Galileo Goyena, who represented Col. Gilbert Gapay ,
commanding officer of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade, thanked
the school principal of the BCES for providing the venue of the event. He said the 2nd Mechanized Brigade
supports the activities towards the promotion of peace in Lanao del Norte.
Sangguniang
Bayan Member Alfons Macera, who represented Bacolod Municipal Mayor Joselito E.
Miquiabas, Jr. thanked the military for extending their time to train our
children to become empowered citizens of the community. He said the youth is the hope of the
fatherland. He added that the people
themselves can promote peace in our communities. He said war is costly. He said with a stable peace, we can invite
tourists to visit our communities. He
further said that the prevalence of peace in the community gives an impression
of the kind of leadership in the community as he thanked all those who
supported the undertaking, the Kalinga sa Bayan Ng Bacolod and help make it a
resounding success.
In
his message, Lt. Col. Leomar Jose M. Doctolero, commanding officer of the 15th
Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army
thanked all participants for the successful conduct of the Kalinga sa Bayan ng Bacolod especially the Kabataang
Barangay (KB) Associations, Youth for Development, Gawad Kalinga of Lanao del
Norte, PDEA, the men and women of the 15th
IB, LGU-Bacolod, Youth for Development of Lanao,, Youth
Association of the Philippines, DSWD, DepEd, Bureau of Fire Protection, 2nd
Mechanized Infantry Brigade, and the
Magbalantay Press Corps.. He said “The
Kalinga Sa
Bayan Ng Bacolod is the most organized Kalinga ng Bayan undertaking” . He said,
“ The youth of Lanao del Norte has a especial place in our hearts and we will
do everything to further their development.”.
The
other activities of the Kalinga sa Bayan ng Bacolod include Paraisong Pambata
which consists of batang bayani (Larong Pinoy Kids), story telling, kids football clinic, distribution of school
supplies, and Jollibee Mascot Entertainment; drug awareness symposium for
the Bacolod youth conducted by Ms. Rosemarie A. Bajao of the
PDEA; sex education; first aid training;
and substance abuse; closing program consisting of testimonials from the youth,
distribution of certificates, and inspirational
messages from the GK Lanao del Norte, DepEd, and the 15th IB, and Jambayani with the
Molave Warrior Band, Unity Dance lead by GK Volunteers, Diwa Ng Bayanihan, Awit
Kabataan, Walang Impossible, Kapayapaan and Sugud mga Kapatid., followed by an
educational field trip to the Pagayawan Falls in Bacolod and Island Greening
and the Cave in Binuni, Bacolod.
Some
200 school children joined the educational field trip to the Pagayawan Falls
and the Island Greening and the Cave at
Binuni, Bacolod.
The
school children enjoyed most of the activities, especially the Jollibee Mascot
entertainment and burger provided by the organizers of the program, The
activities were aimed at educating and capacitating them for personal
development to become useful citizens of their respective communities.
In
the drug forum attended by high school children who are 14 years old and above,
Rosemarie A. 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.
Ms.
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.
Certificates
of appreciation were distributed to the individuals and organizations who have
helped in making the affair a resounding success. The recipients of the
certificates include the 15th IB, the youth development of Lanao del
Norte, the DSWD, the Bureau of Fire Protection, Rosemarie Bajao of PDEA , Jun
Enriquez of the Magbalantay Press Corps, School Principal Josephine I. Viscaya of DepEd, Mayor Joselito Miquiabas of LGU-Bacolod, Jake
Gerona of Gawad Kalinga, Barangays
Alegria, Babalay, Binuni, Demologan, Esperanza, Kahayag, Liangan, Mati,
Rupagan, and Poiblacion.
A
similar undertaking had been conducted
earlier by the organizers in Munai, Poona Piagapo, Tangkal, Kolambugan, and
Maigo, all in Lanao del Norte.
In another development, the 15th Infantry Battalion organized a team for the "Football for Peace" to compete in camp Aguinaldo, Manila, for the kids ages 13 years and below. The team composed of ten children from Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte have undergone intensive training in Kauswagan football field. Lt. Col. Doctolero said that there are more than 10 teams to compete from the former conflict affected areas in Mindanao. This was spearheaded by the Philippine Marines in Basilan and invited other areas in Mindanao including Palawan. Doctolero said that Kauswagan football team will represent Lanao del Norte province supported by the local government of Kauswagan and the provincial government of Lanao del Norte. The tournament was scheduled on April 17-18 and the Kauswagan football team won second placer in the tournament next to Palawan.
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