Bacolod school kids join Kalinga sa Bayan Program

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 15^th Infantry “Molave Warrior” Battalion, 3^rd 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 15^th 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 2^nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade, thanked the school principal of the BCES for providing the venue of the event.  He said the 2^nd 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 15^th 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 15^th IB,  LGU-Bacolod,  Youth for Development of Lanao,, Youth Association of the Philippines, DSWD, DepEd, Bureau of Fire Protection, 2^nd 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 15^th 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 15^th 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.