BACOLOD CITY, (PNA) – Residents of far-flung villages of Escalante City, and Toboso and Calatrava towns in northern Negros Occidental received P1.5 million worth of food and household items recently from the Provincial Peace Integration and Development Unit (ProPIDU).
The goods were distributed through the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade Bayanihan Team Activity – Awareness and Basic Needs Operation (BTA-ABNO) under the “Serving the Countryside, Working with the People” Project of the ProPIDU’s “Winning the Peace” initiative.
The commodity packs given to each of the 506 households contained claw hammers, heavy duty pliers, big screwdrivers, heavy duty flashlights with batteries, plastic pails, blankets, mosquito nets, bath towels as well as food items, toiletries, and school supplies.
These items were the provincial government’s immediate response for survival to reduce violence, sufferings, hunger and health risks among the residents.
Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said the project is multi-sectoral in concept, approach and methodology as it tries to promote community empowerment and ownership for the local residents in the identified most depressed and underprivileged sitios and barangays in the three local government units.
Col. Jon Aying, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said that through the project, they are helping the residents build their confidence level so they will be empowered.
“We, in the military hope that every Negrense household in the First District will be able to achieve that sustainability in order for them to have a decent state of living,” Aying stressed.