BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Twenty-five Negros Occidental barangays, that were declared by the Armed Forces of the Philippines to have been free from the influence of the New People’s Army, received television sets with learning modules from the Department of Interior and Local Government, in a ceremony held at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City yesterday.
The distribution was made during the launching of the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) TV Aralan Series of the DILG in partnership with the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that the activity is proof that the government works to further implement programs, services, and policies that empower Negrenses so that everyone is included in the process of the attainment of common goals not just for peace but also for progress.
“I consider this RCSP as a great opportunity to address root causes of local armed conflict and tensions by prioritizing the delivery of basic services and social development assistance and in facilitating participatory initiative of all sectors in the attainment of the country peace agenda,” Lacson said.
The recipient barangays are Libertad, Mabini, Malasibog, Pinapugasan, Washington, Binaguiohan, Buenavista, Dian-ay, Rizal, Udtongan, Alimango, Japitan, Langub, and Paitan in Escalante City, Buluangan, Guadalupe, Nataban, Quezon, and Codcod of San Carlos City, Caduha-an in Cadiz City, San Pablo in Manapla, Canlusong in EB Magalona, Estado and Gawahon of Victorias City, and Carabalan in Himamaylan City.
Through the DILG’s TV sets and learning modules, the barangays will be guided in crafting their Barangay Development Plan as well as to let them know about the peace and development programs and projects that they could avail, DILG regional director, Juan Jovian Ingeniero, said. Ingeniero added the TV Aralan is also a mechanism by which they aim to keep the target audience in the target barangays abreast and well-informed of the various programs, projects and activities of the DILG and other concerned government agencies.*
