DAVAO CITY—The Army’s 71st Infantry Battalion (IB) facilitated the electrification of an isolated mountain village in Mabini town, Davao de Oro province last week, targeting a farmers’ group as major beneficiary.
The Army helped install solar panels sufficient to supply the power needs of about 47 families, all of whom are also members of the Barangay Singapore Farmers Association (BaSiFa).
The electrification activity was also complemented by the distribution of rice and vegetable seedlings and farm inputs from the Department of Agriculture supported by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
Groups like Kiwanis International Tagum Chapter and Caritas Manila Charity-Mabini Chapter.
Barangay Singapore is actually a sitio up in the eastern mountains of Barangay Anitapan, Mabini town, Davao de Oro. The barangay is classified as a geographically isolated and disadvantaged area with a population of 3,737 as of the 2015 census.
The Lucio Tan program called Embrace was being implemented by the Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation, the Office of Rep. Ruwell Peter Gonzaga and the local governments of Mabini and Barangay Anitapan.
Lt. Col. Sonny E. Gonzales, commander of the 71st IB, said lack of basic services like electricity, bad roads and livelihood were among the issues “exploited by the insurgents to arouse the locals in the said sitio and organize them into mass supporters, or underground mass organizations, of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army.”
He said the same issues were the current focus of the military to address the problematic countryside. “Thus everyone must take part in attaining the genuine and lasting peace,” the Army official said.