The provincial government of Davao Oriental will continue with its government service caravan in the remote barangays despite the threat posed by the rebel New People’s Army.
This was bared by Davao Oriental Provincial Governor’s chief-of-staff Ednar Dayanghirang on Monday’s Kapehan sa Davao at SM City Annex.
Dayanghirang said that there are 100 remote barangays identified as conflict affected that will be visited by the caravan dubbed as Nagkakaisang Lingkod bayan ng Davao Oriental – Barangay Outreach Caravan to give different government services to its constituents.
These areas will include the ancestral domain of the Indigenous People of Davao Oriental and Muslim communities in the province.
He said the security threats on the caravan will not matter because of the strong presence of the soldiers of 701st Brigade and Davao Oriental Police Provincial Office. “Also, our approach to security is good governance, inclusive good governance,” Dayanghirang added.
He said aside from the services given by the province, different national agencies also lend their services to the people of remote barangays who cannot afford to visit the provincial offices in Mati City to avail themselves of services.
“We believe that the Nagkakaisang Lingkod bayan ng Davao Oriental – Barangay Outreach Caravan has weakened the mass base of the NPAs as shown by the number of NPA combatants surrendering to the government “ he said.
Dayanghirang said the caravan aims to ‘re-introduce’ the government since these areas were already being given the doctrine of the rebels.
He said in 2017, the province made 50 caravans to the conlfict affected barangays in which different services were availed by its constituents from free birth registration, medical and dental services and livelihood assistance.
After the barangay caravans the province will formulate sustainability measures so that the efforts will not be wasted.
“Dinhi na nga magpatanom na ta, magpa-scholar na ta’g mga kabataan, maghatag na tag infrastracture projects didto sa mga area to make it sustainable (In this phase, the government will give seedlings for the their till their lands, give shcolarship to the youth and build infrastructure projects in these areas to make it sustainable),” he said.
“We need the democracy of the country will work in these area or else the goverment of the rebels will work there,” he said.
