Gov’t intensifies security awareness drive in Agusan Norte

its effects and impact to the community, classes suspension will help to stop it from spreading,” Gov. Corvera said.

Also, as a protection to the provincial government employees, Gov. Corvera has equipped the frontline workers with the personal protective equipment (PPEs) in order not to hamper any operations in the province and to protect them from any viruses.

Governor Corvera, who also chairs the Regional Development Council of Caraga region, encouraged all Caraganons to promote good hygiene, stay healthy and avoid crowded places.

The issuance of the proclamation is based on the declaration of the State of the Public Emergency by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to capacitate the local government units to immediately institute actions to combat the disease. Aside from the suspension of classes, a continuous distribution of IEC materials and inclusion of COVID-19 in the radio program discussions are just some of the measures of the province to protect and educate the people on the disease. (NCLM/PIA Agusan del Norte) P ovincial News Gov’t intensifies security awareness drive in Agusan Norte

By 1Lt. Roel T. Maglalang BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte - The 23rd Infantry (Masigasig) Battalion (23IB), Philippine Army led by its Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Francisco L. Molina Jr, together with Miss Agnes Lopez Reaño (Lola) national president of the former rebels (FR) organization People’s Advocacy for Collaboration and Empowerment, Inc (PeACE, Inc.), Representative Maria Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba, Governor Dale Corvera and the Municipal Mayors of Agusan del Norte recently attended the 2nd Division Management Committee Conference of DepEd Agusan del Norte held in Butuan City.

The 2nd Division ManCom Conference with the theme “Achieving Peace through Synergy of Stakeholders: Together Towards Tomorrow” for the first time discussed the insurgency problem in this province. The discussion was geared towards the efforts of the national government in decreasing the problem which was capsulized by an Executive Order signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte institutionalizing the “Whole of Nation” approach. Lt. Col Molina as Chairman of Situational Awareness and Knowledge Management (SAKM) also rendered a report on the effort of the 23IB in encouraging the youth to continue and finish their studies, which was tagged as Information Education Campaign (IEC). IEC was conducted to Junior and Senior High School on the following municipalities: Las Nieves, Buenavista, Nasipit, Carmen, Agusan del Norte including Butuan City. ManCom was attended by 364 participants which included Supervisors, School Heads, Guidance Counselor of the DepEd Agusan del Norte.

Lola, in her talk, urged the teachers, being their second parents inside the school campuses, to protect the students. As second parents “You have the responsibility in protecting the students against the manipulations of the CNTs. I hope that you will not only teach academics but inculcate good moral values. Solidify the sacrifices of their parents, value the efforts of the government and encourage them to finish their studies,” Lola added.

“To the teachers especially those who are members of ACT Partylist,

please refrain from recruiting innocent children to join the armed group. Instead be a good role model to your students for their future depends on how you encourage them to reach their goals in life. If we fail to do so, we will never find a solution in ending the decade long insurgency problem of our country,” she added.

Lt. Col. Molina encouraged the teachers to guide the students, to educate them on the workings of the government, to inform them that the government is working.” He underscored that “the future of our children lies in our hand, always integrate in your subjects the efforts of our government in improving their lives. We also hope that you will support the Army’s effort in protecting the children, their future and their lives, and the effort of the national government in ending the conflict, which debilitates our country and destroys the future and lives of our youth and students.”

On the other hand, Gov. Corvera emphasized that “the 2nd ManCom Conference is a tremendous help for the province since it was the first time ever the ManCom conference will focus its discussion on the insurgency problem of Agusan del Norte. He added that the IEC spearheaded by the 23IB is a great help for the teachers since the students will be educated and taught on the manipulative recruitment strategy of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG).” P ovincial News

Matba appealed to the attendees “let us perform our job properly, let’s walk our talk, be an exemplar of good governance. Let’s unite, and bond together to save our youth from the manipulative tactics of this armed group. Working together and aiming to have peace in our province will ensure that there will be no more wasted lives of children.”

“If you will be able to save just a single life of a child, it is already a big contribution to Agusan del Norte. It is only through your commitment that we will be able to make sure that our students will understand the importance of family, because this is what the CTGs aimed to destroy, the smallest unit of the government which is the family, and the very fabric that makes our nation strong and great,” she added. (CMO Officer, 23IB, Philippine Army/PIA Agusan del Norte)