FRs undergo crops production training

Ten selected former rebels (FRs) from the 23rd Infantry (Masigasig) Battalion (23rd IB), Philippine Army are now undergoing a 10-day live-in Community-Based Training on Prepared Land for Agricultural Crops Production Leading to Agricultural Crops Production NC III. The training will run from October 7 until October 17, 2020 at Village 2, Barangay Libertad, Butuan City. The said training By 1Lt Roel T. Maglalang is the outcome of the convergence of efforts of the 23rd IB and the provincial government of Agusan del Norte, together with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority – Agusan del Norte (TESDA-ADN). The training is being supervised by Allandale B. Idea, the support staff trainer of the Northern Mindanao Schools of Fisheries (NMSF) where the participating FRs will also receive daily allowance with free meals and snacks. The 10-day training aims to create an organic farm that is capable of producing different kinds of healthy and fresh vegetables. The harvest will be utilized and benefited by the less fortunate patients and workers of the Agusan del Norte Provincial Hospital. The proposed site of the farm will be at the back of the said hospital. Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Julius Cesar C. Paulo,

the acting commander of 23IB, thanked the provincial government and TESDA for the opportunity given to the FRs and for helping them become resilient individuals who can stand and survive even without the support and assistance from the government. “This project is like a give-and-take relationship between the FRs and the line agencies of the government. The FRs will render manpower assistance to help the PLGU of Agusan del Norte in launching its projects and in return, the latter will provide cash assistance and allowance as well as enhance their knowledge on how to produce organic crops productively,” Paulo said. He added that the project will help FRs acquire sustainable livelihood especially when they are reintegrated into their communities. “They will be earning using their skills and capabilities with the

help of TESDA and other concerned agencies. May this training be successful in order to create an agricultural livelihood project which will be benefited by the less fortunate Agusanons especially in this time of pandemic until everyone will be encouraged to also create their organic farm for them to have their alternative source of income for an additional livelihood,” Paulo said. (CMO Officer, 23IB, 4ID, PA/PIA Agusan del Norte)