Retooled Community Support Program launched in Agusan Sur town

By 1Lt. Krisjuper Andreo Punzalan

The local government unit (LGU) here has launched the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) to deliver basic services in the conflict-affected areas of Sitio Tibog, Sitio Ugnop and Purok 7 of Barangay Mabuhay, Prosperidad on September 2 benefiting 79 households.

Mayor Frederick Mark Plaza Mellana led the RCSP team along with the core teams, local peace and order and development council members.

It is composed of the Basic Services Delivery team which will serve as the bridge of the RCSP team to the national government; the Citizenship and Community Participation team which will strengthen barangay-based institutions and sectoral organizations to engage in participatory issue resolution; the Peace Law Enforcement and Development Support Team which will protect and secure RCSP team and beneficiaries on the conduct of the peace and development activities; the Local Development and Peace and Order Councils which will screen and prioritize the needed government interventions in the community; and the RCSP core team that directly supports the local chief executive in the operationalization of the RCSP.

Upon identification of the issues by the RCSP and the Community Support team of the 8th Special Forces Company of the 3rd Special Forces

”Arrowhead” Battalion, the issues on basic services such as the rehabilitation of farm-to-market road from Sitio Tibog to Purok 7 and access to potable water in Sitio Ugnop were immediately addressed and resolved by the LGU and concerned agencies.

Further, a Serbisyo Caravan consisting of outreach programs, medical services, birth registration, free haircut, and donation of food supplies were provided to 79 households.

“This is the first time that we focused our efforts and actually went to those far-flung communities that needed the services of the government. Usually, these services are brought to a barangay proper or the center among other barangays, but this time we also have to immerse there for us to know their real situation and needs,” Mayor Mellana said.

The mayor also added that the RCSP is aimed at addressing the root causes of insurgency. “We hope na 26

mawala na ang armed conflict sa municipality of Prosperidad so we can explore our fullest potential in eco and agritourism. We may not have all the resources but we are doing our best na maramdaman ang good governance kahit sa pinakamalayong sitios,” said Mellana.

RCSP is one of the national government’s mechanisms in implementing the whole-of-nation approach to successfully end local communist armed conflict (ELCAC) which was institutionalized by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s Executive Order No. 70.

Meanwhile, the Prosperidad RCSP is anchored on the theme “USWAGProsperidad” which means ‘Uban ta Sa kalambuan Walay puwas nga programang Agrikultura, industriya ng turismo para sa Gobyernong lokal sa Prosperidad’ to drumbeat their campaign in promoting peace and development. (CMO officer, 3SFBn/ PIA-Agusan del Sur)