FLORIDABLANCA, Pampanga — National government agencies belonging to the Poverty Reduction, Livelihood, and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict visited Sitio Tirya in Barangay Mawacat in order to redevelop the community.
TESDA Pampanga Provincial Director Eric Euda said the overall aim of the cluster is anchored on improving the lives of Filipinos and putting an end to communist insurgencies.
“Basically, we would like to empower the communities, especially Indigenous Peoples (IPs) so that they can live peacefully. National government agencies have many programs regarding this, with our partners from the local government and private sector,” Euda said.
Part of government interventions to be provided in the community is a farm-to-market road to provide easier transport access of agricultural products.
Philippine Army 48th Infantry Battalion Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Felix Emerito Valdez said the project was conceptualized at the request of Mawacat’s barangay captain, which is very much aligned with the programs of the cluster.
“We at the Armed Forces support the PRLEC because we have the common objective of strengthening the community. Aside from the farm-to-market road, we will also provide irrigation and communication system to this community,” Valdez said.
For his part, Department of Agriculture Staff Arween Lacanilao said they will conduct further assessment to see what is lacking or what needs to be improved so they can assist the community in terms of farming, and livestock; as well as include it in their future projects.
With this, Barangay Captain Marilou Bacani expressed her thanks to the different agencies for the farm-to-market road which will speed up the transport and sale of their harvest to the lowlands.
“We want to thank the government for coming up with these kinds of projects and for reaching out to remote areas like IP communities in order to uplift our lives,” Bacani said.
In turn, she vowed her support to the government, especially in putting an end to communism and insurgency so they can enjoy continuous peace and prosperity.
“To my fellow IPs, I urged you to support the government because we see how they can help us. Let us not join the leftist group because if we do, we will suffer even more. Aeta youth should be educated because that is the key to growth,” she said.
Meanwhile, Philippine Information Agency Regional Director William Beltran said efforts like these are affirmation of the government’s commitment to help the most vulnerable sectors of the society.
“This is the core of public service. The aim of the RTF-ELCAC is to address not only terrorism and insurgency, but the real needs of our people. Our government is always ready to help. We just have to be united so that we can continue to end insurgency and terrorism to achieve lasting peace, security and prosperity,” Beltran said.
The convergence project is expected to benefit more than 80 Aeta families, who all rely on agriculture for a living.