Social Integration Program (SIP) in Mindoro - Philippine Army
Social Integration Program (SIP) in Mindoro - Philippine Army
Social Integration Program (SIP) in Mindoro - Philippine Army
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(Governor Joseph<strong>in</strong>e Ramirez-Sato<br />
award<strong>in</strong>g the Fifty Thousand (50,000.00)<br />
check to the former rebel Christian Corpuz<br />
Bascos, 3 rd from the left.)<br />
<strong>Social</strong> <strong>Integration</strong> <strong>Program</strong> (<strong>SIP</strong>)<br />
<strong>in</strong> M<strong>in</strong>doro<br />
enu<strong>in</strong>e peace and susta<strong>in</strong>able development<br />
can only be achieved through the concerted<br />
effort of all stakeholders. This is the guid<strong>in</strong>g<br />
pr<strong>in</strong>ciple by which 203 rd Infantry (Bantay<br />
Kapayaan) Brigade and it’s OPCON units,<br />
the 80 th IB and 4 th G IB <strong>in</strong> particular, implement the AFP’s<br />
Integrated Peace and Security <strong>Program</strong> (IPSP), more<br />
popularly known as “Bayanihan”.<br />
In the Prov<strong>in</strong>ce of Occidental M<strong>in</strong>doro, this is very<br />
evident by the fact that all the local leaders are very<br />
much aware of their <strong>in</strong>tegral part <strong>in</strong> the atta<strong>in</strong>ment of a<br />
last<strong>in</strong>g peace and progress <strong>in</strong> this beautiful and<br />
promis<strong>in</strong>g island. Their generous support to the<br />
endeavors of the Armed Forces of the Philipp<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> the<br />
conduct of its operations helps a lot <strong>in</strong> ensur<strong>in</strong>g an<br />
environment conducive to <strong>in</strong>vestments and other<br />
socio-economic activities aimed at improv<strong>in</strong>g the quality<br />
of life of their constituents.<br />
A concrete manifestation of this is the <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g<br />
number of <strong>in</strong>surgents who decided to return under the<br />
folds of law. Just recently, one Susot, Fernando<br />
Estacio, 20 year old, a native farmer of Sitio Lagnas,<br />
Brgy Batasan, San Jose this prov<strong>in</strong>ce voluntarily<br />
surrendered to 1LT RONIE LIBRADILLA PA,<br />
Command<strong>in</strong>g Officer of Charlie Company, 80 th Infantry<br />
Battalion, 2 nd Infantry Division, Philipp<strong>in</strong>e <strong>Army</strong> with<br />
temporary station at same Brgy. The surrender was<br />
made possible through the assistance of the top<br />
personalities of Mangyan mission: Father Alv<strong>in</strong><br />
Sanchez and Sister Armi Sevilla both of Sa<strong>in</strong>t Joseph<br />
Cathedral, San Jose, Occidental M<strong>in</strong>doro.<br />
Fernando Susot is a former member of Platoon 1,<br />
Kilusang Larangang Girelya 2, Islacom, M<strong>in</strong>doro,<br />
Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee operat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> San Jose, Magsaysay, Rizal and Cal<strong>in</strong>taan<br />
(SaMaRiCa). Accord<strong>in</strong>g to him, his surrender was<br />
<strong>in</strong>spired by the genu<strong>in</strong>e commitment of the army to<br />
pursue and support the peace and development efforts<br />
by the Local Government Units <strong>in</strong> the area through the<br />
203 rd Brigade’s “Hawak-Kamay <strong>Program</strong>”.<br />
To provide him with the much needed support to start<br />
his <strong>in</strong>tegration to the community, the Honorable Mayor<br />
Jose T. Villarosa of the Municipality of San Jose<br />
immediately provided Twenty Thousand Pesos , two (2)<br />
sacks of rice and boxes of grocery items, with the<br />
assurance of more support should there be more who<br />
would follow the path that Susot took. He said that he<br />
believes that genu<strong>in</strong>e development will eventually set-<strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> the absence of terrorist elements <strong>in</strong> the area.<br />
This was replicated <strong>in</strong> the Municipality of Magsaysay<br />
with the surrender of one Sonny Boy Sanico Flores to<br />
the Honorable Mayor Leonora B. Fajardo last May 6,<br />
2011 who also provided the same amount of<br />
assistance.
It can be recalled that prior to the surrender of Susot<br />
and Sonny Boy, Christian Corpuz Bascos of Brgy<br />
Bayotbot, Magsaysay, Occidental M<strong>in</strong>doro surrendered<br />
to the negotiat<strong>in</strong>g team of LT BALOGAN of this unit 2<br />
days before Christmas last year. He was given f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />
assistance by the Honorable Governor Joseph<strong>in</strong>e<br />
Ramirez – Sato amount<strong>in</strong>g to Fifty Thousand Pesos<br />
(P50,000.00). Christian narrated that his act was<br />
<strong>in</strong>spired by the surrender of former comrades who<br />
surfaced earlier and never regretted their decision to do<br />
so. They are: Rodolfo Dela Cruz; Rosalie Dela Cruz;<br />
Gener Estacio; Andr<strong>in</strong>g Layco; Edel Parisan; Fernan D.<br />
Parisan; Philip Punlaan; Ronald Salcedo; Joel G.<br />
Villanueva; Mary May G. Datiles; R<strong>in</strong>aldo Gregorio; and<br />
Manuel Assuncion, who received collectively amount<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to almost a half million pesos <strong>in</strong> the form of cash and<br />
livelihood assistance provided by the good governor.<br />
The command<strong>in</strong>g Officer of the 80 th Inf Bn, LTC Rogelio<br />
P Percol, commented that with this promis<strong>in</strong>g trend of<br />
<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g awareness and support from local officials,<br />
the civil society and the communities of Occidental<br />
M<strong>in</strong>doro to the programs and endeavors of the Armed<br />
Forces of the Philipp<strong>in</strong>es, he is very confident that the<br />
people’s collective aspiration for genu<strong>in</strong>e peace and<br />
progress is very much at hand.<br />
Inspired by the improv<strong>in</strong>g situation <strong>in</strong> Occidental<br />
M<strong>in</strong>doro brought about by the "Bayanihan" effort of<br />
peace order development stakeholders <strong>in</strong> Occidental<br />
M<strong>in</strong>doro, the Prov<strong>in</strong>cial Government of Oriental M<strong>in</strong>doro<br />
launched its own <strong>in</strong>itiative to help rebels and their<br />
families to jo<strong>in</strong> the ma<strong>in</strong>stream society. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
Prov<strong>in</strong>cial Government Strategic Plann<strong>in</strong>g, Col Carlos F<br />
Quita, the Commander of 203 rd Brigade, briefed the<br />
local officials and other participants on the AFP’s<br />
Campaign Plan "Bayanihan" and Brigade's<br />
Hawa-Kamay <strong>Program</strong> (the local <strong>SIP</strong>). Thereafter, the<br />
Prov<strong>in</strong>cial Government committed to provide an <strong>in</strong>itial<br />
P300,000.00 under the Prov<strong>in</strong>cial <strong>Social</strong> Welfare<br />
Development <strong>Program</strong> specifically for use <strong>in</strong> help<strong>in</strong>g<br />
encourage NPA rebels to embrace the folds of the law<br />
and to help them jo<strong>in</strong> the ma<strong>in</strong>stream society through<br />
various <strong>in</strong>terventions. On a similar tone, most of the<br />
Mayor of the municipalities <strong>in</strong> Oriental M<strong>in</strong>doro<br />
committed their support to this worthy endeavor. The<br />
LGU, the Brigade and other stakeholders will soon plan<br />
on the implementation of this program.<br />
The spirit of “Bayanihan” <strong>in</strong> M<strong>in</strong>doro lives on and as<br />
expected, it will be the key <strong>in</strong> w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g the peace and <strong>in</strong><br />
foster<strong>in</strong>g development <strong>in</strong> the Island.