CABANGLASAN, Bukidnon, July 1 – In a bid to contribute in the government’s peacekeeping efforts, the agriculture department in Northern Mindanao (DA-10) accorded farm inputs assistance to the conflict affected areas of sitios Tumbaga, Tagbakan, Katablaran and Saluringan, all of barangay Canangaan.

Held at the town center, a total of 100 bags of hybrid corn seeds worth P500,000 were turned over to select leaders of such communities, as crop production assistance that can cover at least 50 hectares of land.

Lt Sancho S Tomaquin, Charlie Company Commander, 88th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army, said the recipients are among those nearly 200 displaced individuals, who fled from their farmlands and homes brought about an armed confrontation between the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and the government troops which transpired nearly two weeks ago.

Since June, of this year, the army official reported, that they have set off to the municipality of Cabanglasan to conduct its Community Support Program (CSP), particularly in barangays Paradise, Mandahican, Mandaing, Cabulohan and Canangaan.

Out from the five barangays, they have identified that most of the enemies are in the hinterlands of Canangaan, of whom have set up camps in the sitios.

“From here, we have undertaken our CSP to clear the area from being CPP-NPA infested. After the operations, we need to sustain the peace and order situation for development to come through. Once absent ang basic services, talagang magre-rebelde ang tao,” Tomaquin remarked.

In particular, the CSP aims to bring people back to the fold of the government while empowering communities through a synergy of development efforts among soldiers, government agencies, and the local governments.

Further, he emphasized that such initiative uses the whole-of-nation approach to end the local communist armed conflict in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace, as provided in President Duterte’s Executive Order 70.

“Hindi maganda ang nangyari, but we can turn the negative into positive. Mas nakikita talaga ng gobyerno kung sino talaga ang dapat pagtuunan ng pansin,” he said, recognizing the downpour of agri-interventions from DA-10.

Meanwhile, OIC-Provincial Operations Chief of Bukidnon Janet D. Lopez of DA-10 corroborated the army official’s statement, saying that despite encountering setbacks, a blessing has come thru the additional farm inputs.

“This [100 bags of hybrid corn seeds] is on top of the 300 bags that were previously handed over to Cabanglasan town,” she explained. Such reinforcement is eyed to drum up the municipality’s corn production.

Based from reports of the local agriculture office, as of June 2020, there are 4,408 corn farmers, cultivating 5,937 hectares with an annual average production of 6.4 metric tons, specifically for hybrid corn.

“We, at the department, encourage you to form a group, as this will be instrumental in gaining more access and availing of assistance from the government such as DA,” Lopez added.

Such declaration is also opportune, as the government troops are set to assist the locals in the affected sitios to fully organize and have them registered with DOLE, Lt Tomaquin stated.

“Kini nga grasya na atong nadawat karon bisag simple ug gamay, dakong panghinaot nga kung kana atoang ampingan ug atong itanum ug ipahiluna ang atong umahan, basin mao nani sinugdanan sa pag arang-arang sa atong kahimtang,” Kagawad on Committee on Agriculture Claudio Canillas expressed.

After about a week of taking shelter in schools at barangay San Vicente and Iba, which was realized via the convergence of efforts from the provincial down to the municipal governments, the army official left and posed the affected residents a challenge as they can now return to their homes.

“Nagbigay lang man din tayo ng binhi, sana yung tinatanim natin yung binhi ng kapayapaan…hindi lang sana ito manatiling binhi, magyabong sana ito. Isang binhi lang yan pero kung nagbunga yan, mas marami pang binhi nga maitatanim natin na kakalat ang kapayapaan. Yung itinatamin ngayon nga kapayapaan, alagaan nila, pagyabungin nila hanggang mamunga at itanim ulit nang sa gayon ay dumami,” Lt Tomaquin concluded.

Also witnessing the ceremonial turnover are Cabanglasan Municipal Vice-Mayor Lolita N. Obsioma, Municipal Agriculturist Dr. Anita S. Macabugto and other local officials and employees, DA-10 Regional Corn Focal Person Richan D. Lacanaria, and Provincial Agriculturist Engr. Alson G. Quimba. #