By Jason De Asis

BALER, Aurora-Graduation rites was were formally held for members of Barangay Tagumpay People’s Association (BTPA) who finished their training on Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) National Certificate 1 (NC-1) by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) through the help of Philippine Army’s 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion in Barangay Tagumpay, Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija on Thursday, Oct. 19.

Lt. Col. Julito B. Recto, Jr., commander of 91st IB said in an interview on Friday that the move was in an effort to provide livelihood and skills training to 25 former supporters of the New People’s Army (NPA) who are now members of the said Peoples Organization (PO). “The training started on August 15, ended on September 29, 2023 and now their graduation aims to provide technical skills and experience for the students as they incorporate themselves into the community,” Recto said.

He is hoping that the skills training will provide the graduates the opportunity to be employed and become more competitive for the future of their families. “We are monitoring them to become successful and sustainable in their livelihood. We are also planning another sustainable livelihood for them,” he said.

The said POs underwent a 34-day training on Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) National Certificate 1 and witnessed by one squad of Alpha Company of 91st IB as one of their programs under Executive Order 70 or the whole of nation approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC). “We in the Armed Forces sought assistance from TESDA so that each member of our PO can provide work alone, assisting them in their business such as welding shops using their respective welding machines. We will recommend them to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to find a job,” Recto said.

On the other hand, Supervising TESDA Specialist Raquel P. Baluyot said the mobile training is one of the interventions provided by the TESDA-led Poverty Reduction Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PRLEC). “We together with 91st IB, local government units and concerned agencies will bring this program to the remote villagers as part of the national government’s efforts to curb insurgency in the country through provision of livelihood and employment,” Baluyot said.

The said students also received the Certificates and allowances with a total P5,440 each. The training was held at Multipurpose hall, Barangay Tagumpay, Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija.

Gabaldon Municipal Administrator Ricardo A. Subido expressed his sincerest thanks and appreciation to TESDA and the 91st IB during the graduation ceremony.

Subido also recalled the contributions of the late Senator Edgardo J. Angara the father of Senator Sonny Angara in his visionary leadership and unparalleled track record as a public servant who was the champion in the education culture and sports that he knew.

Barangay Tagumpay Peoples Association President Yolanda Baldoz congratulated the graduates and expressed her sincerest gratitude to 91st IB, TESDA, Sierra Madre Technical Institute, Inc., (SMTII), barangay and local government units among others that dedicated their selfless support to the group. SMTII School Administrator Reynaldo S. Arindain said the mobile training was successfully conducted due to the relentless support provided by 91st IB from the start in continuous collaboration and coordination with the concerned agencies. “We encouraged the graduates to continue to learn and get the SMAW NC 2. Our school is here to give you hope in your lives,” he said.

By Jason De Asis

BALER, Aurora-Sambayanan Association (SA) People’s Organization (PO) gets another set of livelihood packages from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Aurora Provincial Office and Philippine Army’s 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion during a hand-over ceremony held at Barangay Ditumabo, San Luis, Aurora on Friday, October 20, 2023.

Lt. Col. Julito B. Recto, Jr., Commander of 91st IB said that the packages consist of 200 pieces of chicken broilers, waterers, feederers and chicken feeds to the said PO.

Recto said that the P50,000 worth of packages were personally hand-over by DOLE Livelihood Development Specialist Vincent V. Leal to SA President Edgar Baldonade, a former rebel in the province of Aurora.

Recto added that the activity is an explicit manifestation of the government’s genuine collective desire to bring intervention to former rebels in the province of Aurora. “Rest assured that the 91st IB in partnership with other concerned agencies will continue to provide the necessary assistance to the members of the PO who are also former rebels including their families,” Recto said.

On the other hand, Leal said that the DOLE is happy to award livelihood assistance to former rebels to start new lives as part of their mandate to support the government’s whole-of-nation approach under the ELCAC (End Local Communist Armed Conflict) program.

He also lauded the efforts of 91st IB who initiated to help the SA through other livelihood grants. “The PO was endorsed by 91st IB and after a thorough review it was approved by our office,” he said.

Ka Edgar expressed his sincerest thanks and gratitude along with the other FRs, to the DOLE and 91st IB for the livelihood assistance they have received. He assured the government officials present that they will not waste every livelihood assistance provided to them by the concerned agencies.

FORT MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija – The 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division, Philippine Army led by Major General Andrew D. Costelo PA led the send-off ceremony of the 72nd Division Reconnaissance Company (72nd DRC) to 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division, Philippine Army in Mindanao about the upcoming Barangay and SK Elections 2023 at 702nd Infantry (Defender) Brigade Headquarters in Camp Tito Abat, Manaoag, Pangasinan on October 18, Wednesday. 

MGen. Costelo, in his Talk to Troops, reminded the soldiers to be non-partisan and focused only on its mandate to support the law enforcement operations of the local PNP and the Commission on Elections about the conduct of free, honest, orderly, peaceful, and credible elections. 

“We are here to ensure your readiness in performing your election duties. Your readiness is paramount in ensuring the security of the community when they exercise their right to suffrage. We fully support the local PNP and COMELEC in implementing the rules and regulations of the elections,” MGen. Costelo said.

As part of the JTF Kaugnay’s law enforcement support operations, the 7ID have already deployed a total of 1, 374 troops (Officers and Enlisted Personnel) to assist the PNP and COMELEC in the exercise of their duties before, during, and after the local elections. 

These troops were deployed in the provinces of Tarlac, Bataan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Pangasinan and Aurora to deter the different threat groups and private armed groups from conducting extortion activities or sowing violence. 

“We already provided security, available land assets, communication system, and other equipment to COMELEC in the implementation of election laws, rules, and regulations to ensure safe, accurate, free, and fair conduct of the elections,” MGen. Costelo added. 

In line with this, the 7ID has established strong coordination with different law enforcement agencies for a speedy and efficient exchange of information necessary for the success of their joint operations. 

“As the JTF Kaugnay Commander, I am happy to inform everyone that as of this date, we haven’t received yet any reports of CTG members collecting permit to campaign fees with the local candidates in our Area of Responsibility,” he said.

LUNGSOD NG SAN JOSE DEL MONTE—Viral ngayon sa social media ang vlog ng grupong “Laban ng Ordinaryong San Josenyo” na nagtatanong kung kaya na ba nilang mga residente ng siyudad na ito na sila ay maging isang Highly Urbanized City o (HUC).

Sa mahigit isang minutong vlog ay ipinaliwanag nito kung ano ang HUC at anu-ano ang mga disadvantages nito para sa kanilang mga ordinaryong  mamamayan ng siyudad. Una rito ang hindi na raw component lamang o independent city ang sityudad kapag ito ay naging HUC na kundi magsasarili na talaga ito at hihiwalay na ng buo.

Subalit ang tanong daw ay kung kaya na nila.  “Ang tanong mga ka-San Josenyo, kaya na ba natin, kaya na ba nating hindi na tayo magpapasakop sa Provincial Government ng Bulacan (PGB)?”

Ayon sa paliwanag ng grupo, kapag HUC na sila ay hindi na sila sakop ng provincial government ng Bulacan at hindi na sila magiging constituents ng lalawigan. “Hindi na tayo makikiparte sa yaman ng lalawigan”.

“Hindi na rin tayo makakaboto sa positions ng provincial government at hindi na tayo makakakandidato sa positions bilang governor, vce governor, mga bokal ng ating distrito”.

Inisa-isa rin nito ang mga benefits mula sa PGB na mahihinto na tulad ng scholarships, medical at burial assistance at iba’t iba pang uri ng social services katulad ng para sa mga Persons With Disability (PWD) at solo parents.

Ipinaliwanag din ng vlog na hindi na sila magiging priyoridad sa Bulacan Medical Center (BMC) na kung saan ay nakakakuha sila ng discount at may mga pagkakataong nalilibre pa.

Hihinto na rin ang mga infrastructure projects ng PGB katulad ng multi-purpose hall o building, school buildings, covered courts at iba pa.

“Kaya ang tanong , mga San Josenyo, kaya na ba natin ang HUC?”

Mawawalan ng cultural identity

Sa isa namang polyetong nagsimula na ring ipakalat ngayong unang araw ng Oktubre 19- 28 campaign period, ipinaliwanag naman ng isang grupong nagsusulong ng “ONE BULACAN Sapagkat ang SAN JOSENO ay Pusong BULAKENYO” na mawawalan ng cutural identity ang mga mamamayan ng San Jose del Monte bilang mga Bulakenyo kung sila ay magiging isa ng HUC.

Hindi na kasi agad-agad na kakabit o muling maidudugtong ang “Bulacan” sa pangalan ng siyudad kundi solo na at nag-iisa na itong magiging “San Jose del Monte City” mula sa dating, “City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan”.

Lalo na nga at ang kasunod na hakbang ng mga nagsusulong ng HUC, ayon kay District 2 City of San Jose del Monte Councilor Romeo Agapito na kalaunan ay gawin na ang siyudad na bahagi ng Metro Manila.

Sadya umanong mailalayo na ang pagiging dugo at taglay na mga tubong Bulakenyo ng mga ngayong nasa humigit kumulang 25% ng 651,813 na mga residente ng kanilang siyudad. Nasa mahigit namang 75% sa mga ito ang nagmula sa iba’t ibang lugar sa bansa partikular mula sa Visayas at Mindanao at iba pang parte sa Luzon na mga naninirahan sa Metro Manila ng mga nakakaraang mga taon at napabilang sa pamilya ng mga Informal Settlers (IFS) doon at inilipat ng national government sa San Jose del Monte sa pamamagitan ng sunod sunod na malawakang housing projects simula pa noong 1968.

Economic dislocation

Ayon pa rin sa nasa likod ng polyetong nagsusulong ng “ONE BULACAN Sapagkat ang SAN JOSENO ay Pusong BULAKENYO,” ay mawawalay o mahihiwalay at mawawala sa eksena ang San Jose del Monte sa “world economic limelight” category umano ng Lalawigan ng Bulacan na ngayon ay tinatahak na  nitong kamtin dahil sa mga higanteng proyektong tulad ng New Manila International Aurport, ang North South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project at marami pang iba.

“Sa dumarating na kaunlaran ng Bulacan bilang new global province at economic powerhouse of the future, dapat lamang makasama at hindi mawalay ang San Jose del Monte sa daloy ng kaunkaran. Kapag ito ay naging isa ng HUC, ang siyudad ay nakawalay na sa nakatakdang pag-unlad ng lalawigan kaalinsabay ng mga development projects tulad ng New Manila International Airport, NSCR at iba’t ibang economic zones na pagmumulan ng decent at high paying jobs para sa mga mamamayan lalo na ang kabataan ng siyudad,” ayon sa paliwanag sa nasabing polyeto.

Kailangang lumamang ang “no” o “hindi” mula sa 2,099,914 na bilang ng mga botante sa lalawigan upang magwagi ang mga kontra sa pagiging HUC ng San Jose del Monte at sa kabilang panig naman ay kailangan namang mas marami ang bilang ng “yes” o “oo” upang manalo ang HUC, para naman sa mga nagsusulong nito.

Pangunahin si Mayor Arthur Robes at Lone District City of San Jose del Monte Rep. Florida Robes sa nagsusulong ng yes sa kanila namang pagnanais na mas higit na malawak na serbisyo sa kanilang lalong papalaki ng papalaking populasyon upang maibigay ang mas pangangailangan ng kanilang mga mamamayan sa iba’t ibang aspeto at larangan partikular ang basic delivery of social health services katulad ng medical, edukasyon, gayundin ang imprastraktura, trabaho at ekonomiya.

CITY OF SAN JOSE DEL MONTE– A makeshift drug den was discovered and dismantled by government operatives during a drug entrapment operation that also led to the arrest of its operator and two others and seizure of some P172,500.00 worth of shabu at around 7:20 p.m in Recanati Homes Quarry, Barangay Proper on Tuesday. Oct. 17.

PDEA Bulacan Chief identified the arrested suspects as Jeamwiel Garil, 24 and Jewarly Garil, 21 and Miguel Rosas, 25.

The operation also yielded six pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing more or less 25 grams of shabu amounting to P172,500.00; assorted drug and sniffing paraphernalia; and the buy-bust money.

The operation was jointly conducted by operatives of PDEA Bulacan and Bataan Provincial Offices and Bulacan PNP.

Charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed against the apprehended suspects.