by Gigi Dumallig/Peter Balocnit

TABUK, Kalinga, March 18  – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has intensified its civil services in response to the call of President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III to focus efforts in helping the poor communities in the country.


 21st Infantry Battalion Civil military officer, 1st Lt. Jessilito Alatraca said this in an interview saying that all of their activities are being conducted in partnership with the concerned local government units with support from the provincial government.


According to  Alatraca, part of the civil services is the provision of free haircut and circumcision at the Provincial Ugnayan Center every Saturday. This started last March 5 where 10 clients have availed of the services. Clients have increased during the second activity on March 12 with 30 recipients. Clients came from the different parts of the province with ages ranging from 8 to 50 year old.


Alatraca supervises the Ugnayan Center located at the old provincial hospital in Bulanao, Tabuk City.
 Cpl. Dorado Lactao, Army personnel manning the "ugnayan" center said the military has these kinds of services under its "bayanihan" program that aims to deliver public service in any form the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) can.
 
He said under the “Bayanihan” program of the AFP, the operation of an ugnayan center is part of the action plan to directly serve clients or link them to other offices of government where they need public service.
 

The ugnayan center established an operating room at the old provincial hospital where the minor surgical operation is done by two Army medical personnel of the 501st Brigade and augmented by local government health employees.
 
 
Lactao said adding that the painless circumcision is one legacy the Army could give to the people of Kalinga.
 
With the theme “Bringing Health Care Services Closer to the People,” the activity is a joint project with the provincial government under the leadership of Governor Jocel Baac.


 For their community programs, the army’s Bayanihan project he said is also ongoing in selected barangays in the province.

 “Sa halip na tugisin ang mga kaaway ng gobyerno, pala, martilyo, at walis ang dala-dala ng nga kasundaluhan sa bayan. Ito ay tugon sa tawag ng Pangulo na higit na bigyan pansin ang lubos na nangangailangan ng tulong (Instead of going after the enemies of the government, soldiers are bringing tools to the communities in respond to the President’s call to help those in need),” Alatraca said.


 In partnership with the provincial government, the army has also scheduled medical and dental missions in the Barangays Laya East and Dilag of Tabuk, Allaguia, and Apatan of Pinukpuk, and at the Kalinga National High School this month.


The 501st Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army which has operational jurisdiction on Internal Security Operations (ISO) of Kalinga province had formally handed-over the primary responsibility for ISO to the provincial government on November 8, 2010 after all the eight municipalities in Kalinga accepted the primary responsibility of ISO in their respective municipalities.


 Said undertaking strengthened the partnership of the army and local government towards the attainment of lasting peace and continuous development in the province by focusing more on addressing poverty. (PIA CAR/Kalinga)