DAVAO CITY — The provincial government of Davao Oriental will continue to implement its government service caravan in the remote barangays despite the threat of the New People’s Army (NPA) attacks.
This was bared by Davao Oriental Provincial Governor’s chief-of-staff Ednar Dayanghirang during Monday’s Kapehan sa Davao at SM City Annex.
Dayanghirang said there are 100 remote barangays identified as conflict-affected that will be visited by the caravan dubbed as Nagkakaisang Lingkod Bayan ng Davao Oriental – Barangay Outreach Caravan to provide various government services to its constituents.
These areas will include the ancestral domain of the Indigenous People tribes and the Muslim communities in the province — areas where NPA rebels thrive.
The provincial government is counting on the military to protect government servants. He said the security threats to the caravan will not matter because of the strong presence of the soldiers of the 701st Brigade and Davao Oriental Police Provincial Office.
“Also, our approach to security is good governance, inclusive good governance,” Dayanghirang added.
Aside from the services given by the province, Dayanghirang said different national agencies also lend their services to the people of remote barangays who cannot afford to go the provincial offices in Mati City to avail some of their services.
“We believe that with the Nagkakaisang Lingkod Bayan ng Davao Oriental – Barangay Outreach Caravan, this has weakened the NPA supporters, that is why many rebels including some commanders surrendered because they see there is still government serving to the people,” he said.
Dayanghirang said the caravan aims to “re-introduce” the government since these areas were already introduced to the doctrine of the rebels.
In 2017, the province made 50 caravans to the conflict-affected barangays in which different services were availed by its constituents from free birth registration, medical and dental services and livelihood assistance.
After the barangay caravans, the province will formulate sustainability measures so that the efforts will not be wasted.
“Dinhi na nga magpatanom na ta, magpa-scholar na ta’g mga kabataan, maghatag na tag infrastracture projects didto sa mga area to make it sustainable (In this phase, the government will give seedlings for the their till their lands, give shcolarship to the youth and build infrastructure projects in these areas to make it sustainable),” he said.
“We need the democracy of the country will work in these areas or else the government of the rebels will work there,” Dayanghirang added. (Armando Fenequito Jr/PNA)
