Group spearheads humanitarian mission

AROUND 8,000 residents who were affected by the recent earthquake in Negros Oriental benefitted from the humanitarian outreach mission conducted by the Church-Military Advisory Group–Negros (CMAG–N) Friday last week.

The outreach mission was held in Barangay Pacuan, La Libertad, Negros Oriental, according to Captain Leo Christopher Cunanan, Civil Military Operations officer of the 303rd Brigade.

About 4,600 families from 15 interior barangays in the municipality of La Libertad received food packs and used clothing consisting of eight truckloads that were delivered in Barangay Pacuan.

The relief goods were turned over to the Saint Vincent Quasi Parish under Rev. Fr. Winli Guadalupe, who facilitated the distribution with the assistance of the parish youth organization.

The bulk of relief goods came from ABS-CBN Bacolod’s “Bantay Bata 163” through the initiative of Caryl Diamante and their partnership with several organizations in Bacolod City. Other relief items were donated by kind-hearted individuals, various groups, and local government officials from all over island of Negros.

Aside from the relief assistance, various free medical services, to include dental and other kinds of services and medicines, were availed of by the thousands of people that flocked in Barangay Pacuan.

The medical services were provided by 19 volunteer doctors and 31 nurses from Bacolod and Dumaguete, while the other health services were provided by the Dental Officer and civic action teams of 302nd and 303rd Brigades, the Rural Health Unit of La Libertad and other volunteers.

About 1,000 children brought by their parents were entertained by the parlor games facilitated by policemen from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office and soldiers of the 3rd CMO Battalion. Toys were also distributed to these children, while 20 children ages 6–10 years old were given earthquake debriefing in order to ease their trauma.

Rural folks that went to the venue of the humanitarian mission also enjoyed the mongo soup feeding availed of by about 1,200 individuals.

The activity culminated at about 4 p.m. with another feeding of 3,000 big breads and noodles courtesy of the ABS-CBN news team.

The humanitarian mission is a pre-anniversary activity of the CMAG–N, which is celebrating its 4th year anniversary on March 8, 2012.

The theme for this year’s anniversary of CMAG–N is “Peace and Development for God’s People – Our Mission. For we are partners working together for God….. (1 Corinthians 3:9).”

The CMAG–N was created through a memorandum of understanding entered into between the Dioceses of Bacolod, Kabankalan, San Carlos and Dumaguete and the 303rd Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army on the 4th day of March, 2008 at Bacolod City.

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By Teresa Ellera | Monday, March 5, 2012 | SunStar.Com.Ph | Article Link

Honesty not buried in landslide-hit village

LA LIBERTAD, Negros Oriental— Virginia Callora was worried when she approached Privates Danny Faigane and Marlon Vera while they were digging with other Army soldiers in a landslide area in Barangay Solonggon here last week.

Her house was among the 60 buried in the rubble caused by the Feb. 6 earthquake, and the woman had been keeping her cash savings of P70,000 in a tin can inside the house.

Responding to Callora’s appeal for help, Faigane and Vera continued shoveling through the mounds of rocks and soil until they struck what had remained of the woman’s house. They finally found the can containing the rolled money bills.

They looked for Callora to give her her savings but could not find her. So they decided to hand over the tin can to her relative.

For their honesty. Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta, 3rd Infantry Division commander, commended Faigne and Vera, according to a press release posted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Central Command on its blog. The two soldiers belong to the 32nd Division Reconnaissance Company (32DRC) of the 3rd ID.

After turning over the money, Vera was brought from Solonggon to the 302nd Infantry Brigade headquarters at Camp Leon Kilat in Tanjay, Negros Oriental, for treatment of a cut in his right hand that he had after hitting a galvanized iron sheet during the retrieval operation.

He said he was happy they were able to help Callora.

Vera and Faigane also informed 1st Lt. Gerald Deles, commanding officer of the 32DRC, about the P70,000 they found from the landslide site.

Undersecretary Benito Ramos, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said he would write a letter addressed to the AFP recommending that Faigane and Vera be promoted as reward for their good deed.

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By Florence Baesa
Inquirer Visayas

10:00 pm | Monday, February 20th, 2012

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Army’s K-9 trackers used to hasten rescue efforts

THE 302nd Brigade of the Philippine Army revealed that K-9 trackers were sent to the landslide areas in Negros Oriental to help hasten the rescue and retrieval operations.

The landslide was triggered by 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit Negros Island Monday.

At least 400 soldiers, Cafgus and reservists were also deployed in the area to intensify the rescue and retrieval operations, according to Captain Anacito Naz, Civil Military Operations Officer of the 302nd Brigade.

The Philippine Air Force helicopters also played a vital role in extricating the injured survivors from the site and in bringing them to the nearest hospital for medical treatment.

The report also said that a water purifier was also airlifted to La Libertad to address the shortage of potable water in the area.

Over 150 personnel with three backhoes are still conducting retrieval operations in Solonggon, La Libertad landslide area.

Eight more bodies were retrieved by rescuers in various landslide areas in Negros Oriental which were severely hit by the tremor.

Meanwhile, Office of Civil Defense Administrator Undersecretary Benito Ramos said the latest count of fatalities as of Thursday was 34, up from 26 bodies accounted for last Wednesday.

Seventy-one are still missing, he added.

Ramos said that aside from the aftershocks, the rescue and retrieval operations are further hampered by the rain.

Ramos said the aftershock count since Monday to Thursday reached 1,200.

He added that families of those believed buried under the landslides still hope that their kin are still alive.

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TED

Friday, February 10, 2012

SunStar.Com.Ph

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Army suspends offensives vs NPA in quake-hit areas

The Philippine Army has suspended tactical offensive operations against the communist New People’s Army areas of Negros devastated by a magnitude-6.9 quake last Monday.

Col. Francisco Patrimonio, the Army's 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, said he has instead mobilized his men to help in the retrieval of bodies from the rubble, according to a report on Visayan Daily Star.

Patrimonio said at least 300 soldiers and government militiamen are working in the retrieval operations, including landslide-hit areas in Planas village in Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental and in Sorongon village in La Libertad town.

He said they need more equipment, such as chainsaws, picks, shovels and other powered tools for retrieval operations in two landslide areas.

As of Thursday morning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) had said at least 26 were confirmed dead and 71 still missing in the wake of Monday's quake.

The Visayan Daily Star report quoted military reports indicating some 100 armed NPA members are still operating in Negros Oriental.

Of these, 50 are in the hinterlands of Guihulngan and neighboring areas, under the Leonardia Panaligan Command.

'Appeal' to NPA

Meanwhile, Capt. Reylan Java, 3rd Infantry Division spokesman, appealed to the NPA leadership in Negros Island to spare the rescue workers from hostile actions.

He urged the NPAs to help the affected residents instead.

Java said troops of the 11th and 79th Infantry Battalions and the 32nd Division Reconnaissance Company, all being supervised by the 302nd Infantry Brigade, were marshaled to perform rescue and retrieval operations in affected communities.

Two Air Force helicopters from the 2nd Air Division in Cebu are now being utilized in the search and rescue mission.

Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta, the new 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, said they will continue efforts to help those affected by the natural disaster.
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LBG,
 GMA News Online
February 10, 2012 9:40am
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