Lanao Sur Police Chief says crime prevention is a community effort

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Oct 14 (PIA) --- Deterring criminality is not the sole job of the police and the military, rather, it should involve the active participation of the whole community.

This was pointed-out by Police Senior Superintendent Romeo Magsalos, Provincial Director of the Lanao del Sur Provincial Police Office (LSPPO), who said the fight against criminality in the province is everybody’s responsibility.

Magsalos said President Benigno S. Aquino III has ordered the re-activation of the Joint Philippine National Police-Armed Forces of the Philippines (PNP-AFP) Task Force Ranao to address the lawlessness and criminalities in the province, last month.

He said the residents should change their perception on crime prevention and should not rely solely on the Joint PNP-AFP Task Force Ranao.

He emphasized that every member of the community should be a stakeholder of peace and order since each member plays an important role in preventing the commission of crimes in the province.

For instance, parents should teach their children good values so that they will become good citizens while students should study hard, so that they can earn their diplomas and become productive citizens of the community, he further said.

Magsalos added that the public should also be vigilant and should not allow themselves to be victims of crimes.

They should also avoid wearing jewelries when going to supermarket or displaying their cellular phones in public places, he cited.

He also asked the public to report to the police authorities’ suspicious looking individuals and criminal activities in the area.

Don’t be negligent citizens, immediately report suspicious activity at the nearest police station, he urged.

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DepEd inks partnerships in Lanao del Sur to sustain health care program

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Oct. 8 (PIA) --- The five schools divisions in the province have forged partnership with the provincial government and the Fit For School, Inc. (FFSI) to ensure the sustainability of the Essential Health Care Program (EHCP).

The memorandum of agreement (MoA) was signed by the parties during the EHCP launching, at the Bacolod Central Pilot School in Bacolod Kalawi town, this province, last Oct. 6.

The EHCP consists of the most cost-effective and evidence-based preventive interventions to improve the health of school children in public schools, thus, improving their academic performance.

A flagship program of the Department of Education (DepEd), the EHCP has been a success in improving the health of thousands of school children in 73 provinces in the country.

It includes the implementation of daily soap hand washing and daily fluoride tooth brushing, mass bi-annual de-worming of children, as well, as improving water and sanitation facilities in public elementary schools and day care centers.

Under the MoA, the schools divisions of Lanao del Sur I-A, I-B, II-A and II-B, and that of Marawi City agreed to undertake the implementation of EHCP and to ensure that its interventions are practiced through daily group activities included in the Daily Class Program.

The provincial government, on the other hand, will provide financial support and ensure timely procurement and delivery of needed materials, such as, toothbrush, toothpaste, and soap, for use in schools.

Also, it will take immediate action in ensuring the accessibility of water in the identified schools and work for the sustainability of the programs by way of ordinance or any other long term solution.

Meanwhile, FFSI will assist the DepEd and the local government unit in the proper implementation of the EHCP by providing capacity building and technical assistance in the development of training and monitoring modules.

It will also provide information, education and communication (IEC) materials and support the health and education sectors in the promotion and management of school-based health programs.

Signatories of the MoA included Superintendents Normillah Pangandaman, Sangcad Benito, Zenaida Ampatua, Lawanbai Macacua, and Pharida Sansarona for Lanao del Sur I-A, I-B, II-A and II-B, and the Marawi City School Divisions, respectively, First Lady Raifa Adiong, represented Provincial Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr., and Cromwell Bacareza, FFSI Director of Operations.

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Haribon Brigade donates chairs to Madrasah school anew

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Oct. 7 (PIA) --- Another Madrasah school, here, has received 40 quality school chairs from the 103rd Infantry (Haribon) Brigade, Philippine Army.

The donation to the Lanao Islamic Paramedical College Foundation Inc. (LIPCFI), held yesterday at the school lobby, was made through the 64th Infantry (Knights) Battallion, one of the operationally controlled units of the Haribon Brigade.

Lt. Col. Dario C. Bucawit, Commander of 64IB, said the chairs was constructed by his soldiers utilizing the confiscated fletches of lumber yielded from illegal logging.

He said the donation of school chairs was made to strengthen the relationship between the school and military citing that it is one way of showing how soldiers give back to the community the services they deserve.

It is also in line with the current Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) dubbed as “Bayanihan” which is designed to win the peace in every corner of the country, he said.

Meanwhile, one of the students has expressed appreciation to the Philippine Army, particularly, 64IB and 103rd Bde for donating the school chairs.

“I am very happy that they have chosen our school, among other schools in Marawi City, to be the recipient of these school chairs,” expressed Eden Camsa.

On the other hand, Bucawit has assured the school administration of their assistance in any way possible emphasizing that the military presence in the city is not solely to pursue those individuals who have violated the people’s rights but also to render government services to the people.

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School children in Lanao del Sur to benefit from Health Care Program

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Oct. 6 (PIA) -- School children in the province will benefit from the Essential Health Care Program (EHCP), a national flagship health program of the Department of Education (DepEd).

The EHCP which consists of preventive interventions to improve child health was officially launched today at Bacolod Central Pilot School in Bacolod Kalawi town, this province.

Spearheaded by the DepEd in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the launching was held in cooperation with the provincial government, and the Fit For School Inc., a non-government organization that works closely with the health and education sectors, various development agencies, and private partners to effectively promote, implement and sustain the EHCP in public elementary schools.

Fit For School, Inc. Program Coordinator Jennylyn B. Aguinaldo said the EHCP will be piloted in seven schools divisions in ARMM, five of which are from Lanao del Sur and that 25 out of the 35 school-beneficiaries are located in the province.

Meanwhile, the program includes the implementation of the proper daily soap hand washing and daily fluoride tooth brushing, which were demonstrated to the school children.

It also includes the mass bi-annual de-worming of children, as well, as improving water and sanitation facilities in public elementary schools and day care centers.

“This simple and cost-effective program has been proven to be effective in reducing the spread of infectious diseases and rate of tooth decay among children, ultimately creating positive impacts on a child’s school attendance,” she said.

She said the scaling-up of the EHCP in the ARMM is also related to the Basic Education Assistance in Mindanao (BEAM) program and made possible with the support from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

During the launching, EHCP packages, consisting of toothpaste, toothbrush, and soap were turned-over to the Bacolod Central Pilot School.

To formalize the commitment to implement and sustain the program in the province, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed by the representatives of the provincial government and Fit For School Inc., as well, as the Schools Division Superintendents of Lanao Del Sur I-A, I-B, II-A, II-B, and Marawi City Division.

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Anti-kidnapping task force to establish peace in Mindanao

QUEZON CITY, Sept. 25 (PIA) -- Government officials expressed confidence that with the reactivation of a combined anti-kidnapping task force will help establish peace and stability in Mindanao.

Government officials led by Department of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin, Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Oban, and Philippine National Police Chief Nicanor Bartolome on Thursday, September 22 formally reactivated the Joint PNP-AFP Task Force Ranao in Marawi City.

PNP chief Bartolome said the reactivation of the joint task force in Central Mindanao manifests the strong-willed response of the government to fight criminal syndicates and armed groups who are behind kidnapping incidents in Cotabato City and other provinces of Central Mindanao.

“Task Force Ranao manifests the commitment of both the police and military to lay foundations of peace and order in Mindanao that will eventually allow socio-economic development initiatives of government to take place in the promise land,” Bartolome said.

The PNP also cited that local government and community support, as well as police and military partnerships, are tried and tested formula in ensuring public safety.

According to the PNP, the creation of Task Force Ranao is stipulated in the Joint PNP-AFP Letter of Instruction No. 01-2011 issued in May this year upon instructions of President Benigno S. Aquino III to stem the rising cases of kidnapping in Central Mindanao.

Deputy Director for Integrated Police Operations in Western Mindanao (DIPO-WM) chief Superintendent Francisco Cristobal was named Task Force commander and will be joined by Col. Daniel Lucero, commander of the Army’s 104th Brigade act as Deputy Task Force Commander.

Meanwhile, Bartolome said the police component of the Task Force will include police commandos of the Special Action Force (SAF) and the Regional Public Safety Battalions of Police Regional Office 12 and ARMM.

Likewise, intelligence and investigative support will come from the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER), Intelligence Group (IG), and backed by a legal component from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and PNP Legal Service. (PNP/PIA-NCR/RJB/JEG)

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