47th IB convenes partners to end local communist armed conflict

A souvenir group photo during the camp tour of the uniformed personnel and the Audio-Bohol members with the two (2) military tanks, part of the assets of the PA 47th IB.

The weather was fair last Friday, August 28, when my media colleagues - DYMR Radyo Pilipinas Cebu’s Jessa Agua-Ylanan and Helen Castaño, traveled to the town of Carmen, together with the Association of United Development Information Officers (Audio)-Bohol members composed of information officers from the local government units and national line agencies, for the briefing on “Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict” (ELCAC) slated to be held at the Camp Rajah Sikatuna in Barangay Katipunan.

Arriving at the venue, the program kicked off with the preliminaries. City Government of Tagbilaran’s Fiel Angeli E. Araoarao-Gabin, Audio-Bohol president, welcomed the attendees and expressed profound gratitude to the Philippine Army 47th Infantry Battalion headed by LTC Allan J. Tabudlo, Battalion Commander, as well as the partner agencies, for sponsoring the activity as an awareness campaign on  poverty, social injustice, and other problems that trigger insurgency and the need for dynamic partnerships, unified move, collective effort, and application of good governance as a tool for local government units (LGU), pursuant to President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s Executive Order 70  institutionalizing the whole-of-the-nation approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace, especially in the midst of the CoViD-19 pandemic.

The Philippine Army 47th Infantry Battalion officers, Audio-Bohol members, and resource speakers observe physical distancing during the activity. With DYMR Radyo Pilipinas Cebu’s Jessa Agua-Ylanan,  Bohol Island News’ Helen Castaño, 47th IB Civil Military Operations Officer 1LIT Elma Grace Remonde and Audio president Fiel Angeli E. Araoarao – Gabin of the City Government of Tagbilaran.

1LT Elma Grace B. Remonde, PA 4th IB Civil Military Operations (CMO) Officer, discussed on the Civil Military Operations, Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), and the CMO  Accomplishments. Their CMO operations is anchored on the following pillars: psychological operations and information support affairs that weakens will of enemy and supporters and changes behaviors in favor of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); civil affairs that legitimizes AFP presence and activities and mitigates impact of operations; and public affairs that ensures the public is well informed and actively builds the reputation of the AFP.

 It may be recalled that the mission of the Philippine Army is to “organize, train, equip, deploy and sustain ground forces in the conduct of support to operations to “win the peace” in order to help the Filipino nation create an environment conducive for sustainable development and just and lasting peace”.

Giving a clear picture through personal testimonies of their actual experiences as insurgents returning to the fold were Don A. Dane, secretary of the People’s Advocacy for Collaboration and Empowerment, Inc. and “Ka Mariel”, who are now actively supporting government initiatives to combat insurgency.  

Audio-Bohol members pose with the "kumpit" boat - a "souvenir" of the April 2017 Abu Sayyaf clash with government forces in Inabanga, Bohol that is now in the custody of the PA 47th IB.

Other resource speakers were Rachel S. Torremocha, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Bohol’s Local Government Operations Officer II and Peace and Order Concerns Focal Person (role of DILG in the ELCAC); Bohol Provincial Police Office’s (BPPO) and Baclayon Police Station’s PMaj Jacinto Mandal (ELCAC Efforts of the Philippine National Police); and Governor’s Office Program Officer Renato Espinosa, Jr. (Provincial Government of Bohol’s support for ELCAC). Philippine Information Agency – Bohol Information Center Manager Rey Anthony H. Chiu, gave the closing remarks.

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Samantha Nicole forwarded to me "rules" which was forwarded to them by their friends who must have gotten it from their friends as usual without attribution to its author (unknown, unidentified).

It’s feel-good Sunday to share the "rules" with the readers to veer away their attention from anxiety-inducing news from around the world.

RULES TO TEACH YOUR SONS:

1. Never shake a man’s hand sitting down.

2. Learn how to cook a signature dish.

3. Spend 30 min a day reading up on current events.

4. In a negotiation, never make the first offer.

5. Request the late check-out.

6. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.

7. Hold your heroes to a higher standard.

8. Return a borrowed car with a full tank of gas.

9. Play with passion or don’t play at all…

10. When shaking hands, grip firmly and look them in the eye.

11. Don’t let a wishbone grow where a backbone should be.

12. Stand up when she enters the room.

13. Carry two handkerchiefs. The one in your back pocket is for you. The one in your breast pocket is for her.

14. You marry the girl, you marry her family / children

15. Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like crazy underneath.

16. Experience the serenity of traveling alone.

17. Never be afraid to ask out the best looking girl in the room.

18. Never turn down a breath mint.

19. A sport coat is worth 1000 words.

20. Try writing your own eulogy. Never stop revising.

21. Thank a veteran. Then make it up to him.

22. Open her door and walk on the outside of the street.

23. After writing an angry email, read it carefully. Then delete it.

24. Ask your mom to play. She won’t let you win.

25. Manners make the man.

26. Give credit. Take the blame.

27. Stand up to Bullies. Protect those bullied.

28. Write down your dreams.

29. Add value everywhere you go.

30. Be confident and humble at the same time.

31. If ever in doubt, REMEMBER WHOSE SON YOU ARE and REFUSE to just be ordinary!

32. Change the world, don't let it change you.

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter/Facebook.