SERVING THE PEOPLE: 53IB Conducts Community Engagement at Purok 2, Barangay Saad, Dumingag, ZDS

The Philippine Army’s 53rd Infantry “MATAPAT” Battalion (53IB) conducted community engagement activities at Purok 2, Barangay Saad, Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur on April 2-6, 2021.

53IB Bravo Company, Executive Officer, 2Lt. Kim Kenneth Beloro led the team of Matapat Troopers along with some friends rescued (FRs).

The Matapat Troopers also conducted feeding programs for children, gift-giving, hous-to-house visitations, and barangay assemblies where they discussed the mandate of Executive Order 70. 

The FRs shared their experiences from the New People’s Army (NPA) to prevent the residents from supporting the communist terrorist groups (CTGs) and avoid recruitment.

The Matapat Troopers organized the habal-habal drivers, sari-sari store owners, elders, and youth sectors and informed them of the dangers of CTG influence.

“The community engagements are proactive measures to connect our Matapat Troopers to the people we serve, to make the residents feel that the government is genuinely caring for them, and also to inform them of the Army’s initiatives for peace and progress,” 53IB Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera said.