SUSTAINING THE GAINS: 53IB, Rudhil Construction & Ent., Inc. Collaborate to Educate, Empower Young People
The Philippine Army’s 53rd Infantry “Matapat” Battalion (53IB) and Rudhil Construction & Enterprises, Inc., collaborate to educate and empower young people in a book signing activity held today, July 5, 2022, at 53IB Headquarters, Camp Major David Sabido, Poblacion, Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur.
Engr. Rodulfo Hilot Jr., President of Rudhil Construction, expressed his support and sponsored 500 copies of “Beyond the Surface” books intended for targeted beneficiaries including students, schools, and the academe.
“We are honored to be part of this book that will significantly contribute to the government’s public information campaign to strengthen and foster resiliency among vulnerable sectors especially the youth against CPP-NPA’s lies and deceptive recruitment schemes,” said Engr. Hilot.
“This partnership will foster community resiliency. At the end of the day, our contractors are the ones who will benefit if there are no extortion and violence,” Engr. Hilot added.
53IB Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera also expressed his gratitude to Engr. Hilot for sharing the same advocacy of empowering the communities.
“The more we are informed, the more we are empowered. In behalf of the whole of 53IB, I express our gratitude to Engr. Hilot and the whole Rudhil Construction family for sharing our vision of empowering the vulnerable sectors especially the youth,” said Lt. Col. Herrera.
“This collaboration will prove beneficial to contractors as the 53IB continues to conduct numerous Critical Infrastructure, Investment Protection, and Security Operations (CIIPSO) in its area of operations by securing heavy equipment intended to deliver basic government services to the people,” Lt. Col. Herrera added.
Beyond the Surface author Dr. Moibe Olitres also thanked Engr. Hilot and his associates for their support.
“I express my utmost gratitude to Engr. Hilot for advocating community empowerment and education. I am optimistic that through this book, the public will understand the various factors that lead to terrorism,” said Dr. Olitres.
BEYOND THE SURFACE was published and launched in collaboration with the Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC). It contains compelling revelations and an in-depth understanding of the psychology of terrorist and offers a basis for the Philippine Army’s soft-power approach in partnership with various local government units and government agencies in formulating intervention and deradicalization programs for former CPP-NPA-NDF terrorists.
Written by Dr. Moibe F. Olitres, RGC, foreword by Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista, and an epilogue by 53IB Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera, Beyond the Surface unveils the mind, emotion, and behavior of the 42 friends rescued (FRs) of 53IB who were enrolled in Project Good Life, the Battalion’s psychoeducation and deradicalization program.
