SUSTAINING PEACE INITIATIVES: 53IB Joins PPOC, PADAC 3rd Quarter Meeting in Pagadian City
The Philippine Army’s 53rd Infantry “MATAPAT” Battalion (53IB) attended the Joint Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and Provincial Anti Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) 3rd Quarter Meeting at Balay Bisaya, Provincial Government Complex, Dao, Pagadian City on July 11, 2022.
53IB Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera presented the security updates highlighting the priority road projects in the province, as these roads will significantly contribute to a sustainable peace by constricting the maneuver space of the remnants of CPP-NPA.
“We are optimistic that these roads will be prioritized to sustain our gains and maintain the Zamboanga del Sur an insurgency-free and development-ready province,” said Lt. Col. Herrera.
Also, ZamboSur POC Chairman and Governor Victor J. Yu expressed his support for the prioritization of roads.
“These roads will also be used to deliver basic and other government services to the people,” said Gov. Yu, who is also the chairperson of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC).
Lt. Col. Herrera also apprised the council that the Friends Rescued (FRs) of 53IB will soon be graduating from Department of Education’s (DepEd) Alternative Learning System (ALS). He also presented that the Battalion will be having the Batch 2 of Project Good Life, in which the POC expressed its support.
Topics discussed also included security and criminality updates from the Philippine National Police (PNP), peace and order functionality, Peace and Order and Public Safety (POPS) plan guidelines, and PDEA guidelines.
The Joint PPOC and PADAC meeting was spearheaded by Governor Victor Yu and was participated by ZamboSur 1st District Representative Cong. Divina Grace Yu, 2nd District Board Member John Regala, DILG-ZamboSur Provincial Director Mohammad Taha Arakama, PNP Provincial Director PCol. Diomarie Albarico, Municipal Mayors, and other members of the POC and PADAC.
