SUSTAINING PEACE INITIATIVES: 53IB Joins PPOC, PADAC 4th 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) 4th Quarter Meeting at Balay Bisaya, Provincial Government Complex, Dao, Pagadian City on October 12, 2022.
53IB Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Terence Ylanan presented the security updates, updates on the Barangay Development Program (BDP) projects, and the sustainment programs and initatives of the 53IB to prevent the resurgence of CPP-NPA terrorists in the province.
It can be remembered that in 2021, the Province of Zamboanga del Sur was declared “insurgency-free and ready for further development.”
The Council also approved the proposal of Lt. Col. Ylanan that “Project Good Life,” 53IB’s deradicalization and psychoeducation program, be adopted by the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) and be called “Project Good Life: Zamboanga del Sur’s Deradicalization and Reintegration Program for Friends Rescued.”
“We are thankful to Governor Victor J. Yu for supporting our programs and initiatives, especially Project Good Life,” said Lt. Col. Ylanan.
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 presided by Vice Governor Roseller Ariosa and was participated by DILG-ZDS Provincial Director Moh. Taha S. Arakama, 2nd District Board Member John Regala, PNP Provincial Director PCol. Diomarie Albarico, Municipal Mayors, and other members of the POC and PADAC.
