401st Brigade commander highlights solidarity among personnel
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
AGUSAN
DEL SUR, July 26 (PIA) - As the 401st Brigade, Philippine Army
celebrates its 46th anniversary, Brigadier General Andres Centino
highlighted the solidarity and unity among their personnel through the years in
the area of responsibility.
BGen.
Centino said the past year was full of challenges, however, the brigade
remained solid, united and have faced those challenges fearlessly. He also
acknowledged the efforts of the operational control units and all the men and
women of the brigade for their sincere dedication in accomplishing the
brigade's mission.
“The
brigade, including our battalions, combat support and service support units,
did not fail the people of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur in protecting
them from threats, and will continue to keep them safe in their communities and
facilitate the resolution of their issues and concerns with all the concerned
agencies of government through their community support programs in the
barangays,” said BGen. Centino.
In
putting substance to its mission, BGen. Centino also emphasized that the
brigade does not only ensure the safety and security of the populace but also
takes part in community peace building, reaching out to people in the
grassroots and creates an atmosphere where all can work together in harmony
towards economic and human development.
“For
46 years, the 401st Brigade, Phil. Army, has remained focused in its mission
and will continue to uphold peace and security among civilians and stakeholders
in its area of responsibility,” expressed BGen. Centino.
The
commanding officer also bared that the brigade also gives emphasis in engaging
the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) being the most vulnerable sector to CPP-NPA
exploitation.
“The
brigade initiated an IP Leaders Forum in Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur in
order to facilitate the resolution of their issues and concerns. They also
facilitated the attendance of IP Leaders in Davao City for a dialogue with
President Rodrigo Duterte, and just last March 2018, the first Regional IP
Leader’s Summit was held in Butuan City through the recommendation of 401st
Brigade and was adopted by the Regional Peace and Order Council,” he recalled.
The
401st Brigade, Phil. Army, started its humble beginning in Jolo, Sulu. It was
first activated as the 4th Infantry Brigade on December 1, 1972 pursuant to
general order number 45, General Headquarters, Armed Forces of the Philippines.
It was organized under 4th Infantry Division under the command of Col. Alfonso
Alcoseba as its first commander. Under its operational control were 26th
Infantry Battalion operating in Basilan province; the 11th Infantry Battalion
operating in the coastal areas of Taglibi Patikul, Sulu; and the 1st Marine
Battalion landing team (MBLT) operating in Sibalo Hills, Sulu. (PIA-Agusan del
Sur)
Catholic lay leaders to help teach FP
BUTUAN
CITY, July 26 - Leaders of the Diocese of Butuan vowed to promote
Responsible Parenthood and Natural Family Planning (RP-NFP) after attended the
training-workshop organized by the Commission on Population-Caraga (PopCom) in
Agusan del Sur and Agusan del Norte, respectively, in collaboration with Family
and Life Apostolate.
As
a strategy to engage different sectors and gather support for advocacy
initiatives, PopCom-Caraga reached out to religious leaders to intensify its
campaign on NFP program among church workers, volunteers and parishioners in
order to address the needs of married couples who wanted to plan the size of
their family and to space births by giving adequate information on fertility
awareness and natural family planning methods.
With the latest National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS),
33% of currently married women are using modern contraceptives, 16% are using
traditional methods and less than one percent is adopting modern Natural Family
Planning methods.
According to PopCom, the NDHS’s indication of less
than one percent use of NFP methods could also be the cause of the government,
as well as the Church’s, limited promotion of NFP program, aside from the fact
that some couples considered NFP methods too difficult to adopt.
PopCom Caraga Regional Director Alexander A. Makinano
admitted that promoting the family planning program to faith-based
organizations particularly the Catholic Church is both a challenge and an
opportunity to gain support for the said program.
To build on the gains of RP-NFP, PopCom Caraga continued its
collaboration with non-government organizations (NGOs), faith-based
organizations (FBOs), and religious organizations in the region by conducting
RP-NFP training to enhance the capability of the Church’s workers and
volunteers in teaching and monitoring the NFP methods of their acceptors and
would-be acceptors in their respective communities.
PopCom emphasized that the training is designed to mainstream
the NFP program, to strengthen the government and the Church partnership in the
implementation of the program particularly in the region, and to promote the
value formation that is integral to the Church’s moral guidelines and to enable
the target couples to make an informed choice based on the formation of a right
conscience.
In its continuing advocacy, PopCom Caraga will conduct another
RP-NFP training-workshop for Candelaria Parish leaders and members in
Cabadbaran City, this August. (PopCom-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
