BOTOLAN, Zambales — Around 1,200 families in the remote barangays of Poonbato, Cabatuan, Maguisguis, Nacolcol and Villar received special services from local government units and various agencies in a three-day “Serbisyo Caravan” designed to bring government closer to the people.

Spearheaded by the Botolan Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC) under the supervision of Mayor Doris E. Maniquiz and Vice Mayor Doris D. Ladines, the project was conducted on December 16-18 by a convergence of various national government agencies (NGAs) and the provincial government of Zambales (PGZ).

The objective was to deliver services as participants took note of the issues and concerns raised by the residents from the geographically isolated and displaced areas (GIDA) under the ideals of Executive Order No. 70 (Whole of Nation Approach) and the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP).

Among those involved in the project were several offices from the Zambales provincial government, as well as representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Zambales, Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Health (DOH), and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

During the three-day project, residents of the five barangays availed of free goods like fertilizers, seeds and seedlings, grocery items and school supplies, and food supplements and medicine.

The participating government units also provided free medical and dental services, haircut, one-on-one coaching with students and their parents, deworming of animals, free birth registration for delayed registrants, and training on tilapia and poultry production, as well as awarded scholarship grants and allowances for livelihood and skills training.

Meanwhile, Mayor Maniquiz expressed gratitude to all project partners and supporters, pointing out that the additional services rendered by the agencies through the Serbisyo Caravan and the RCSP program provided great benefits to the target communities.

She also said that the municipality is holding an annual gift-giving program named ‘Baytan ko, Nilabi ko’, which underscored the LGU’s love and care for people in the eastern barangays.

Maniquiz also stressed the importance of people’s cooperation in ensuring a better and safe future for the community and reiterated her unity call of ‘Mitatambay (magtulungan), Milalamo (magsama-sama), Magkamiha (magkaisa), Milalabi (magmahalan),’ which has become the core values of the municipal government to encourage the people to be active partners in the pursuit for peace and development.

“Lagi kayong suportado ng munisipyo at ng ating mahal na governor,” she added. — By Shieralyn B. Esteban/DILG-Zambales