603rd brigade chiefand Peace advocacy, tree planting to continue
• 15:28 PM Thu Jul 2, 2015
946
By:
Ferdinandh Cabrera
Soldiers, earth savers advocacy plant trees in Maguindanao. (photo by 603rd)
PIGCALAGAN,
Maguindanao – Now that an Army brigade has left the former bastion of Moro
Islamic Liberation Front as part of normalization process, the Army’s 603rd
Infantry Brigade commander vowed tocontinue his unitsadvocacy – peace building and
environmental protection.
Colonel
Ariel dela Vega, brigade commander, said the peace advocacy it started a decade
ago that was enshrined in the Moro people’s hearts and minds will continue
despite change of brigade’s location.
Specifically,
he lauded the support of the so called Iranun mayors or the executives of
Matanog, Barira and Buldon, northern Maguinanao towns inhabited by Iranun, one
of the major tribe groups in the province.
We are
proud to be part of settling clan wars or ‘rido’ in attaining localized peace,”
Dela Vega said, adding his group will continue doing its noble mission.
Upon Dela
Vega’s initiative, the Balik Kalikasan Advocacy Group (BCAG) was organized and
planted thousands of trees which can be seen as timely in the face of natural
calamities happening around. BCAG is composed of Department of Environment in
the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), local government units,
private companies, academe, civil society, Minrico and media.
Antipolo
and Mahogany trees now litter in and around the former MILF camp more known as
Camp Abubakar as the brigade bade goodbye to its people Tuesday.
As the
military unit moved, its personnel and partners have prepared half million
seedlings in its nursery ahead of the planned another round of tree planting
activity in the coming months.
This is
our noble contribution to the next generation,” dela Vega said of the tree
planting and growing program.
We
started it and we expect other leaders to continue this legacy for the sake of
our children and the generation to come,” DENR-ARMM Regional Sec. Kahal Kedtag.
Maj. Gen.
Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th Infantry Division chief, said now that the
brigade is closer to population center, it will focused more on environmental
protection programs in the face of favorable peace and order condition.
It will
also actively respond to emergencies happening in its area of operation.
(Ferdinand Cabrera)