Major General Nolasco Mempin, commander of the 10th Infantry Division revealed the most difficult part of the declaration is how to sustain it, considering all areas which might be used by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army in getting back the lost grounds.
He said that right now, the Philippine Army continues its visibility patrols and extension of livelihood assistance to former rebels and people’s organizations coming from various government agencies, be it national or local including the local government consortiums, like the delivery of basic services particularly through the National Task Force: End the Local Communist Armed Conflict.
“We are monitoring these projects to ensure that these projects will really alleviate the socio-economic conditions of the former rebels, and former underground mass organizations,” Mempin told reporters during AFP-PNP Press Corps briefingg at The Royal Mandaya Hotel Wednesday (Nov. 2).
He said the Army is now avoiding the situation where areas formerly declared as cleared, became recovery areas for the rebels especially when issues in the area like the absence of farm-to-market road, and other delivery of basic services remain unresolved.
Mempin stressed the Army sidesteps on providing band aid solutions, where the people continue to suffer in their socio-economic conditions, especially the socio-cultural injustices besetting communities, particularly landlord-tenant relations, labor-management issues given the possibility of the rebels to influence again the people in the areas.
He said they are avoiding these problems to happen through the whole-of-nation approach side by side with the local government units, line government agencies, the police and the members of the security sector like the Philippine Army. (PIA XI-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)