MABINAY, Negros Oriental, Nov. 7 (PIA)  -- Residents in Sitio Lapong, Brgy. Dahile in this town were able to avail of basic government services during the Serbisyo Caravan led by the Negros Oriental Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NOTF ELCAC) held at Lapong Elementary School on Nov. 4.

Residents were able to avail of free COVID-19 vaccination, medical and dental check-up, circumcision for young boys, civil registration services from the Local Civil Registrar’s Office, enrollment at the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) for farmers, senior citizen registration, police clearance application, and wellness services such as massage, haircut, manicure, and pedicure.

They also took home bags of relief goods, school supplies for children, medicines, and vegetable seedlings during the activity.

Participating agencies include the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Army (PA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and the municipal government of Mabinay through its Municipal ELCAC Task Force led by Mayor Ernie Uy.

The PNP also conducted a community outreach and distributed bags of rice, food packs, and slippers to the children.

They also gave away loot bags and ice cream treats to children during the activity.

Barangay Dahile Chairperson Cresencio Zuniga lauded the NOTF ELCAC for this initiative.

“Dako kaayo katabang sa mga pumuluyo dinhi sa among sitio sa Lapong kay karon panahuna. Mapasalamaton mi kaayo sa inyong gihimong activity (We are thankful for this activity. This is a big help to the residents of Sitio Lapong especially during these times),” Zuniga said.

He said the sitio has 180 households while the entire barangay of Dahile has around 4,000 individual residents.

Nida Macadildeg, a resident of the Sitio Lapong, availed of the opportunity to undergo free medical check-up for herself and her five children after a week of experiencing cough and colds.

“Nalipay pod mi na naa dire silang tanan kay tsansa na ni namo na mo pa check-up kay duol man lang (We are happy that they came here because this is our chance to undergo medical consultation because it’s nearer to our place),” Macadildeg said.

She also hopes that this initiative will be sustained.

“Syempre ganahan gyod mi kay naa na gud gihatod sa among sitio. Unya dako pa kaayong tsansa namo kay karon pa pod nahitabo sa among sitio. Nagpasalamat pod mi ni Mayor na iya pod ming gibutangan og ahensya sa gobyerno na moduol namo sa Lapong (Yes we want this to continue. This is the first time something like this happened in our sitio. We are also thankful to our Mayor for inviting government agencies here),” she added.

PNP Provincial Director PCol. Jonathan Pineda told residents that the Serbisyo Caravan is a testament of government’s sincerity in serving the people.

“Ginapakita sa gobyerno kung anong tinud-anay na serbisyo. Ginapakita na ginatagaan kamo og importansya sa gobyerno. Probably sa sunod-sunod na adlaw o weeks siguro lain-lain serbisyo inyo matagamtaman gikan sa gobyerno (Through this activity, the government is exemplifying genuine service. The government shows how it gives importance to you. Hopefully in the coming days and weeks you will be able to avail more government services),” Pineda said.

He also urged the public to support the government and not the groups categorized as Communist-Terrorist-Groups (CTGs).

Meanwhile, Mabinay Mayor Ernie Uy announced the development projects that are in the pipeline that will benefit the residents of  Sitio Lapong.

“Ang atong lungsod, gagahin ug P1 million nga matagaan mo diha ug box culvert. Ato na nang gi-approve unya gi-bidding na kuno matud sa atong chairman sa infrastructure. Next year ato gihapon ni butangan og semento ang dalan (The municipal government has allocated P1 million for the construction of a box culvert. I already approved it and it is now up for bidding according to our chairman in infrastructure. Next year, we are proposing to concretize the road),” Uy said.

He also directed the municipal agriculturist office to craft programs that will increase the agricultural produce in the area, noting that most of the produce sold in the market also come from upland communities like Sitio Lapong. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)