(Photo by Jumalynne Doctolero/PIA-NCR)

QUEZON CITY, (PIA) -- Private and government sectors on Thursday, September 21, came together to bring vital services closer to 1,500 residents of Pasig City and raise their awareness about the duplicity and provocation being done by communist groups and their allies in order to bait young recruits to their cause.

For Maemae Cruz, 19, youth beneficiary from Barangay Maybunga, Pasig City, the services caravan will help the youth and parent beneficiaries learn new skills that would benefit them in the long term.

“Malaking tulong ang ganitong pamimigay ng food package dahil sa mahal ng bilihin ngayon at naniniwala akong malaking tulong lalo yung mga services na offer nila samin dahil magagamit namin yung skills na ‘yun ng mas matagal kumpara sa mga ayudang makukuha namin mula sa dito,” she said.

(This distribution of food packages is a big help because of the high price of goods now, and I believe that the services they offer us will be a big help because we will be able to use those skills for a longer time compared to the aid we can get from here.)

Police officers line up to distribute the food packs provided by DSWD-NCR. (Photo by Sophia Navalta/PIA-NCR Trainee)

Moreover, Ms. Michelle Torres, president of We Parents, one of the partners of Serbisyo Caravan in Pasig City, confirmed that they, together with other agencies, will continue to bring the program to different barangays in Metro Manila who are requesting additional support from the government.

“Natuwa naman tayo kasi super supportive sila sa caravan, we have 1,500 parents and youths attendees from 13 barangays from among 30 barangays in Pasig… nag-decide kami na i-control ang crowd kasi hindi kasya and voluntarily naman sila nagpunta dito at alam nile yung mga trainings from TESDA, services like flu vaccine, and seminars for leptospirosis, etc. para sa mga beneficiaries… at present lahat ng mga partner agencies natin,” Torres said.

(We were happy because they were super supportive of the caravan, we have 1,500 parent and youth attendees from 13 barangays out of our 30 barangays in Pasig... we decided to limit the crowd because of the venue capacity, and they came here voluntarily and they knew the trainings from TESDA, services like flu vaccine, and seminars for leptospirosis, etc. for the beneficiaries... and all our partner agencies are present.)

She further said that planning for the conduct of the Serbisyo Caravan in their respective area began last February 2023 following requests from students and community-based individuals, particularly the youths, with the goal of reaching the maximum number of households and bring the government services to them, and address issues and concerns against communist recruitment. 

A resident receives a classic haircut from one of the soldiers of Joint Task Force National Capital Region. (Photo by Jumalynne Doctolero/PIA-NCR)

The Serbisyo Caravan is the ongoing project of the National Capital Region Task Force to Ending the Local Communist Armed Conflict (NCRTF-ELCAC), through the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA)-led Situational Awareness and Knowledge Management (SAKM) Cluster, in partnership with the Pasig City Government.

“If the people cannot go to the government, the government will go to the people,” NICA-NCR Regional Director Dennis Godfrey F. Gammad said during an interview by media.

The beneficiaries received grocery packages, free medical and dental check-ups, grooming and livelihood trainings from various participating agencies.

“Ngayon kasama natin dito ang (Today we have with us) nine agencies, ito na ang sinasabi nating (this is what we consider a) manifestation on the public theory of whole-of-government approach, ang (our) objective natin dito (here is) number one, of course to deliver basic services," Gammad said.

“Another goal of the Serbisyo Caravan to the different barangays is to inform all parents, especially the youths, about the organization of communist terrorists in the country. Ang pangalawang (Our second) objective natin dito ay to (here is to) raise the level of awareness of the general public in Pasig City...  on the tactics of the communist terrorist kasi ang talagang pangunahin na (because their primary) objective nila is to replace the present government by the communist through armed revolution, ang mga sandata nila dito mag-(their primary weapon here is to) recruit sa mga kabataan (our youth) kaya ang ginagawa natin dito ay (so we are warning them of this) information,” he added.

Meanwhile, among the participating agencies include the Department of Social Welfare and Development NCR, Eastern Police District (EPD), National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), Metro Manila Center for Health Development (MMCHD), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Joint Task Force (JTF-NCR), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-NCR), and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-NCR). (PIA-NCR)