BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte – A joint pact that will ensure the sustainability of Community Enterprise Village for the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) has been formalized with the recent signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the 23rd Infantry Battalion (23IB), Philippine Army in collaboration with the Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte, Local Government Unit (LGU) of Nasipit, and the Technical Education Skills Development Authority of Agusan del Norte (TESDA-ADN) held in Barangay Camagong, Nasipit, Agusan del Norte.

The MOA was signed by the members of Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC) of Nasipit headed by Mayor Enrico Corvera, TESDA-ADN Provincial Director Rey Cueva, Lt. Col Julius Cesar Paulo, commanding officer of 23IB, PMaj. Limen A. Magdadaro, chief of police, Nasipit, and the members of people’s organizations (POs).

Under the MOA, the signatories pledge their commitment to handle and manage the Busilak Enterprise Village well. It also aims to enjoin the cooperation and commitment of the LGU of Nasipit, various National agencies, the 23IB, PNP, and the POs to ensure the sustainability of the said project.

It can be recalled that the launching of Busilak Enterprise Village was conducted in time with the conduct of PPOC Immersion last April 12 to 13 2021 in the same sitio. It is a collaborative effort between the provincial government of Agusan del Norte, LGU of Nasipit, 23IB, PNP, and national agencies, to the Indigenous Peoples that once suffered from the armed conflict brought by the Communist NPA Terrorist (CNTs) for almost five decades. The establishment of the community enterprise village paves the way to address the issues commonly exploited by the CNTs in the communities considered as geographically isolated, disadvantaged and conflict-affected areas (GIDAS).

Datu Talagsaon Jimbo Mansiguinda, the tribal leader of Sitio Mimbahandi, is thankful to the government for the assistance and assures that they will nurture the said project. 

Meanwhile, 23IB commander Lt. Col. Julius Cesar Paulo emphasized the importance of helping uplift the economic lives of the people in communities.

The issue on poverty, he added, has been manipulated by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing the New People’s Army (NPA) and political arm the National Democratic Front (NDF) in deceiving the people to hate the government.

“Insurgency cannot be addressed solely by the use of arms but through the collaborative efforts of various government agencies in providing responsive and sustainable development programs to the people and their communities,” Paulo said.

He also assured the IP leaders in Barangay Camagong of the continuing support of the 23IB in all their development undertakings.

“With its desire to bring the public service to the people, the 23IB will continue to engage in various program and we can assure that the livelihood opportunities that we are providing them will be put in place, thus, it will be sustained,” Paulo said. (2Lt. Angel Grace M. Sebelina (INF) PA, Acting CMO Officer, 23IB PA/PIA Agusan del Norte)