ORMOC CITY -- The 802nd Infantry (Peerless) Brigade of the 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division, Philippine Army handed over the proceeds of the Bangon Limasawnon campaign of the Joint Task Force Bulig Leyte Island (JTF Leyte Island) to the Local Government Unit of Limasawa on March 31. 

Col. Noel A. Vestuir, 802nd Brigade commander, personally handed over the cash donations amounting to P302,148 to Mayor Melchor P. Petracorta of Limasawa Island.

Of the said amount, P218,598 came from the 802nd Brigade while the P83,550 from the 20th Infantry (We Lead) Battalion in Northern Samar.

The ceremony was witnessed by the municipal and barangay officials, residents, and pilgrims who attended the cerebration of the 501st anniversary celebration of the first catholic mass in the Philippines held earlier during the day.

A concert was held in the island to entertain the residents. The Male Ensemble Philippines, a group of entertainers from Manila was the main feature in the concert while the 8ID (Stormtroopers) Band and 14IB (Avengers) Band also provided the entertainment.

In behalf of his constituents, Mayor Petracorta expressed his profound gratitude to the noble undertakings extended by the Armed Forces of the Philippines specifically the Visayas Command, 8th Infantry Division, 802nd Brigade, and Philippine Coast Guard. He said the donated funds would greatly contribute to the relief, rehabilitation, and recovery of Limasawa island and in rebuilding the damaged homes of the residents.

Colonel Vestuir said the handed over cash are donations by friends of the Philippine Army and the proceeds of the “Bike for a Cause” which was held last February 14, 2022. The donation drive is part of the JTF Bulig Leyte Island’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) activities initiated by the 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division under the leadership of Major General Edgardo Y. De Leon to help ease the pain and sufferings of the people of Limasawa Island who were devastated by Typhoon Odette on December 16, 2021.

“We will continue our commitment and dedication to serve by way of fostering collaborative peace and development initiatives to establish resilient communities caused not only by natural disasters, but also by human-induced disasters caused by CPP-NPA-NDF in order to uplift the living conditions of every constituent and communities in our area of operations,” Colonel Vestuir said. (802nd Brigade/8ID)