180 households benefit in inter-agency services in Ifugao barangay

By Vivencia D. Bulayungan

Thursday 16th of February 2012

HINGYON, Ifugao, Feb. 15 (PIA) -- About 180 households and 160 school children in a remote barangay here benefitted in an inter-agency services spearheaded by the Philippine National Police on Valentine's Day.

Conducted at the Umalbong Elementary School open gymnasium, folks from the different sitios located in the mountainous barangay of Umalbong here including school children converged to avail of the different services brought by government agencies, non government agencies and private practitioners such as medical, dental, hair cutting of pupils and school supplies and relief goods.

PSI Jeffrey Vicente, the Chief of Police here, said that this is their way of showing their love and concern to the people they serve not only on Valentine’s Day but everyday. He acknowledged all the donors adding that they exceeded their target thus instead of giving relief goods to identified poor households, they involved the whole community.

Vicente also disclosed that this activity helps bring back the trust of the people to the government so that they will not be easily swayed by the underground movement.

Evelyn Badangayon, 29,farmer, one of the beneficiaries and a mother of four children, said in an interview that she considers this activity as a blessing since she did not only receive relief goods but her two older children who are in kindergarten and grade one received slippers and medical/dental services.

'We thank the government agencies for this rare opportunity which they brought to our barangay and we will do our best to cooperate and support them especially the PNP in our own simple ways in order for us to live in a peaceful place like our barangay,' Badangayon said.

Seeing the positive impact of the activity, Mayor Mario Buyuccan of this town said that he will see to it that this kind of activity wherein government and non government agencies are together and bring services to the people will be sustained.

'I acknowledge the efforts of the men in uniform here and we will continue working together for the improvement of the lives of our people especially in remote places like this barangay,' Buyuccan said.

We are lucky that our barangay was chosen as a recipient of the various services of the government and non government organizations and rest assured that we will do our counterpart as good citizens, Barangay Captain Pedro Magaya said.

On the other hand, Benedict Kikigue, Principal of the Umalbong Elementary School, said that such an activity will strengthen the relationship of the government and the community people. We thank the PNP for initiating this activity and looking at the children choosing slippers that fit them, receiving school supplies and free haircut from the men in uniform, elates me, he said.

The medical team was led by the Municipal Health Officer, Dr. Dino Tuason; Dental Team by Dr. Willis Talanay of the Department of Education and the first aid team led by Roland Martin Jr of the Philippine Red Cross-Ifugao Chapter.

Aside from services, pepresentativ es from from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), DEPED and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources took turn in advocating their programs and services for the folks here to avail.

Virgilio Inhumang Jr., who represented Governor Eugene Balitang, said the activity has a positive impact to the people especially in far flung barangays and he commended the PNP for spearheading it and encouraged the municipal local government unit to continue this activity for the people. (VDB PIA CAR, Ifugao)