By Gideon C. Corgue
TUKURAN, Zamboanga
del Sur – Poor residents of Barangay Manlayag have received food
packs, used clothing and slippers from the 1st Cavalry Squadron,
Mechanized Division, Philippine Army (PA) in a gift giving recently.
Dubbed “Love Drive
Program,” the gift giving was held in coordination with the 1st Field
Artillery Battalion aimed at bringing the government closer to the people.
The 1st
Cavalry Squadron executive officer Major Francis Balan said the team with its sponsor,
Nancy Sanchez of Zamboanga City, distributed 100 food packs containing 3 kilos
of rice, 2 cans of sardines, 2 packs of noodles, sachets of coffee and used
clothing to selected poor families.
Two hundred new
pairs of slippers, candies and supplemental feeding were also given to children.
“Ang
ating mga kasundaluhan at civic organization ay nagtulong-tulong na ma-share
ang basic services sa mga maralitang tao upang makapagbigay sa kanila ng
kaligayahan,” Balan
said.
(The troopers and
civic organization have extended help to the poor to make them happy.)
“Ang
mga natanggap ninyo ngayon ay initial pa pa lamang yan dahil ang aking kaibigan
na US philatropist ay personal po na magpunta rito sa inyo sa buwan ng Marso at
magbibigay na naman ng karagdagang gifts na tiyak na ikakaligaya naman ninyo,” Sanchez told the recipients.
(What you have
received now is just an initial one because my friend, a US philanthropist,
will personally visit here in March and will give additional goods for you.)
Sanchez said: “Manlayag
is just one of the recipient-barangays that received gifts from her friend in
Mindanao and Visayas next to Iligan City and Palo, Leyte, respectively.”
Punong Barangay Cerelo
Halang expressed his gratitude to the 1st Cavalry Squadron for
spearheading the gift giving activity saying, “It is the first time we have received
such a program.”
Cyndi Baguio, 38,
said she was thankful for receiving the food packs.
“Nagpasalamat
ko ug dako nga nakadawat ko aning food packs gikan sa mga nagpasiugda. Medyo
lisod gyud mi sa pagpangita sa among pagkaon tungod kay ang akong bana wala nay
trabaho ug nagsalig lamang kami sa pagtanom ug kamunting kahoy,” Baguio said while holding an infant
baby in her arms.
(I am very grateful
to have received the food packs from the organizers. It is really hard for us
to find food since my husband has no job. We just depend on planting cassava.)
“Malipayon
ako nga usa sa mga nakadawat ning maong mga pagkaon gikan sa 1st
Cavalry. Nakatabang ni namo tungod kay kami na lang duha sa akong ang mga tawo
nag-uban sa balay. Ang akong napulo ka mga anak pulos minyo na ug mibulag na sa
amoa. wala nay motabang mo pagpangita sa
among pagkaon,” Eleuterio
Luardo, 78, said after receiving the food packs.
(I am happy to
receive this food pack from the 1st Cavalry. It really helped us
because only the two of us are left in our home. All our 10 children already got
married and they are living separately. Nobody would help us in our food.)
The
1st Cavalry troopers also held a comedy show during the said
activity to the delight of the children.