Army’s 1st Infantry Division establishes IP desks

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 By: Hirohito D. Cadion

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Dec. 3 (PNA) -- The Army’s First Infantry Division has established Indigenous Peoples (IP) desks to attend to the concerns of IPs within its area of responsibility here in the region.

Capt. Franco Suelto, 1st Infantry Division information officer, said Wednesday the putting up of the IP desks is part of the command’s welfare program for the most vulnerable sector of the society.

Suelto said the IP desks are being handled by the office of the Civil-Military Operation (CMO) to attend to the concerns and needs of the IPs.

Suelto said the establishment of IP desks is in compliance and support to Republic Act 8371, otherwise known as the Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997.

“We have implemented the cultural sensitivity program. In the program, we conduct orientation, seminar-workshop to our soldiers who are socially immersed in the Subanen community to respect the rights to self-determination and to respect their cultural integrity as well,” Suelto said.

“Our soldiers assigned in the remote areas have also provided basic services to the IPs basic through medical civic action program (MEDCAP),” he said.

Meanwhile, Suelto said that several of the rebel- returnees, who are members of the IP community, have availed themselves of the Armed Forces’ Comprehensive Livelihood Program (CLIP) through the “Guns for Peace.”

The program provides the grant of cask incentives to rebels who voluntarily surrender along with their firearms. (PNA)
RMA/TPGJR/HIROHITO D. CADION/EDS