CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, PILI, CAMARINES SUR – Joint Task Force Bicolandia (JTFB) and 9th Infantry (Spear) Division, Philippine Army Commander MGen Adonis Bajao directed the 902nd Infantry “Fight and Serve” Brigade to create the Task Group Malasakit for Bula residents who were impacted by the recent Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) attack on March 30, Thursday.
The aforementioned task group will be extending complimentary assistance to the residents of Barangay Caorasan in Bula, following an attempt of CTG members to cause chaos and attack the responding troops of the 49th Infantry Battalion near the school premises.
The newly-established Task Group Malasakit is composed of the 9th Civil Military Operation, Camp Elias Angeles Station Hospital (CEASH), 1369th Dental Detachment, Local Government Unit of Bula, Bula Municipal Police Station (MPS), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Office V, PESO and Bula Municipal Social Welfare and Development (MSWD). The Fraternal Order of Eagles- Bicol Region, a private organization also collaborated with the team.
With the help of partner agencies, the 902nd Brigade successfully conducted a School Caravan and provided Psychosocial support to 553 students and 21 teachers both from Caorasan Elementary School and Caorasan High School Other barangay residents were also recipients of the dental mission and availed of the free medical check-up, free medicine, free haircut, and even free pedicure and manicure through the initiated Serbisyo Caravan.
Around 728 Caorasan residents received free food packs, along with seedlings from DA. Others were able to process their Civil Registrar certificates and Residents’ certificates, among other documents.
The main objective of the task group is to provide psychological and social support to the impacted inhabitants, particularly the students, and educators, in order to help them recover from the trauma resulting from the recent assault.
The failed attempt of the CTG to instill fear among the locals is a deliberate effort to undermine the government's peacekeeping initiatives, particularly in geographically isolated areas.
To ensure that residents will not be misled by the CTGs propaganda and lies, the troopers gave them a lecture regarding the government’s peace programs and the government’s invitation to CTG members to take down their arms and return to the folds of the law.
MGen Bajao assured Bicolanos that despite the recent foiled CTG attacks, the Philippine Army in Bicol will continue and remain vigilant to guarantee their safety.