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Army, mining firm assist IP communities in Surigao Norte

By Alexander Lopez

May 1, 2020, 4:41 pm

<p><strong>SUPPORT TO IPs</strong>. <span style="display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif,'Apple Color Emoji','Segoe UI Emoji','Segoe UI Symbol'; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Around 489 indigenous people (IP) families in Guigaquit, Surigao del Norte were provided relief assistance by the Taganito HPAL Nickel Asia Corporation (THPAL) with the support of the Army’s 30th Infantry Battalion on April 29, 2020. The IP families were the most vulnerable during the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the province. (<em>Photo courtesy of 30th IB</em>) </span></p>

SUPPORT TO IPs. Around 489 indigenous people (IP) families in Guigaquit, Surigao del Norte were provided relief assistance by the Taganito HPAL Nickel Asia Corporation (THPAL) with the support of the Army’s 30th Infantry Battalion on April 29, 2020. The IP families were the most vulnerable during the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the province. (Photo courtesy of 30th IB

BUTUAN CITY – The Army’s 30th Infantry Battalion in partnership with the Taganito HPAL Nickel Asia Corporation (THPAL) have joined hands in the provision of relief goods to 489 indigenous people (IP) families who were affected during the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the province of Surigao del Norte.

Lt. Col. Jeffrey Villarosa, commander of 30th IB, in a statement Friday said the IPs are among the most vulnerable sector during the ECQ in Surigao del Norte.
 
“Aside from their vulnerability during the community quarantine, our IPs are also continuously exploited by the Communist New People’s Army Terrorists (CNTs) as their source of recruits to beef-up their forces against the government in the area,” Villarosa said.
 
The joint relief operation was a manifestation of giving value and support to the IPs to save them from the exploitations of the NPA rebels, he added.
 
The provision of relief goods was conducted in Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte on April 29 that was joined by Mayor Chandru Bonite and Marites Tero, community relations officer of THPAL.
 
Tero, in a statement, said the IP communities who received the relief goods belong to CADT-048 (Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title-048) holders situated in the province of Surigao del Norte.
 
Tero added that THPAL aims to ensure that IPs in the area, during the quarantine period, will have enough food supplies.
 
The statement of the Army also quoted Mabalaw Jerry Kalinawan, one of the tribal leaders of CADT-048, expressing gratitude to the Army and THPAL.
 
“I am very grateful for the help we received from the THPAL and the support of the 30th IB. We are hoping that there are still others who can help us especially during this crisis,” Kalinawan said.
 
Villarosa also assured the IPs of the Army’s continuing support to relief operations in the area, especially in remote villages. (PNA)
 

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