PNA
14 May 2022, 11:32 GMT+10
ZAMBOANGA CITY - After two decades, Internally Displaced Persons relocated back to their communities that were taken away by terrorists.
The military and Sulu Provincial Task Force on Ending Local Armed Conflict (PTF-ELAC) constructed infrastructures and livelihood projects on the former battleground between Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits and government troops.
The PTF-ELAC is Sulu's version of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, the whole-of-nation approach to attaining inclusive and sustainable peace.
Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, commander of the Joint Task Force-Sulu and 11th Infantry Division (ID), said Saturday the projects in Barangay Bakung, Patikul included a village hall, 2.4-kilometer farm-to-market road, learning center, public toilet, water system, streetlights, and egg-laying facilities to serve as the livelihood of residents in 118 households.
Barangay Bakung is one of 11 villages that were transformed under the "Balik-Barangay Program" of the provincial government.
"They didn't have any infrastructures or houses because those were destroyed by the ASG. So, we helped them rebuild their communities," Patrimonio said in a statement. "After almost a year, through the concerted efforts of the Sulu PTF-ELAC, Ministry of Public Works in BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), and security forces, we were able to build a resilient community."
Barangay Bakung chief Hammisa Anuddin expressed her gratitude to the municipal government, led by Mayor Kabir Hayudini, and the security sector.
"We never thought that we can return to our place. We were IDPs for 20 years," Anuddin said. (PNA)
Get a daily dose of Philippine Times news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Philippine Times.
More InformationMEXICO CITY, Mexico: Three American women were found dead over the weekend at a beach resort in Belize, police said. Officials are...
BANGKOK, Thailand: Chinese authorities said they started live-fire military exercises in the Gulf of Tonkin this week, just days after...
ABOARD THE CHARLES DE GAULLE, Philippines: France's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and its warships arrived in the Philippines over...
FRESNO, California: Fresno State suspended two of its top men's basketball players last weekend and removed a third player from the...
WARSAW, Poland: Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski confirmed over the weekend that Poland has been covering the cost of Ukraine's...
Israel sustained the West's support for its slaughter in Gaza for 15 months only through an intensive campaign of lies. It invented...
CAPE TOWN, South Africa: An international summit on global poverty faced setbacks this week as key finance leaders skipped the G20...
ATLANTA, Georgia: After two years of declining same-store sales, Home Depot finally saw a turnaround in the fourth quarter, fueled...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks rallied on Friday as economic data showed the U.S. Federal Reserve has likely tamed inflation. The...
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Federal Reserve seemingly has inflation under control with the latest econbomic data confirming little push...
COPENHAGEN, Denmark: A remote Arctic facility designed to preserve the world's agricultural diversity is set to receive a major new...
LONON, U.K.: British Petroleum is set to abandon its ambitious renewable energy expansion targets in favor of a stronger focus on fossil...