by Lou Ellen L. Antonio
ILIGAN CITY (PIA)–BGen. Rey Alemania relinquished duties as the commander of the Philippine Army’s 2nd Mechanized Infantry (Magbalantay) Brigade to Acting Brigade Commander Colonel Charlemagne Batayola Jr. during the change of command ceremony here, April 12.
Alemania will be designated as the deputy chief of staff for logistics for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
He also recalled his assumption of duty and thanked the previous commanders, who built good relationships with various stakeholders and gained thrust confidence in pursuing peace agreements with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He said it helped him start easier and sustain peace in his area of responsibility during his two-year stint.
Alemania also highlighted the harmonization efforts of government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and stakeholders in Lanao del Norte towards the transformation of the North-Western Mindanao Front of MILF, located in the towns of Munai, Tagoloan, and Tangcal.
“This was where I took off in finding ways of bringing it to a different level. As a starting point, we were able to focus on transforming communities toward nation-building. Dito na lumabas ang aming nakita na Camp Bilal Transformation Plan [This is where the plan originated]. I’m also the government-side coordinator to transform our former MILF combatants to become productive in their communities,” he said.
With the harmonization strategy, the community transformation program will be integrated into the programs of LGUs. He emphasized that the program would be successfully implemented with the support of LGUs.
Meanwhile, Batayola reaffirmed his commitment that they will continue to sustain peace in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte province, and seven municipalities in Misamis Oriental.
“Makakaasa kayo na tuloy-tuloy lang namin yung pag-provide ng mga services na ginagawa namin, like securing the land, properties, and the people lalo pa namin pag-iigtingin ang aming trabaho with the new leadership, ituloy namin yung program in peace, but also we will be more sensitive sa mga requirements ng aming mga stakeholders,” he said.
(Rest assured that we will continue providing the services we do, like securing the land, properties, and people. We will intensify our work even more with the new leadership. We will continue our peace programs, but we will also be more sensitive to the requirements of our stakeholders)
Armor Division Commander Major General Facundo Palafox IV, presided over the Change of Command Ceremony. According to him, a new maintenance facility for the armor division will be constructed in the brigade.
“We will be constructing a new maintenance facility within the brigade headquarters to include other peripheral structures na kakailanganin to house ng mga bagong equipment na ipapadala dito para magamit (that will be needed to house the new equipment that will be sent here to be used) to ensure ‘yung security and safety ng constituents ng Iligan City and Lanao del Norte,” he said.
The Brigade recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Education Iligan City and Lanao del Norte and the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology for the kick-off of the school-based information campaign to transform the youth sector into true patriots and active partners in nation building. (LELA/PIA-10/Lanao del Norte)
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