A remote school in Pangol of Tanudan in Kalinga is the latest beneficiary of the 1st Kalinga Provincial Mobile Force Company (KPMFC)’s best practice dubbed as “Project KABADANG. “
For three years now, the KPMFC reaches out to people in far-flung areas providing services, and distributing school supplies and goodies to pupils.
“Blessing Ko, Share Ko”/ KaBADANG
When the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership pushed for reforms and cascaded its Patrol Plan 2030, the Company integrated an outreach program in its activities, giving equal attention to humanitarian missions believing that this is a weapon in winning the hearts and minds of people in the communities to support the organization’s programs.
This outreach program was started in 2016 by the Kalinga Provincial Police Safety Company, now KPMFC piloting it in conflict areas or those visited by the New People’s Army (NPA). It was called “Blessing Ko, Share Ko” as resources would be pooled from the company’s personnel and Company Advisory Council (CAC) members to buy goodies and school supplies, and for supplemental feeding.
It was discussed during meetings of the CAC that the primary beneficiaries would be schools. Why school children? The project aims to complement the school in educating the children to become law abiding citizens, to build foundations on patriotism, embracing democracy and to engage them to become support group on crime prevention.
Aside from information, education, communication (IEC), school children would be provided with school supplies and goodies as well as supplemental feeding after the program.
Parents of school children, Parents-Teachers Association officers and barangay officials are always invited to join. “This way, the learnings from the activity is inculcated to them both to become a unifying experience in working building a peaceful environment at home,” Police Supt. Joseph Adornado Santos explained.
Police Supt. Jomarick Felina, former KPPSC Company commander, shared that during one gift-giving in 2016 at Gawidan Elementary School, his company collected an amount each from the 14th month pay of the police force which was spent to buy school supplies like writing pads, pencils, ballpoint pens and crayons. This was augmented from CAC member donations.
Gawidan ES Principal Mark Malamnao was very thankful that his school was chosen as a recipient of the first gift giving they had experienced!
KPMFC eventually decided to tweak and rename the outreach program as ‘KABADANG’ which stands for “Kalinga At Pagmamahal sa Kabataan Biyaya Alay ng Kapulisan tungo sa Dakilang Adhikaing Kapayapaan na Ninanais ng Mamamayan at Gobyerno”. In the local dialect, ‘kabadang’ means a volunteer helper.
Before the gift-giving, demonstrations on basic safety measures and earthquake drills are conducted. There are lectures on anti-criminality, terrorism and lately, anti-bullying. various IEC materials including Violence Against Women and Children are distributed to the participants.
The activity is also a means of cascading the PNP Road Map, its Vision and Mission, including its mandate, core values and core competence.
The pupils, parents and other locals are served free meals after the program.
Since 2015, 16 gift-giving activities were conducted under Kabadang.
In 2017, the unit also helped construct San Pablo Elementary School building and planted trees around the school compound. The KMFC was able to solicit gravel and sand from good Samaritans and lumber and seedlings from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office.
The latest outreach in Pangol, Tanudan, was joined by the 503rd Brigade and 5th CMO of the 5th Infantry Division, Philippine Army. Personnel of Alpha Company 5th CMO lectured on anti-insurgency and anti-terrorism awareness with video showing, discussed negative effects to the community and further explained to the participants the disadvantages of the presence of CPP/NPA in their barangay, the reasons not to join the CPP/NPA.
Thru Kabadang, the Kalinga police is succeeding in bringing the PNP organization closer to the community to win their hearts and minds, gain their support in the government’s fight against criminality.**JDP/PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga
