By Mike Crismundo
BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte – Soldiers of the 23rd Infantry Battalion (23rd IB) over the weekend helped in the distribution of 19,503 food packs in Agusan del Norte town.
(Photo courtesy of 23rd IB via Mike U. Crismundo/Manila Bulletin)
The 23rd IB provided the needed additional manpower to the Buenavista municipal government during the third wave of the distribution of food packs on Saturday and Sunday in the different barangays of the town.
The food packs were distributed to the 25 barangays here, particularly in far-flung barangays, as the municipal government wants to ensure that its constituents have enough food supply while the whole town was under the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) to contain the spread of the dreaded coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to 23rd IB Civil Military Operations (CMO) Officer First Lt. Roel T. Maglalang, on Monday.
Aside from manpower, the 23rd IB also provided security during the distribution of relief assistance to ensure the safe delivery of the food packs to the doorsteps of all the residents in the area, he said.
“Revelations by the former rebels (FRs) who recently surrendered to the 23rd IB indicated of the miserable situation of the remaining Communist NPA (New People’s Army) terrorists in the area due to hunger and scarcity of food supplies,” Maglalang said.