BACOLOD City – More than 400 residents in four villages in Himamaylan City in southern Negros Occidental availed themselves of basic services in a “Multi-Service Peace Caravan.”
Health- and agriculture-related services were provided to locals from barangays Caradio-an (venue of the Caravan), Buenavista, Mahalang, and Carabalan.
The Caravan of the provincial government was aimed at “bringing basic services right at the doorsteps of Negrenses living in far-flung areas,” said Karen Dinsay, head of the Scholarship Program Division.
Residents were given free medical and dental services from the Provincial Health Office, while the Provincial Veterinary Office held deworming and vaccination for animals.
Personnel from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources gave lectures on seedling production and distributed seedlings.
There was an open forum where residents inquired about services from other government departments. The Department of Agrarian Reform and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples were among the responders.
Food packs and other relief goods were later given to the beneficiaries of the Tuesday’s Caravan spearheaded by the Provincial Peace Integration and Development Unit.
Capitol launched the Peace Caravan in northern Negros Occidental in 2013.
At the time beneficiaries included those from the 1st District, particularly the remote barangays of Escalante City and Calatrava and Toboso towns – areas then considered “highly infested” with New People’s Army rebels.
In 2015 the Peace Caravan was brought to Barangay Canlusong, EB Magalona town. (With a report from Philippine News Agency/PN)
