Here is, what seems on its face, a wonderful story about how the benevolent Philippine government actually cares about Filipinos. Let's read it and consider what's not being said.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1252404 |
A three-day Serbisyo Caravan by various government agencies has, for the first time, reached the remotest barangay of Libacao, Aklan after a long and arduous journey starting on June 15.
“This Serbisyo Caravan, a convergence of government agencies and community partners, enabled the residents of Dalagsa-an, a geographically isolated and disadvantaged area in Libacao, to access essential government services often beyond their reach,” Lt. Col. Jovert Pimentel, commanding officer of the 82nd Infantry Battalion of the 3rd Division of Philippine Army, said on Wednesday.
He said the activity from June 15 to18 brought PHP2 million to PHP3 million worth of services; the largest being the release of PHP600,000 as initial fund for the integrated organic farming project of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit.
“The total project costs PHP1.2 million, so the remaining funds will be released once they achieve their mileston," he added.
Meanwhile, 197 beneficiaries received free medical check-ups, 45 children received free circumcisions, 251 residents registered for their National IDs through the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and 65 residents availed of free haircuts from Army and Philippine National Police personnel.
Pimentel said army troopers carried PSA computer equipment used in the registration as a lot of residents in the barangay lacked birth certificates and marriage contracts.
They installed Starlink connectivity in the area for the e-consultation with doctors who could not come to the venue.
There were also engagements with the youth, training on citizen arrest for barangay tanods, and action planning for sustainable livelihood program.
"For the Philippine Army, since we have a detachment there, it is also to strengthen our territorial defense posture. So, we coordinated with other agencies," he said.
The Serbisyo Caravan reached the barangay after crossing the Aklan River several times and trekking on difficult terrains for several hours.
Dalagsa-an, situated nearly 22 km. from the town proper, consists of four to five sitios, with travel between sitios taking 5 to 10 hours of arduous trek.
"That’s the most forested area here in Aklan, touching the boundary to Calinog, Iloilo. It is like a tri-boundary of Aklan, Antique, and Iloilo," Pimentel said.
Besides volunteers, the Philippine Army hired porters, paid PHP700 to PHP1,000 each, to help carry their logistics to the mountainous barangay.
Punong Barangay Esmeraldo Orao expressed heartfelt gratitude to all participating agencies for their unwavering commitment to the community's needs.
“This initiative reflects true public service. The people of Dalagsa-an are deeply thankful for being seen, heard, and served,” he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, 3rd Infantry Division commander, Maj. Gen. Michael Samson, said the outreach program embodies the principle "Remote, but not forgotten."
"In this far-flung barangay, where fathers and residents often work tirelessly, the Serbisyo Caravan serves as a reminder that their labor is valued. Even in the most remote corners of Aklan, the spirit of Father's Day finds a way to reach them,” he said in a statement.
The activity was launched together with the provincial government of Aklan, the local government of Libacao, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the National Commission on Indigenous People.
Philippine soldiers risked their lives to take a long and arduous trek through slashing through jungles and wading through rivers to provide members of a far-flung community with government services. "3rd Infantry Division commander, Maj. Gen. Michael Samson, said the outreach program embodies the principle "Remote, but not forgotten."
On the other hand it seems this community isn't exactly so remote because the army already has a detachment in the area. That begs the question, why the arduous journey which required porters? Are there no roads to reach the army base? How about an air strip? There has to be roads or else how would the Army transport equipment? A porter cannot carry a tank or a Jeep. The apparent absence of basic infrastructure capable of supporting even military logistics is a significant concern.
This is another instance of the hell run by Filipinos that is the Philippines. There are no remote cities in the United States of America like there are in the Philippines. Everything is connected by roads, the electric grid, and telecommunications. Even the remotest cities in the USA have access to basic government services which includes clean running water. Note that there is nothing in this story about what access these people have to clean water. There are many communities in the Philippines that lack access to clean water and suffer deadly diarrhea and bacterial outbreaks.
It is now 2025 which is 79 years since the Philippines became independent and yet a large portion of the country remains undeveloped. Many communities remain without basic modern necessities. The USA was carved out of millions of square miles of empty wilderness into a thriving society. Why has the Philippines not been able to do this? The government collects billions in taxes and foreign aid every year. Where does the money go while many communities remain remote and in practically pre-modern conditions?
It might be responded that these are indigenous communities which want to be left alone. That's not an excuse because communities which are not indigenous have been bereft of government services until only recently. The whole-of-nation approach to end the communist insurgency has turned development and good governance into a counter-insurgency program. If the nation had been constantly building roads and providing basic services, the Philippines might be a lot wealthier and safer than it is now. Both South Korea and Japan went from backwaters to global powers in the same time frame while the Philippines has barely progressed. There is no excuse.
The need for such a "caravan" in the first place underscores a fundamental failure in providing consistent and accessible basic services and infrastructure to a significant portion of the population. The "arduous journey" is not a testament to government benevolence as much as it is a stark reminder of the persistent underdevelopment and lack of governance in many parts of the Philippines, decades after independence. As it is this service caravan is more evidence of the hell run by Filipinos that is the Philippines.
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