IN a bid to raise roofs and hopes for the homeless, the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) has turned over two units of houses to beneficiaries in Mabini and Trinidad towns yesterday in separate simple but fitting rites graced by Gov. Aris Aumentado and municipal and barangay officials aside from the police officers.
Gov. Aris Aumentado personally hiked the muddy and grassy footpath to reach to the newly-installed house of Mr. and Mrs. Joel Rios Sarmiento in sitio Pasto purok 6, barangay San Isidro, Mabini town to somehow give inspiration to the beneficiaries.
The house made of light materials with a concrete base and GI sheets roofing situated in a rolling hills lot owned by the Bayon’s family, once a ranch (Pasto), is the product of painstakingly prepared and done by the BPPO’s “Libreng Alagad ug Balay” (LAB) program. It is the seventh home.
Following the blessing the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, the couple (Sarmiento), who were teary uttered no other words but gratitude.
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Añora at Purok 6, Barangay Soom, Trinidad, Bohol, also received from BPPO and governor the same (turnover of house after blessing).
PltCol. Dexter Calacar, who represented provincial director Col. Lorenzo Batuan, said that LAB is not only to build houses for the needy but for police to link with the civilians or community to fulfill its mandate to serve and protect and prevent crimes.
Aumentao urged the beneficiary to take care of the house they now owned.
He stressed the said project, conceptualized under Col Batuan’s dispensation, is concrete proof that the government cares for the needy and marginalized.
He also urged those who are still on the hills, obviously referring to the rebels, to go back to the fold because the government is ready to listen and willing to help whatever it can.
He said he hiked to visit the wake of those alleged rebels killed in the recent encounter with government troops in Bilar despite the risk to send strong message that his administration cares.
He said that they may use other means to complain or protest and fight the government, like mass action but not the use of arms as this may result only to unending conflict that the community would always be involved. (rvo)
