A fun-filled afternoon with the children

It is always refreshing and inspiring to spend time with the children, particularly when you see them happy. Their youthful innocence and zest at play has a way of reliving our younger days when we were unaffected by the larger concerns of the times.

A “Dula sa mga Bata Alang sa Kalinaw” (Games of the Children for Peace) was one activity planned to help communities, particularly the children, bring back happier days in places traumatized by the recent violence. The sponsors—Mr. Musa Sanguila, Executive Director of Pakigdait Incorporated, and Ms. Marit Stinus-Remonde, District Governor of Kiwanis International—chose Barangay Dilabayan of Kauswagan Town in Lanao del Norte as the site for this activity. Incidentally, the two sponsors took pride being among the Army awardees which came to help the brigade in its peace efforts in the area. In the recent celebration of the 112th Army Anniversary, Pakigdait, an interfaith organization, got the award, per our nomination—the second time around—as the Most Outstanding NGO; Ms. Remonde, also, received an award for helping the Army in its various civic programs.


















In the afternoon of 30 March, I addressed the children, skipping the usual lengthy amenities, saying simply that we came to have fun and play with them. The children’s response was quite ecstatic. Despite the drizzle, the event became livelier as Ms. Cristina Lomoljo sent her teams from Balay Integrated Rehabilitation for Total Human Development (BIRTHDEV) to assist in the games. Afterwards, they ate chicken “arrozcaldo.” To Musa, this was the first time the kids ate what was prepared for them; many even came back for second servings and more until nothing was left. In the previous activities, it was noted that the children did not touch the food that was brought for them due to cultural sensitivities. This time it was different, the local folks were given the raw food items and were asked to cook it themselves.

We left seeing the children happy…and we felt happier with a sense of fulfillment.

"To make a difference"

"To make a difference" was how Ms. Marit Stinus-Remonde, District Governor of Kiwanis International, described the purpose of her visit at 104th Infantry Brigade area in Lanao del Norte last February 6. Her visit was long delayed due to the violent incidents that rocked the province.

It is then understandable that her husband, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, was seemingly reluctant to have her visit the place. After visiting Kiwanis in Iligan City, she insisted to see what life is in the land of the Maranaos particularly in the hinterland barangays. I then brought her Kiwanis group to visit Barangay Delabayan of Kauswagan. The barangay had served as a model of interfaith activities with starting with the “Project Islam.” (Islam meant “I Sincerely Love All Muslims.”) At Delabayan, she met with its traditional leader—Sultan Moner—who explained their condition; talked to the local folks; and visited the schools. She also conferred with Musa Sanguila, director of Pakigdait Inc, an interfaith NGO which was doing civic work at Barangay Tacub. Her last stop was at the brigade headquarters where she took time to engage with my officers. And in several instances, I noticed her quietly taking notes. At one point, she turned to her fellow Kiwanians saying that Delabayan was a doable place for their initial community projects outside Iligan City.

I first met Marit when I was still the Chief of Staff of the 10th Infantry Division based in Davao City. I have noted her active participation in several civic activities, and in many occasions partnered with Army units to deliver assistance to the communities. Hence, I was then quite glad when she volunteered to extend the same assistance within my area.

Indeed, more civic projects should be directed towards the hinterlands communities—where small things can “create extraordinary life-changing moments.”

To the Kiwanis and the other NGOs, thank you all in behalf of the people here! Your civic activities and even just your plain visits to the remote communities show that we care for them. Surely, this will go a long way “to make a difference.”