CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac City – An urban poor organization based in Bulacan was the beneficiary of a 1,000-liter stainless water tank which was formally handed over to them on October 17, 2022 by the Manatal Multi-Purpose Cooperative at the Forest Nature Water Refilling Station in Pandi, Bulacan.
The turnover to the Samahan ng Malayang Kapatiran Para sa Kapayapaan or SAMAKKA was initiated by the Nolcom’s 1st Civil Relations Group through its intensified stakeholders engagement.
This has further boosted assistance and support for SAMAKKA for the operation of their water refilling station in Villa Lois, Pandi, Bulacan.
Jemuel Feliciano, General Manager of Manatal Multi-Purpose Cooperative, expressed his appreciation to the Northern Luzon Command’s (NOLCOM) Armed Forces of the Philippines’ commitment to assisting former KADAMAY members to grow and be productive.
“I learned the equipment you needed for your cooperative from the NOLCOM Armed Forces of the Philippines; they are the ones who connected us with you to provide this equipment,” he emphasized on his message during the turnover program.
“Dadating ang panahon na ang SAMAKKA ay magiging malaki at magiging isang tinitingalang kooperatiba dito sa Bayan ng Pandi. Nakita ko yung passion at dedication ng mga officers dito. Buong puso po naming ipinagkakaloob sa inyo itong water tank na magagamit po ninyo,” Feliciano said.
SAMAKKA is a former KADAMAY, an urban poor organization linked to the CPP-NPA-NDF that withdrew support to the CTGs and pledged to support the government’s peace and development efforts.
It is a Security and Exchange Commission registered cooperative and currently being supported by government agencies and the private sector in order to empower them and make them conflict-resilient and productive members of the community.
They are currently managing the Forest Nature Water Refilling Station, a more than half a million peso worth of water refilling station established through government intervention at Villa Lois, Pandi, Bulacan, and was inaugurated on April 25, 2022.
On the part of the SAMAKKA, Lolita “Ka Lolit” De Jesus, the Chairperson, thanked the Manatal Multi-Purpose Cooperative for the water tank donation. De Jesus further called in the remaining KADAMAY members to surface and work hand-in-hand with the government for them to benefit the livelihood interventions offered by the administration.
“Hindi po namin kayang magprovide ng tangke kasi malaking halaga po,” Ka Lolit explained.
She also thanked the 1CRG, an AFP CMO Unit placed operational control with NOLCOM, AFP for paving the way for them to become productive citizens.
“Nabigyan ng direksyon ang buhay namin. Kaya naman po nagpapasalamat kami sa kasundaluhan po na naging kasangkapan at walang sawa na tinutulungan kami. Naramdaman namin ang pagmamahal nila. Ang pagyakap nila sa amin bilang dating kaaway na ngayon ay kakampi na. Salamat po ng marami sa AFP,” she said.
It can be recalled that SAMAKKA also received 55 pieces of 20-liter gallon containers from the Armed Forces and Police Savings and Loans Association, Inc. (AFPSLAI) and the Philippine Army Finance Center Producers Integrated Cooperative (PAFCPIC), facilitated by the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) and the 1st Civil Relations Group CRSAFP.
