401st Army Brigade Chief: CSP to Last for Months

Col. Andres Centino, brigade commander of the 401st Infantry (Unity) Brigade of the Philippine Army (PA), bared that the Community Support Program (CSP) they launched during the late part of February this year would last for a couple of months.

Purposely done for “immersion and interaction,” the brigade chief based in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur disclosed that their presence would “only be in areas with security issues.”

So far, Col. Centino reported that CSP had started to gain ground, confident that this would not get in the way of the normal lives in the communities of Indigenous Peoples (IPs).  The area of responsibility (AOR) of the said brigade covers the province of Agusan del Sur and the southern part of Surigao del Sur.

However, he stressed that the brigade would always need the backings of stakeholders.

When asked to comment on whether CSP could be taken as reason by NPA rebels to egg on the IPs to again move out for the “taktikang bakwit,” Col. Centino thought otherwise.

The army-initiated endeavor aims “to transform insurgency-affected areas into thriving and sustainable ones by integrating programs that promote economic growth and address the fundamental issues affecting lasting peace and security,” it was learned.

During the CSP send-off ceremony, the good army colonel was glad to note that local government officials and stakeholders were present to cheer on. (Radyo Pilipinas-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)