Bangon holds assembly at Army camp in Leyte

By 19th Infantry Battalion, 8ID PA
March 8, 2015

KANANGA, Leyte – An Army camp in Leyte was again abuzz Thursday, March 5, 2015.

Some 120 trustees and farmer-partners of the Bangon Mini-Farms Alpha Sector Association Incorporated (BMFASAI) all over the province of Leyte convened for a seminar dubbed as “7-Habits of Highly Effective People” at 19th Infantry Battalion camp in Brgy. Aguiting, Kananga, Leyte.

The two-day live-in seminar was conducted to empower and inculcate key habits that will ensure productivity of Bangon farmer partners.

Coinciding the aforesaid seminar, Army-inspired peoples organizations composed of former rebels (FRs) from Ormoc City and from Jaro, Kananga, San Isidro and Calubian towns put up booths. Each displayed organic vegetable products from their respective mini-farms.

Other products were also displayed by military dependents, turning the entire camp on holiday mode amidst nearly 200 spectators.

Lt. Col. Nedy Espulgar, commanding officer of 19IB said Bangon Executive Chairman and Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) Director Domingo Diaz have earlier recommended 19IB camp as venue of aforesaid assembly.

Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) has poured resources resulting to the completion of a transient facility inside 19IB camp which now serves as billeting to Bangon farmer-partners, dependents and other visitors.

Having hosted similar events, Lt. Col. Espulgar was confident that the assembly would run more comfortable and educational for the participants as its camp is already equipped with advanced and protocol-based Livestock and Organic Garden Demonstration Farms.

“At first, we were merely partakers when the program jumpstarted on January last year. But now, we in 19IB under supervision of Col. Dinoh Dolina, the commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade, proudly consider ourselves as one of the prime movers of Bangon. Our interest grew when we saw it to be in line with the AFP’s Internal Peace and Security Plan “Bayanihan”. We also believe that we can help more depressed communities through implementing sustainable, integrated, organic and natural mini-farm program”, Lt. Col. Espulgar narrated.

The program is set to expand and be introduced to farmers in other parts of Leyte and even Southern Leyte province.

According to trustee Thelma Pondolanan, Bangon is eyeing the areas of operations of 78th Infantry Battalion particularly in the town of Mahaplag, Leyte.

Bangon sustainable, integrated, organic and natural mini-farm program, as LBP’s post-Yolanda initiative was founded on January 2014 at Blanco Farm, So. Marag-ing, Lemon, Capoocan, Leyte.