More than 500 residents from three remote communities previously influenced by the New People’s Army (NPA) have benefited from government services provided during the retooled community support program (RCSP) caravan in Basey, Samar on Thursday.

At least 307 families from Mabini village got PHP3,000 cash aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), including food packs, while 10 selected families received food packs from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

Government officials held the caravan in the sub-village of Burabod, accessible through a two-kilometer upland hike from the center of Mabini village, which is 20 kilometers away from the town center of Basey.

Joining the caravan are officials from the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, DSWD, Department of Trade and Industry, Technical Education Skills Development Authority, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of the Interior and Local Government, OCD, and the local government unit of Basey.

Adelaida Rapales, 55, one of the recipients of financial assistance from the DSWD, thanked the government for holding the service caravan in their area.

“I will use (the cash aid) to buy food and support the studies of my three children who are in senior high school and elementary,” she added.

Aside from the distribution of cash assistance, residents from the three sub-village in Mabini and Manlilinao also benefited from the medical services. The OCD also distributed 310 hygiene kits.

“I am thankful because we no longer need to go to the town center to have my child checked by doctors,” said Perly Gadaingan, 33, while carrying her baby suffering from flu for the past days.

Basey Mayor Luz Chu-Ponferrada said the caravan is a manifestation of the national government’s care for the people.

“No matter how far your place is, our government is here to help you whenever you need assistance, to provide social and health services that you need,” Ponferrada said.

Basey is one of the towns in Eastern Visayas identified as a priority for the RCSP.

The RCSP teams seek to identify issues and concerns in remote communities threatened by the NPA.

These issues will be raised to the concerned government agencies and LGUs for them to be addressed accordingly.

The Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)