A youth organization supported by the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 15 in Benguet has initiated a Zumba-for-a-cause event to help the families affected by the mudslides and flash floods in Banaue, Ifugao.

“May registration fee po na PHP50 tapos yung iba nagbigay ng additional tapos yung mga hindi nakasali sa Zumba, nagbigay din ng cash (There was a PHP50 registration fee and others gave additional amount and those who were not able to join donated money,” said Jeryl Jhean Colinio, chaiperson of the Baguio-Benguet chapter of the Youth Mobile Force (YMF), in a phone interview on Thursday.

The two-hour fundraising event dubbed “Oplan Sagip Kapamilya,” was held on July 19 at the multi-purpose gymnasium of the regional police office headquarters at Camp Major Bado Dangwa in La Trinidad.

She said they were able to raise P9,000 which was turned over to their YMF-Ifugao chapter on Wednesday, along with donated clothes and construction materials.

The donation was specifically meant to help the families of Jason Pinkihan; William Tucdaan; and Arthur Dirige whose houses were completely damaged by the mud and flash flood last July 7.

“If there are others who want to donate and course their donation to us, we will still accept. We are also being assisted by the mobile force battalion of the police in our activities,” said Colinio.

Colinio said the YMF is a group formed to encourage the youth against joining the terrorist New Peoples Army. The group was formed during the pandemic and is directly managed by the mobile force groups of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Cordillera.

She said the YMF youth group was organized as a counterpart of the Kabataan Kontra Droga at Terrorismo (KKDAT) of the provincial and municipal police stations in the Cordillera. (PNA)