From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 9): New Nolcom chief vows to prioritize campaign vs non-traditional security threats
Newly installed Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) chief Major General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. will prioritize campaign against "non-traditional security threats" such as climate change and illegal logging.
Catapang, during his briefing Monday with newsmen after formally assuming the top post as overall commander of the armed forces in North Luzon, said that as the country and the world face environmental degradation and severe climate change "we need the full support of the public in preserving our environment,"
"It is better to be friendly to the community than to create enemies to achieve this goal," he said.
Likewise, he vowed to make this sprawling camp an environment-friendly by planting fruit-bearing trees and boosting its vegetation programs, being the source of vegetable supply of the thousands of soldiers stationed here.
"We will further propagate the vegetables farming and the "Hardin ng Lunas" that have already started inside this camp," he said.
Catapang said he is eyeing a partnership between the military and communities in Ilocos,Cagayan Valley , Central Luzon , and Cordillera regions against "non-traditional security threats," naming them as climate change, transnational crimes, global terrorism, and maritime security.
"We need to strengthen our bayanihan against non-traditional security threats to continue the climate of peace and enrich economic development in the area," he said.
He said that as far as insurgency is concerned, most of the provinces in Regions 1 and 3 except Bulacan have been declared as peaceful and ready for development.
"The challenge lies in Regions 2 and the Cordillera. My target is for all provinces within the Nolcom area of responsibility to have such declaration before I step down," he added.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=542508
Newly installed Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) chief Major General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. will prioritize campaign against "non-traditional security threats" such as climate change and illegal logging.
Catapang, during his briefing Monday with newsmen after formally assuming the top post as overall commander of the armed forces in North Luzon, said that as the country and the world face environmental degradation and severe climate change "we need the full support of the public in preserving our environment,"
"It is better to be friendly to the community than to create enemies to achieve this goal," he said.
Likewise, he vowed to make this sprawling camp an environment-friendly by planting fruit-bearing trees and boosting its vegetation programs, being the source of vegetable supply of the thousands of soldiers stationed here.
"We will further propagate the vegetables farming and the "Hardin ng Lunas" that have already started inside this camp," he said.
Catapang said he is eyeing a partnership between the military and communities in Ilocos,
"We need to strengthen our bayanihan against non-traditional security threats to continue the climate of peace and enrich economic development in the area," he said.
He said that as far as insurgency is concerned, most of the provinces in Regions 1 and 3 except Bulacan have been declared as peaceful and ready for development.
"The challenge lies in Regions 2 and the Cordillera. My target is for all provinces within the Nolcom area of responsibility to have such declaration before I step down," he added.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=542508