PNP, citizen Aris turn over

25th Libreng balay in Dauis

CATARMAN DAUIS, Bohol, July 25 (PIA)—Officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) along with citizen Erico Aristotle Aumentado led the turn-over of a two bedroom simple abode in place of the crumbling house of the Ciruela family, here in Catarman, July 25.

The new concrete walled two bedroom house installed with glass jalousie windows for a family of 6, id the 25th free house which the PNP and the community jointly built as a motivation for being law abiding Boholanos (LAB).

This too is the 18th house which the Aumentados: Aristotle and wife Congresswoman Vanessa personally funded from their pockets, the donation course through the police program of the Administration of PColonel Lorenzo Alfeche Batuan (LAB) called Libreng Alagad ug Balay (LAB).

Police provincial director Lorenzo Batuan, Police Lieutenant Colonel and Community Affairs and Development Unit head of Camp Dagohoy Norman Nuez, Dauis Police Chief Rogelio Baluran, Catarman Chairman Dondon Bulalas and the community with the project main donor Aumentado, handed the symbolic key and handed out piack packs to the barangay volunteers who helped in completing the house building.

”Here, LAB entails giving out free houses for poor barangay residents without any capacity to rebuild their own houses, this includes free labor, as long as they have proven to be deserving residents who have manifested their observance to law and helpful in keeping the peace and order in the community,” explains Police Coronel Lorenzo Batuan.

Here, police pool resources from successful businessmen, donations from well-meaning citizens, police pooled resources and other sources.

“If we rely on the police donations, we could hardly give out one unit in a month with the houses costing from P70K onwards depending on the availability of pooled goods,” the soft-spoken top official added.

Adopted as a sort of legacy for the leadership of Batuan, LAB also allows police patrol teams to help pick potential beneficiary families who need houses to live independently.

“The idea of giving out free houses for those in need was a long time plan we envisioned and started implementing with Congresswoman Vanvan under Balay sa Paglaum Program, but soon we found out that people might accuse us of politicking,” shared Aumentado who was elected governor of Bohol in 2022.

From then on, seeing the sincerity of the police organization in implementing their LAB, the Aumentados funneled their Balay sa Paglaum funds to the police projects.

“Here in Dauis, small police patrols allow our men to get the feel of the people and immerses them in the community to see who can be given decent shelters following the LAB concept,” Police Lieutenant Rogelio Baluran said.

Picking the Ciruela family however was rather circuitous.

A Ciruela son who studies at the nearby Mayacabac Elementary School is also getting help from his adviser teacher Grace Cabagnot.

The teacher often saves the boy from school contributions, knowing the family’s financial constraints.

Cabagnot, also happens to be friends with Police Lieutenant Elsa Sumaoy and Police officer Palban of the Dauis Police Station, thought that the police could help the family with the free house.

“They came to know about our situation through my son, 10 year-old Lee Carlo, who is studying under Maam Grace Cabagnot,” shares Leslie, fidgety while the police officers started arriving for the house turn-over ceremonies.

Living with her four kids in a crumbling wooden and bamboo slatted house, Leslie has to singlehandedly work and tend to the kids, prepare for their food and do odd jobs just to bring food to the table.

Her husband is currently serving jail term for homicide, and when the kids getting a little too messy, fewer job calls would be her most depressing time.

“For once, we had a chance to rejoin my family in Ayungon, Negros Oriental for a reunion, the idea of just relocating there was so tempting,” Leslie said.

At that same time too, she received a call from the Dauis Police Station, telling her she could be a beneficiary of the station’s free house building including materials and labor.

Thinking it was just too good to be true, Leslie could not believe it when one day, the Barangay councilors and tanods with Chairman Dondon Dulalas along with Police Senior Master Sergeant Remigio Acedo and a team of police volunteers came with the materials to start building the new house.

Sir Acedo was exceptional, he was an able foreman and he was so hardworking that our barangay volunteers had to keep up, she noted.

After three weekend volunteer work, the Ciruelas now have a home they can call their own.

Thank you very much, PNP Dauis, Maas Cabagnot, Maam Sumaoy and Maam Palban and Chairman Dondon and the kagawads and tanods, now we have one less problem to face, she said.

Asked if she is still interested in relocating, Leslie bared that with the house and with better working conditions here, considering that there is also this feeling of family among the people, the Ciruelas need not seek for more when they have LAB for her husband to come home to. (PIABohol)

IMMENSELY HAPPY, Leslie Ciruela 39 of Catarman shares her joy after getting a free house including free labor, from the PNP and private donors, something she attained even when her husband is still serving jail terms for homicide.

BETTER THAN PLAYING IN THE GROUND. Children from the Ciruela neighborhood also joined the owner’s excitements as they took to the floor, a much better playing surface than the dirty ground. This new house is a product of the wedding ofBalays a Paglaum and Libreng Alagad og Balay for families like Ciruelas.