Soldier-teachers turn 230 Zamboanga villagers literate

SIRAWAI, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines - Through the Army Literacy Patrol System (ALPS), troopers of the Army’s 44th Infantry Battalion based in this Muslim-populated coastal town have transformed at least 230 out-of-school youths and young adults in several mountain school-less villages in Zamboanga del Norte (ZaNorte) into functionally literate persons.

Lt. Col Alex Rillera, 44th IB commander, said soldiers who are graduates of or have completed some units in education courses serve as teachers to provide basic literacy education to villagers who, due to far distance of their homes from public elementary schools, have never entered a classroom in their lifetime.

Rillera, an Ilocano from La Union, said the six-month literacy course is focused on Reading, ‘Riting, and “Rithmetic (or the so-called Three R’s) and livelihood skills to enable the learners become more useful, more productive and more law-abiding citizens of their community.

He explained that soldiers, as major part of their civil military operations, have to undertake not only combat activities but also worthwhile humanitarian endeavors such as the ALPS in the wake of growing problem of illiteracy and ignorance among less fortunate Filipinos living in far-flung communities without public schools.

Among the remote areas the 44th IB recently completed its ALPS program, Rillera said, included the barangays of Catuyan and Bitugan in Sirawai where it graduated 60 learners; barangays Santo Nino and Puliran in Sibuco with 95 graduates, and Sitio Santa Maria in Siocon and barangay New Salvacion in Labason with 75 completers.

All the ALPS finishers - mostly Muslims and native Subanons — were given by the 44th IB free ALPS T-Shirts and assorted foodstuff such as rice, canned goods and noodles as a reward for their effort in turning themselves into functionally literates.

The Army officer expressed confidence that with their knowledge in basic literacy education and livelihood skills, the ALPS-trained villagers would be able to strongly contribute to the maintenance of peace and order in their respective areas.

Rillera pledged to continue the Army’s ALPS program until all remote school-less barangays and sitios in southwestern ZaNorte will have been fully served even as he thanked all municipal and barangay leaders in assisting the soldiers in their mission to spread basic literacy among local no-read-no-write residents.