FOR the first time in Philippine National Police (PNP) history, members of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) this week helped harvest rice crops they planted in a hidden farm in Quezon City.

NCRPO director, Major General Vicente D. Danao Jr. said their rice-planting activity in Sitio Bakal in Bgy. Bagong Silangan, Q.C. is part of their effort to help poor farmers in the area recover from the economic problems brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

NCRPO got the idea from the well-known quote of Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism, which goes: “Give man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

This time, instead of merely providing residents of Sitio Bakal basic goods which will feed them for a day or two, the Metro Manila police force is seeing to it that they will be able to continue their farming activities which will feed them and their families for a long time.

Danao said this is part of their Palayanihan or rice-planting program which they launched this year in remaining urban farms in the metropolis.

The program is being supervised by the NCRPO Regional Community Affairs and Development Division headed by Colonel Julius C. Suriben, the Regional Mobile Force Battalion under Col. Lambert A. Suerte, the Q.C. Police District headed by Brigadier Gen. Antonio C. Yarra and the NCRPO Presidential PNP Security Force Unit under Col. Maro Mayames.

Early morning Thursday, the NCRPO men helped residents led by Bgy. Bagong Silangan chairman Wilfredo Cara make their first rice harvest, nearly three months after they started the planting activity, or last August 20 to be exact.

“We have initiated this program in order to recognize the indispensable support of our farmers in providing food for the community and maintaining the peace and order in their locality,” Danao said.

The official said they will continue to help residents of far-flung areas in Metro Manila with their Simula ng Isang Bagong Oportunidad sa Lipunan (SIBOL) program and Barangayanihan Caravan which are all in line with President Duterte’s programs.

With the help of the Metro Manila policemen, the Q.C. farmers were also given a chance to spend quality time at home with their loved ones. Aside from assisting in the backbreaking work of planting rice, the NCRPO men provided food packs and health kits to around 500 families in the area.

The NCRPO also installed a water system to provide residents of Sitio Bangkal with clean water, under its NCRPO SIBOL “Well of Life” project.

PNP chief, General Dionardo B. Carlos commended the NCRPO for the program to help the residents of Sitio Bakal which is inhabited mostly by families of farmers who have relocated to the metropolis.

Apart from helping the local farmers plant and harvest rice, the NCRPO men have given them lectures on how to help prevent and fight criminality, specifically illegal drugs and terrorism.

The poor families have also been provided income-generating skills training to bolster their capability to earn for their families while waiting for the crops to grow.

The Sitio Bakal community thanked Danao and his men for finding time to reach out to them.

“Nakakataba po ng puso ang ipinaabot na pasasalamat ng ating mga kababayan sa Sitio Bakal, Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City.

Minabuti po talaga natin na puntahan ang nasabing Sitio sa kabila ng layo at hirap na kailangang daanan sanhi ng kawalan ng maayos na transportasyon upang kahit paano ay maibsan natin ang epekto ng pandemya sa mga magsasakang naninirahan doon at matugunan natin ang kanilang pangangailangan sa malinis na tubig at karagdagang pagkukunan ng kita habang naghihintay sa pagbunga ng kanilang mga pananim,” the NCRPO chief said.