The Army's 3 rd Infantry Division and Rotary Clubs of Rotary International District 3850 are distributing 70 bicycles to marginalized families in the hinterlands of Escalante and Kabankalan in Negros Occidental, and in provinces of Antique and Capiz, for livelihood use or for going to school, its spokesman Major Enrico Gil Ileto said.

Ileto said the bike donation is under the program of the Rotarian's “ Edukasyon at Kabuhayan Para Sa Kapayapaan”, intended to benefit families in conflict-affected communities who need most alternative and cheap transportation.

Of the 70 bicycles, 24 have been set aside for Negros Occidental, and 46 are earmarked for distribution in Antique and Capiz.

The bicycles, aside from the 32 allocated to Mindanao, were donated by the 10 Rotary Clubs in Muntinlupa.

Dubbed the “Bikes for Peace”, they were shipped through BRP Bacolod City, a logistics support vessel of the Philippines, that recently docked at the port of Iloilo.

The 3ID and RI3850 had signed a “Manifesto for Peace” during its District-wide meeting in Iloilo City recently.

Ileto said it was during the Rotary Peace Festival that the Armed Forces of the Philippines, through its Peace Process Office headed by Brig. Gen. Leo Cresente Ferrer and Major General Jose Mabanta, made their commitment to transport the bikes using military assets.*GPB

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