Sultan Kudarat Province News February 2012

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Tentorio kin closely monitors murder case

by John Unson


COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Relatives of slain Italian priest Fausto Tentorio are monitoring all developments in the government’s effort to prosecute the killers.

Tentorio, who belong to the Pontifical Institute of Foreign Mission, was gunned down Oct. 17, 2011 while about to board his vehicle in North Cotabato’s Arakan town. He was on his way to a meeting of priests at the Bishop’s Palace in Kidapawan City.

A compatriot of Tentorio, Fr. Peter Geremiah, who is involved in various humanitarian projects in the adjoining provinces of Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato, said Tentorio’s family in Italy are aware that the government is now in custody of the priest's confessed killer, Jimmy Ato, and that he and his three accomplices have been charged with murder.

“They are observing all development pertaining to the case of Fr. Fausto,” Geremiah told reporters.”We keep them abreast on all issues pertaining to the case.”

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed last week at the provincial prosecutor’s office in Kidapawan City the criminal charges against Ato, his younger sibling named Roberto, and two others, Sultan Sampulna and Dima Maligudan Sampulna. The three suspects remain at large.

Geremiah said even the Italian embassy in Manila has persistently been asking for updates on the murder of Tentorio.

“We have long expected the filing of criminal cases against the alleged culprits,” Geremiah said.

The priest said they are, however, “confused” on why the two alleged plotters of the Tentorio murder, Arakan-based entrepreneur-politician William Buenaflor and Chief Inspector Benjamin Rioflorido, who was at the helm of the town’s municipal police command at the time the priest was killed, have both been “delisted” from the complaint sheet that the NBI filed at the prosecutor’s office.

Buenaflor and Rioflorido were both tagged by Ato as among the brains in the murder of Tentorio in a sworn statement.

Ato stated in an affidavit that Buenaflor and Rioflorido were present in several meetings where they planned to kill Tentorio.

“But their names were not included in the list. The NBI agents and the `Task Force Fausto’ told me that their next move is to file murder charges against these personalities,” said Geremiah.

The task force is a special interim investigating body comprised of officers from the Region 12 police office in Gen. Santos City.

Tentorio was to leave their convent for Kidapawan City when Ato approached him, pulled out a 9MM pistol and shot the priest 10 times in different parts of the body.

Lawyer Virgilio Mendez, deputy director for regional operations of NBI’s office in Region 10, earlier said they have sufficient evidence linking the four suspects to the murder of Tentorio.

Environmentalist

Tentorio was critical about the encroachment of capitalists attempting to venture into various profit-oriented projects in supposedly protected ancestral domains of hinterland tribes in Arakan and surrounding towns located at the foot of Mt. Apo.

He gained popularity for his activities, which are meant to generate awareness among tribal communities to protect all natural resources --- forests, rivers and strategic minerals --- that can be found inside tribal enclaves “moneyed outsiders” are interested in.

So popular was the murdered Italian priest that thousands joined the burial march when he was laid to rest at the compound of the Bishop’s residence in Kidapawan City, beside the grave of a slain compatriot, Fr. Tulio Favali.

Favali was murdered by drunken militiamen, led by siblings Norberto and Edilberto Manero, in Barangay La Esperanza in Tulunan, North Cotabato in the late 1980s.





‘Eco-tourism highway’ eyed in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat

by (PNA)

FFC/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 24 (PNA) -- In a bid to enhance their environmental protection and conservation initiatives, the local governments of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat are jointly pushing for the development of an “eco-tourism highway” within the critical watershed of a major river traversing the area.

South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy Jr. said they have launched a joint study to look into the viability of developing portions of the Allah River’s watershed within the two provinces into ecological and cultural tourism sites.

He said they have tapped the Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance (AVLADA), an environmental body comprising 11 local governments in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces traversed by the Allah River, to spearhead the project.

“We’re looking at developing the existing resorts in the area into eco and cultural tourism havens and later tap them to lead the implementation of protection and conservation initiatives within the watershed areas,” Pingoy said.

The governor earlier joined a tour of several resorts within the proposed “eco-tourism highway,” which was considered to cover the municipalities of Lake Sebu, T’boli, Surallah and Sto. Nino in South Cotabato and Esperanza, Bagumbayan and Isulan in Sultan Kudarat.

Pingoy said the resorts they’ve visited have high potentials of becoming top eco-tourism destinations if properly developed.

“But based on initial estimates, we will need around P40 million to pursue this (eco-tourism highway),” he said.

The governor said they are planning to seek possible financial grants from local and international development institutions for the project’s funding and implementation.

He said they initially sought assistance from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), which recently approved a grant of P6.3 million to AVLADA through the Local Government Support Program-Local Economic Development (LGSP-LED).

The project mainly aims to develop eco-tourism as a major economic driver and eventually stimulate economic growth through the generation of eco-tourism related business and job opportunities, an AVLADA briefer said.

AVLADA, which is a recipient of the Galing Pook Awards in 2009, was established as an offshoot of a major flashflood that hit Allah River on September 6, 1995, which left 53 people dead and devastated millions worth of infrastructure, agricultural crops and properties.

Allah River, considered as one of the biggest river systems in southern and central Mindanao, traverses the provinces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces and drains towards Liguasan Marsh, the Rio Grande de Mindanao and eventually the Moro Gulf.

Based on AVLADA’s records, at least 67 barangays traversed by the Allah River and twin tributary Banga River were exposed to various risks due to flooding problems.

AVLADA’s programs and strategies include capability and institution building, information and education campaign, remote sensing – GIS Mapping, community mapping for barangay development, riparian zone re-vegetation, rainforestation and upstream resource management and sub-watershed adoption and forestland co-management.






Massacre trial hears cop, with limitations

by Angela Lopez de Leon


Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 yesterday allowed Senior Supt. Pedro Austria Jr. to testify but asked prosecution to refrain from asking about the evidence at the massacre site in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao.

Reyes, in her ruling, pointed out that the evidence "post facto" is the subject matter of a "petition for certiorari" filed by the counsel of Andal Ampatuan Sr. and Andal Ampatuan Jr. before the Court of Appeals.

Austria was then commander of CIDG-Region 12.

Prima Quinsayas, a member of the prosecution panel, on direct examination asked Austria about his part in the investigation.

Austria replied that on Nov. 23, 2009, he received a call from Chief Supt. Josefino Cataluña, Police Regional Office 12 director, to report to the Regional Director’s Headquarters in General Santos City and coordinate with Chief Supt. Felicisimo Khu.

Austria said Khu ordered him to proceed to Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat, where a convoy led them to the ambush site.

He told the court that he assigned Senior Inspectors Francis Sonza, Teody Condeza and Serafin Acupan as head of team Alpha, Bravo and Charlie that will assist in the investigation.

Austria noted that on Dec. 5, 2009, Khu ordered him to execute a search warrant on the warehouse owned by the Ampatuan clan.

The hearing ended early due to lack of prosecution witnesses. –






One dead in flashflood in Mindanao

by philstar.com


COTABATO, Philippines (Xinhua) - Flashflood triggered by continual rain left one dead and displaced nearly 30,000 people in the southern Philippines, local officials said today.

In the township of Glan in Sarangani province, five members of a family were swept away by flood water yesterday afternoon, killing Ening Padayag, 37.

Senior police officer Danilo Abataya of the police station in Glan said the victim's husband and three kids survived the tragedy.

"They were crossing a dry creek going home when the water suddenly rose and swept them away," Abayata said.

In the township of Lambayong in the province of Sultan Kudarat, assistant regional director for social welfare and development Gemma Rivera said around 2,000 families or 10,000 people from low lying villages had been affected by flooding since Sunday.

Disaster officials said 14,063 residents or about 2,879 families in 13 villages in the provinces of Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Norte were affected by flooding.






Local government moves to contain black bug infestation

by Louie O. Pacardo


TACURONG CITY, SULTAN KUDARAT -- The municipal agriculture office of Kabacan, North Cotabato, is working at saving three rice villages from rice black bug (scotinophara coarctata) infestation.

Dominador M. Bisnar, Jr., municipal seed inspector, told media that the local government is monitoring barangays Osias, Upper Paatan and Kayaga in Kabacan that suffered from the infestation.

Mr. Bisnar said the affected areas -- with 10,000 hectares of rice fields -- are within the seed production area of the municipality.

An ocular inspection had been conducted last week by the municipal agriculture office to assess the extent of infestation. Result of the assessment with recommendations for containment measures is expected this week.

A black bug attack causes the rice plant’s leaves to turn reddish brown, grains become half-empty resulting in crop loss.

Current productions indicate up to 30% output reduction if the black bugs infestation is not contained.

Palay farm productivity in the area ranges from three to four tons per hectare per cropping.

Kabacan is known as North Cotabato’s rice production center.

Earlier, the Department of Agriculture’s regional office also warned farmers of a new rice bug locally called as tiangaw (leptocoriza oryzae) that attacks plants by eating the grain.

Tiangaw, local agriculture officials said, could damage up to 70% of the output if uncontrolled.

Agricultural scientists recommend the following to control rice black bug infestation:

• planting of rice using direct seeding method;

• avoiding planting of fancy rice varieties as it is most favored by the pests;

• practicing intermittent irrigation; and

• mass collection of bugs by farmers in exchange for an incentive.

The local agriculture office is asking the farmers from the affected villages to help monitor the infestation and immediately report changes in the rice plants’ health.





Police: Grenade found at rice mill in Mindanao

by mypinoyshows.com


KIDAPAWAN CITY — Authorities recovered a fragmentation grenade inside a rice mill in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, police reports said.

The explosive, an M26 hand fragmentation grenade, was discovered inside a rice mill owned by Beverly Digal of Purok Kabugwason, Barangay Kalawag-Uno in Tacurong City.

Senior Inspector Jojet Ferrer, intelligence officer of the Tacurong City police, said the grenade was found at the back of a Nissan pickup truck (LCW 553) owned by a certain Rodrigo Rubin.

The vehicle was parked near Digal’s rice mill.

Elements of the Explosives and Ordnance Disposal Team rendered safe the explosive.

Police are investigating the motive and the people behind the incident. — Malu Manar /LBG, GMA News





1 dead, 2 hurt as truck rollovers in Maguindanao

by John Unson


MAGUINDANAO, Philippines – A driver was killed while his two helpers were badly injured when a wayward 10-wheeler truck plunged into a 40-foot ravine along an accident prone stretch of the Cotabato-Davao Highway in Sultan Kudarat town here Monday afternoon.

Investigators of the Sultan Kudarat municipal police said the driver losts control while maneuvering a downhill curve when one of the vehicle’s front tires exploded causing it to wiggle towards the right side of the highway.

Investigators are still looking into the possibility that the truck, owned by a Chinese trader based in Cotabato City, could have been overloaded and that it was the brakes that malfunctioned while gaining momentum while on it descent towards the bridge.

The truck first rammed and totally wrecked a parked motorcycle before it fell from the highway around 4 p.m.

There have been more than a dozen accidents in the same stretch of the highway in the past three years, according to the local police.

The two truck helpers that survived the crash were rush by responding policemen and barangay officials to a hospital in Cotabato City.

The driver of the ill-fate truck was killed on the spot, his body mangled beyond recognition since the left side of its crew cab hit the concrete railing of the bridge first before it plunged 40 feet down.





Police e-blotter in Region 12

by Ali G. Macabalang


TACURONG CITY, Philippines – The Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 launched last week the region-wide rollout of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP’s) computerized crime incident reporting system or the e-blotter. Chief Supt. Benjardi Mantele, Region 12 police director, said Friday they started deploying the e-blotter software in various police stations and offices as part of the full implementation of the new system in the region. Region 12 (SouthCentral Mindanao) covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato, and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato. “The installation and testing (of the e-blotter software) in our field police stations are presently ongoing and we’re expecting the full use of this system… before the end of the month,“ Mantele said. Mantele and other top police officials in the region initially launched the e-blotter system in simple rites at the PRO 12 headquarters in General Santos City last Wednesday.






Maternal mortality still an issue: UN

by Kim Arveen M. Patria


THE UNITED Nations (UN) urged more local government initiatives to reduce the country’s maternal mortality ratio, citing as an example a birth clinic project in a Mindanao. On Friday, the UN identified a maternal health program in Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat as one of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) champion projects for providing pregnant women with regular medical checkups and assistance in treatment and child delivery.

Other projects noted were an organic fertilizer program in Llanera, Nueva Ecija and a mung bean promotion project in San Mateo, Isabela.

In an interview on the sidelines of the event, UN resident coordinator Jacqueline Badcock said the country is "struggling" in achieving the MDG of reducing the maternal mortality ratio by three-fourths in 2015 from its 1990 level.

The UN Development Program (UNDP) said in its latest MDG Progress Report in 2010 that while maternal mortality ratio has been on the decline since 1993, "the rate of change is relatively low."

"This might be attributed to the fact that a significant proportion of births were still delivered at home and attended to, not by skilled health professionals but, by the so-called hilots, especially in areas where health facilities with services of skilled health professionals are inaccessible," the UNDP said in its report.

Ms. Badcock said local initiatives similar to the Sultan Kudarat maternal health clinics may be the "biggest factor in reducing maternal mortality."

"If more municipalities would support women to give birth safely, I think we could do a lot to bring down the maternal mortality rate," she said.

Asked about the possible contribution of the reproductive health bill pending in Congress, Ms. Badcock said: "The important part about the legislation is the extra support it will give to mothers giving birth. That’s the main issue for the UN. We want mothers to give birth in safe environments."

Ms. Badcock, however, was upbeat about the country’s progress in achieving other MDGs.

"[There has been] quite a lot of good work on child mortality rates coming down. There have been progress on the gender markers, some movement on poverty... and there’s a lot of effort going into education," Ms. Badcock told BusinessWorld.

The MDGs are areas for development for which the international community has set 2015 as a deadline. These include poverty and hunger, universal primary education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, environmental sustainability and global partnerships for development.

Sophie De Caen, executive director of the MDG Achievement Fund Secretariat said: "The Philippines is advancing well on child mortality and access to sanitation and water but there is still a lot of work to be done on the education front and on poverty reduction."

Ms. De Caen added that she hopes the MDG Achievement Fund programs will help address some of the problems, "particularly those that are resulting in increased employment."

"[I] really think the MDG [Achievement Fund] is here to be an incentive and to give the seed funding for these various joint programs and then for those to be replicated either by the government or with the help of the other donors that are here," Ms. De Caen said, adding that the aid is set to close in 2013.

The fund, provided by the Spanish government in 2006, provides over $23 million to four MDG programs in the country: youth, migration and employment; access to water; food security and nutrition for children; and climate change adaptation.

Meanwhile, President Benigno S. C. Aquino III said the government is exerting more effort on poverty reduction, education and maternal health, citing as an example the increase in the budget for the Conditional Cash Transfer program.

"This means that more Filipino children will attend school, that more children and expecting mothers will receive regular medical checkups, and ultimately, that more families will receive cash grants to help them with their everyday expenses," Mr. Aquino said in a speech read by Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga, Jr.

The Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda and the Universal Health Care program, both under the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016, are also expected to contribute to MDG achievement.






NIA turns over irrigation project in Sultan Kudarat

by goldstardailynews.com


TACURONG City--Rice production in Sultan Kudarat is expected to increase after the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) turned over to the irrigators association in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat the Alip-Lumaga communal irrigation system that covers a service area of 608 hectares in the Poblacion. Sultan Kudarat Irrigation Management Office Manager Ali Satol said during the turn over rites Monday that the Alip- Lumaga Communal Irrigation System (CIS) is the third project in Columbio that the NIA has turned over to irrigators association. The other two were the Dalol CIS and Maligaya CIS. Satol said three more projects are in the pipeline for this year in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat's leading rice producing town.

Satol lauded Columbio Mayor Datu Amir Musali for the assistance extended to NIA and the irrigators association. NIA-12 Regional Manager Modesto Tolentino said the success of the project was due to a tripartite conference involving the local government units, the NIA and the irrigators association. He also lauded the assistance extended by the Department of Agriculture regional office 12. Tolentino challenged the irrigators association and other project beneficiaries to "own it" so that they can help in the maintenance and operation of the irrigation system. "This is clearly a concrete example of how government works for the benefits of the agricultural sector in the countryside," Tolentino said. PNA






Canadian firm, Columbio town to put up coffee plant

by MANUEL T. CAYON / REPORTER


DAVAO CITY­—A Canadian firm is set to develop the country’s coffee business with a P1-billion investment plan to establish one of the major coffee complexes in Columbio town in Sultan Kudarat.

The coffee complex would be funded by the Canadian firm Rocky Mountain Arabica Coffee Corp. (RMACC), which entered into an agreement for a still- undisclosed amount for the establishment of the complex with the municipal government and the Columbio Municipal Employees Cooperative, according to the Department of Agriculture-Regional Agricultural and Fisheries Information Division (DA-Rafid).

 The coffee complex would be the biggest project in the municipality this year, said Columbio Mayor Amirh M. Musali.

Musali, RMACC President Pierre Yves Cote and Cecilio C. Mejia, president of the employees cooperative, signed the tripartite joint agreement on the coffee-production project on January 30.

RMACC was developing complexes and coffee-production areas in Baguio and Cagayan de Oro, and was reported to be investing P1 billion to develop the industry in the country.

DA Regional Director Amalia Jayag-Datukan said the Davao region was the No. 1 coffee producer in the country last year, producing 28,502.96 metric tons, with Sultan  Kudarat the largest producer among the other Cotabato provinces.

“We need to bring Sultan Kudarat, particularly the municipality of Columbio, to reach the global market. If we have our brand name known in the Philippines and in the world, then we have a good chance of making it,” she said.

Datukan turned over assorted fruit and vegetable seedlings, including farm machinery and facilities, to the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion, intended for its units that maintain barangay defense systems in the localities.

Total donation was valued at P1.695 million. 

“This amount was granted to the Philippine Army under the AgriPinoy High-Value Crops Development Program,” she said.

Projects could be availed of through project proposal,” Datukan said. 

The donation consisted of 12 kilograms of vegetable seeds from the DA research outreach stations (ROS); 15,000 pieces of assorted fruits from the DA Balindog ROS; and 10,000 cacao seedlings from the Amas-CEMIARC ROS.

The donated equipment included one small farm equipment, 11 sets of farm implements, 22 pieces of plastic water drums, 2,000 meter of pipes, 22 sprayers, one nursery rehabilitation, and four draft animals.

Army First Lt. Maria Leviste said the beneficiaries of these farm equipment and seedlings were members of the barangay defense system in Columbio.






NIA officials turn over irrigation project in Sultan Kudarat

by (PNA)

FFC/NYP/EOF


TACURONG CITY, Feb. 8 (PNA) - Rice production in Sultan Kudarat is expected to increase after the the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) turned over to the irrigators association in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat the Alip-Lumaga communal irrigation system that covers a service area of 608 hectares in the Poblacion.

Sultan Kudarat Irrigation Management Office Manager Ali Satol said during the turn over rites Monday that the Alip-Lumaga Communal Irrigation System (CIS) is the third project in Columbio that the NIA has turned over to irrigators association. The other two were the Dalol CIS and Maligaya CIS.

Satol said three more projects are in the pipeline for this year in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat's leading rice producing town.

Satol lauded Columbio Mayor Datu Amir Musali for the assistance extended to NIA and the irrigators association.

NIA-12 Regional Manager Modesto Tolentino said the success of the project was due to a tripartite conference involving the local government units, the NIA and the irrigators association.

He also lauded the assistance extended by the Department of Agriculture regional office 12.

Tolentino challenged the irrigators association and other project beneficiaries to "own it" so that they will help in the maintenance and operation of the irrigation system.

"This is clearly a concrete example of how government works for the benefits of the agricultural sector in the countryside," Tolentino said.





Village peacekeepers in Sultan Kudarat get P1.7 M assistance from DA

by Dani Doguiles


KORONADAL CITY, Feb. 7 (PIA) -- Around 1,869 members of the barangay defense system in Columbio Sultan Kudarat recently received livelihood assistance from the Department of Agriculture -12 (DA-12) amounting to almost P1.7 million.

Last week, the DA 12 Regional Executive Director Amalia Jayag-Datukan handed assorted fruit and vegetable seedlings, seeds, farm machineries and facilities -- amounting to P1,695,000 -- to the 27th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.

“This was granted to the Philippine Army under the AgriPinoy High Value Crops Development Program. Projects can be availed here through project proposal,” Datukan said.

Included in the livelihood package were 25 kg of vegetable seeds, 15,000 seedlings of assorted fruits, 10,000 seedlings of cacao, 1 unit of farm equipment, 11 sets of farm tools, 22 plastic drums, 2,000 meters of pipes, 22 sprayers, 1 nursery and 4 draft animals.

Lt. Maria Jessica Leviste, civil military officer of the 27th IB , said the beneficiaries of the livelihood assistance include around 3,000 members of the barangay defense system in Columbio.

These , she said are residents of 11 barangays, most of these situated along the town’s boundaries with Matanao and Magsaysay towns in Davao del Sur and Tampakan town in South Cotabato that have been identifies as New People’s Army-influenced villages.

In an earlier interview, Lt. Col. Alexis Noel Bravo said these villagers have organized themselves into barangay defense systems following the efforts to the Philippine Army in line with their peace and development outreach projects in the area. These barangay defense systems, Lt. Col. Bravo said, have helped the military in maintaining peace and order in their respective barangays.

Lt. Leviste explained that after conducting several community organizing activities in the area, they have decided to extend their help to the members of the barangay defense system by providing them with alternative livelihood that where they could also gain income for their families.

Thus, around the third quarter of last year, the 27th IB, in collaboration with the local government unit led by Mayor Amirh Musali, and the Municipal Agriculture Office submitted a proposal to DA for the livelihood to the local peacekeepers, which Director Jayag-Datukan immediately approved.

The hand-over ceremony was held in time with the inauguration of Columbio town’s public market and transport terminal and the signing of a memorandum of agreement between a local cooperative, LGU, and Rocky Mountain Arabica Coffee Corporation (RMACC) for the development of coffee industry in the municipality. (DEDoguiles/PIA 12)





Philhealth Fun Run “an overwhelming success”

by (DEDoguiles/PIA 12)


KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato Feb. 6 (PIA) -- “It was an overwhelming success,” says Dr. Miriam Cynthia Pamonag, Philhealth 12’s field operations chief, referring to the Philhealth Fun Run - The Mindanao Run for Hope held here yesterday morning.

Some 3,667 runners had registered for the 3K, 5K, 10, and 17K runs in Koronadal City. Hundreds more were allowed to join the fun run despite failure to register.

Philhealth 12 only aimed to gather 2,000 registered runners for the activity.

Among the runners are children, students, marathon runners, athletes, employees of government and private offices, and local government officials of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces.

Local officials were led by South Cotabato Governor Arthur Pingoy Jr. and Koronadal Mayor Peter Miguel who both took the three-kilometer run along with other councilors from Koronadal and Isulan town.

Also present were Mayors Efren Piñol of Magpet, North Cotabato; Romulo Solivio of Surallah, South Cotabato; and Diosdado Pallasigue of Isulan, SK.

The biggest contingent came from the 1002nd Brigade of the Philippine Army based in Malungon, Sarangani.

“Beyond the number of participants we are more elated by the fact the people enjoyed the activity,” Dr. Pamonag said.

“They are happy because they know that they ran not only to have fun but also to save lives of children suffering from cancer,” she added.

Part of the proceeds of the fun run will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Center and Blood Diseases Unit of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).

SPMC, located in Davao City, is the largest tertiary hospital in Mindanao and the only hospital facility in the island that can deliver multidisciplinary care for children with cancer.

The Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth situated in Tupi, South Cotabato will also receive donations from the proceeds of the fun run.

RRCY is being managed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development -12 (DSWD). It is a residential facility for children and youth in need of interventions such as children in conflict with law and those who are victims of abuse, drugs, and those in similar situations.

Philhealth 12’s Regional Vice President Ramon Aristoza Jr., said, besides raising funds for SPMC’s cancer and blood diseases unit, the activity was also geared to promote running as an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

“We believe that in this effort, we need to involve the private sector under the concept of corporate social responsibility,” he said.

For the fun run in Koronadal Philhealth was assisted by several sponsors including ABS-CBN, Dole Philippines, All Card Plastics Philippines, Nature’s Spring, Rite Med, Smart Communication, KCCFI - a cooperative based in Zamboanga City, Ace Centerpoint, St. Elizabeth Hospital of Gensan and many others.

Philhealth also got support from professional basketball star Kenneth “Captain Marbel” Duremdes” who stood as Philhealth 12’s poster model for the activity.

Philhealth Fun Run – The Mindanao Run for Hope was simultaneously conducted in six cities: Koronadal, Butuan, Cagayan de oro, Marawi, Zamboanga, and Davao.






SSS Tacurong Sultan Kudarat Branch and Office Hotline

by zambotimes.com/


The SSS Tacurong City Sultant Kudarat branch are currently sharing the overall details together with thier address and contact numbers handed below.

The Social Security Services Philippines may leads in your very own assistance associated for your needs and benefits such as to produce an online inquiry for contribution, benefits,loan application, downloadable forms inquiries, benefits, remittance, SSS ID application, member participations, exactly how continue paying your SSS contribution,loans, static data, SSS ID application, forms inquireis, online account registration and in the near future.






DSWD-12 eyes more livelihood aid for 4Ps beneficiaries

by zambotimes.com/


GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region plans to create more livelihood opportunities this year for beneficiaries of the national government’s conditional cash transfer program in the area to eventually make them “self-sufficient.” Bai Zorahayda Taha, DSWD Region 12 director, said they are currently drawing up some viable livelihood projects that would offer stable income opportunities for around 148,000 “poorest of the poor” households in the region that have so far benefited from the initiative, which is also known as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps. She said the move mainly aims to make the 4Ps beneficiaries in the region become productive and self-reliant once they complete the program’s three-year cycle. Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato. Taha said they saw the need to integrate the livelihood component into the program following a survey last year that showed nearly 70 percent of their beneficiaries in the first two phases as still on the “survival” mode despite availing of the cash grants. In their 2011 annual report, the official noted that out of the 17,189 households covered by their social welfare indicator or SWI survey last year, 12,508 or 68.48 percent of them remained on the first or survival level. “Those households will be the focus of the case management to be conducted by the (program’s) municipal links where possible interventions could be drawn to help improve their well-being,” the official said. A total of 4,658 households or 29.66 percent reached the second level or subsistence stage while only four beneficiaries or 0.02 percent managed to become self-sufficient or reached the third level, she said. Taha said the survey covered the first two sets of beneficiaries that were enlisted in the municipalities of Senator Ninoy Aquino in Sultan Kudarat; Maasim and Malapatan in Sarangani; and, Lake Sebu and T’boli in South Cotabato. She said the areas covered by the survey were considered as the pilot areas in the region for the government’s three-pronged anti-poverty convergence strategy, which also includes the Kalahi-CIDSS and the SEA-K programs. Kalahi-CIDSS stands for Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services and SEA-K for livelihood program Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran. Taha said they will conduct another round of the SWI survey this year to monitor the changes in the socio-economic status of the 4Ps household-beneficiaries. “The overall impact of the three core programs of the department shall be determined, whether the cash grants as well as other interventions of both the program and its staff augmented the well-being of the beneficiaries,” she added. 4Ps is a poverty reduction and social development strategy of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to “poorest of the poor” households to improve their health, nutrition and education, particularly of children aged 0-14 years. The program provides beneficiaries cash grants of P500 a month for health and nutrition expenses and P300 a month per child for educational expenses. A household with three qualified children could get P1,400 monthly. (PNA) DCT/FFC/AVE

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