Items filtered by date: September 2022

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 11, 2022) - Governor Rogelio "Ruel" D. Pacquiao, represented by Provincial Administrator Atty. Ryan Ramos, recognized the importance of the Philippine Navy Reservists during the Joint Opening Ceremony of the Marine Reservist Orientation Training (MROT) Class 01-22 and 02-22 and Disaster Emergency Response Training (DEART) Class 02-22 and 03-22 to the Philippine Navy Reservists of Sarangani Province.

In his message, the governor commended the Philippine Navy, Naval Reserve Command of Eastern Mindanao in capacitating our Reserve Force.

He acknowledged, "The MROT and DEART programs give flesh and blood to what is envisioned by our Constitution. Both are designed to inculcate patriotism, all while strengthening ethical and spiritual values."

The activity, which was held at the SPEU Gym at the Capitol Compound in Alabel, was conducted on September 9. It was attended by Commander Ronald Rey Labastida of the Naval Reserve Center- Eastern Mindanao (NRCen-EM), Course Director Lieutenant Romulo Mendoza, and other officials of the NRCen-EM.

A total of 84 trainees, 25 of which are employees of the Provincial Government of Sarangani, will undergo intensive lectures and exercises. As reservists, they will serve as force multipliers in the event of war, invasion, and rebellion. They will be trained to respond without hesitation during the conduct of relief and rescue during disaster, calamities and other emergencies. (Joana Grace Banting-Lapore/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

 Jake Narte

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (September 11, 2022) - The Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) of Sarangani conducted a planning workshop on the crafting of the Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA) 2022-2025 at Mount Sabrina, Gen. Santos City on September 8-9, 2022.

Present during the activity were the DILG Sarangani Province Outcome Manager/LGOO VII Annalyn Doceo, the Provincial Planning and Development Office led by Engr. Alain Alcala, Provincial Board Members, and Provincial Department Heads and Planning Officers.

Following the major steps of the ELA process, the department heads and planning officers presented their sectoral goals and objectives, sectoral strategies, programs, projects, activities (PPAs), and legislative requirements.

During the two-day workshop, Provincial Board Members Irish Louie D. Arnado, Jess Bascuña, Joseph M. Calanao, Dr. Jose Tranquilino L. Ruiz scrutinized the proposals of the different sectors.

Provincial Administrator Atty. Ryan Ramos challenged the different provincial units to anchor their PPAs on the Executive Agenda of Governor Rogelio "Ruel" D. Pacquiao which seek to bring public service closer to the people.

Board Members Russel C. Jamora, Ephraim P. Galzote, Rosemarie M. Sayo, Corazon S. Grafilo, Gwynn L. Singcoy, Arnold R. Abequibel, Evelyn P. Alegario, Umbra K. Pangolima and Rheymar P. Dian also joined the activity that fostered collaboration and coordination between the executive and legislative departments. (Joana Grace Banting-Lapore/ SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

 Mosler Paul Lapore

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 10, 2022) – Barangay Kawas' Jessa Moires bested 13 other finalists to emerge as Mutya ng Alabel 2022 on September 8 at the Alabel Municipal Grounds.

Her court includes Thena Jane Bacquiano of Barangay Pag-asa, who was named first runner up; Claire Bacordo of Barangay Ladol, second runner up; Karla Mae Revano of Barangay Alegria, third runner up; and Charlyn Custan of Datal Anggas, fourth runner up.

Congressman Steve Chiongbian Solon graced the event where he acknowledged the Local Government Unit of Alabel, headed by Mayor Vic Paul Salarda, and the rest of the municipal officials for their leadership, which led to continued development enjoyed and felt by their constituents.

In his speech, Mayor Salarda described the Mutya ng Alabel 2022 candidates as symbols of SMILE Alabel, saying that even in the midst of trials, there is still time for gratitude, joy, and love.

The Alabel Municipal Tourism Council and Kasadyaan Festival Executive Committee expressed their gratitude to the members of the police, military, fire fighters and members of the rescue and emergency personnel of their Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, whose efforts maintained the peace and order of the activity.

Moires is set to represent Alabel in the Pearl of Sarangani pageant during the province’s celebration of Munato Festival in November.

She will be competing against other representatives from the six other towns of Sarangani. (Joshua John S. Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

 ?Jake T. Narte

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (September 10, 2022) – The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office-Gender and Development (PSWDO-GAD) Unit conducted a women consultation activity on September 9 at the Horizon Suites.

This is to discuss various matters which were tackled during the Women’s Summit last August, which included the finalization and enhancement of issues and concerns pertaining to women’s welfare and rights.

The activity was participated in by 35 Municipal Women’s Council (MCW) officers and focal persons from all the towns in the province.

Marilyn Ballocanag, PSWDO-GAD focal person said, said "this is a follow-up activity of what we conducted last month during the women’s summit where several women presented their issues and concerns."

"Several recommendations and strategies in response to the presented concerns were also discussed," she added.

The activity, according to Ballocanag, is also one way of highlighting the participation of women in planning and decision-making in the province.

She disclosed that all the presented concerns will be considered and included in the planning and budgeting processes under the provincial GAD plan.

"Through this," Ballocanag said, "maa-uplift yung kanilang economic condition and their rights."

The participants also had a discussion regarding the accreditation and registration of the PWC in the province and in the Department of Labor and Employment.

"Importanteng ma-registser itong ating PWC para makilala tayo as one of the people’s organizations of the province and magiging beneficial ito sa mga kababaihan because they can easily acquire and access services in the province once they are registered or accredited," Ballocanag explained.

She also acknowledged the efforts and support of Governor Rogelio "Ruel" D. Pacquiao in including women among the top priorities under his administration. (Joshua John S. Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

? Sheila Mae Recamada & Joshua John Pantonial

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 10, 2022) – The Indigenous People (IP) from Alabel's 13 barangays gathered at the municipal grounds to celebrate the town's 9th IP Day on September 9.
 
Some IP professionals and achievers were honored for giving pride and for their  significant contributions to the IP community.
 
Vice Mayor Lente Salway Jr., thanked everyone who  was part in making the IP Day 2022 activities a success.
 
Mayor Vic Paul Salarda, Municipal Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Manuelo Mangalon and municipal tribal chieftain Fulong Virgelio Balco also joined the vice mayor.
 
National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) commissioner Princess Jennifer Limpayen Sibug-Las was present during the activity. She acknowledged the initiatives of the province headed by Governor Rogelio "Ruel" D. for "consistently adding value, highlighting, and providing opportunities to our IP community."
 
IP folk also showcased their talents during the Magten Ba-i na Fulong 2022, which is a cultural and talent contest participated in by men and women representing their respective barangays.
 
Provincial IPMR Fulong Benjamin Donato, Sarangani Indigenous Peoples Resiliency and Advancement (SIPRA) program manager Fulong Men Mark Tumandan, and Sarangani Provincial Tribal Council (SPTC) consultant Bong Fulong Mnga’we Banwe Fredo Basino also graced the event.
 

In accordance with the ordinance pushed by IPMR Mangalon in 2013, IP Day is celebrated in Alabel every September. (ALABEL INFORMATION OFFICE)

? Jake T. Narte

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 9, 2022) - After a two-year hiatus brought about by the pandemic, the Agri-Fishery Fair is back at Kasadyaan Festival where various activities for the town’s farmers and fisherfolk were observed.

The Agri-Fishery Fair booth competition was highlighted during the program, where the farmers and fisherfolks from the 13 barangays of Alabel set up booths to showcase and sell their respective local produce and products.

Giselle Gestupa, Municipal Agriculturist officer-in-charge, said the Local Government Unit of Alabel has allocated funds for the event and provided seed money amounting to P10,000 for each barangay.

"Dili lang ni efforts sa atong mga barangay officials, tungod pud ni sa collaboration sa atong mga farmer’s associations and organizations and also the private sector," said Gestupa.

Winners of the Agri-Fishery Fair booth competition take home P50,000 for the first prize, P35,000 for the second prize, P20,000 for the third prize, and a consolation prize of P5,000 for the non-winning entries.

Alongside the opening of the Agri-Fishery fair is the celebration of the town’s farmers and fisherfolk day.

Different competitions were conducted which were enjoyed by some 400 farmers and fisherfolks from the different barangays in Alabel, which included BidaKalabaw, which Mayor Vic Paul Salarda personally suggested to recognize its contribution to farming; cooking competition for women; and coffee cupping and abaca stripping, whose beans and trunks were sourced from the farthest barangay of the town, Datal Anggas.

Gestupa said, "gusto man gud sa atong halangdong Mayor nga mapakita nga adunay mga produkcto sama ani sa pinakalayo nga barangay sa atong lungsod og mapaybalo pa nga daghan pag potential ang maong lugara."

The conduct of the agri-fishery fair was made possible through the initiatives and support of Mayor Salarda, Vice Mayor Lente Salway, Jr., municipal councilors, agriculture and fishery sectors in Alabel, various farming organizations, Department of Agriculture, and the Office of Municipal Agriculturist, that provided vegetable seeds and planting materials.

The celebration of Alabel's 51st Founding Anniversary and the 21st Kasadyaan Festival were also supported by the provincial officials headed by Governor Rogelio "Ruel" D. Pacquiao, Congressman Steve Chiongbian Solon, Vice Governor Elmer De Peralta, and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members. (Joshua John S. Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

? Jake T. Narte 

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 8, 2022) – The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League’s (MPBL) Sarangani Marlins conducted a free one-day basketball clinic for young Sarangans on September 8 at Sarangani Capitol Gym.
 
Sarangani Marlins team manager Jayr Navarro said the activity’s main objective was to give back to the community by conducting a basketball clinic for kids.
 
Navarro acknowledged the efforts of former Senator Emmanuel "Manny" D. Pacquiao, Governor "Ruel" D. Pacquiao, Congressman Steve Chiongbian Solon, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members, and the seven mayors of the province for their full support and for serving as instruments for the conduct of the basketball clinic and the MPBL games in Sarangani.
 
"It is best to give back to the community, so we had an idea that we should do a basketball clinic for the kids because, as I was growing up, we did not have any basketball clinics, so I know how big deal this one is for the kids," said Navarro.
 
During the basketball clinic, coaches and members of the Sarangani Marlins led the training where they taught the fundamentals of basketball such as dribbling and stretching before games and its importance.
 
He said the Sarangani Marlins and the seven mayors had already conducted an initial talk on the possibility of bringing a basketball clinic to their respective towns.
 
In coordination with the Provincial Governor’s Office-Sports Development Division headed by Alma Corazon Gabuat, sports equipment and meals for the participants were provided. MPBL’s fourth season official partner, OKBet, also provided the kids with shirts.
 
On September 9, there will be MPBL games to be held at the Sarangani Capitol Gym. The first game is between the Muntinlupa Cagers and Bacolod Master Sardines, and the second game is between the Sarangani Marlins and Quezon City MG/QC Capitals.
 
On September 10, the teams of Quezon City MG/QC Capitals vs. Muntinlupa Cagers will heat up the court for the first game, to be followed by the games between Bacolod Master Sardines and Sarangani Marlins. Admission is free. (Joshua John S. Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

 Jake T. Narte

MALAPATAN, Sarangani (September 7, 2022) – To help micro, small enterprise owners and low-income workers, the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) provided a Livelihood Assistance Grant (LAG) to some eligible families whose livelihood were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of community quarantines.

Through the Office of President Ferdinand Romualdez-Marcos Jr., with the efforts and initiatives of Governor Rogelio "Ruel" D. Pacquiao, Congressman Steve Chiongbian Solon, former Senator Emmanuel "Manny" D. Pacquiao, and Senator Bong Go, a total of P2.2M worth of LAG was distributed to some 194 beneficiaries in Malapatan on September 7.

Of the total LAG fund, P750,000 were from the funds under the office of Governor Pacquiao, and P714,000 were from the office of Congressman Solon.

According to Girlie Ann Somosot, Project Development Officer II of DSWD XII, each beneficiary received an assistance ranging from P10,000 to P14,000. 

She explained that LAG was instituted to primarily assist eligible beneficiaries in recovering from economic losses by augmenting financial aid to new or existing micro-enterprise projects and augmenting their expenses for pre-employment requirements.

According to Somosot, most of the barangays in Malapatan were catered to which were identified during the rollout of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) conducted during the height of the pandemic.

"Before natin sila ina-identify as beneficiary, we are conducting validation first, ‘tsaka natin kina-qualify," Somosot explained.

"Kung sino yung mga beneficiaries na naka-receive ng SAP na nag-declare na meron silang livelihood, sila po yung kini-cater natin dito, including our 4Ps beneficiaries," she added.

Somosot stated that the DSWD will conduct a monitoring activity every three months to ensure the LAG's sustainability.

Mayor Salway Sumbo Jr. expressed his gratitude to the provincial and national officials, especially to former Senator Pacquiao and former President Rodrigo Duterte. "Maski og wala na sila sa pwesto, ang ilang pagpalangga para sa katawhan kay nagpabilin og padayon natong nasinati," he said.

The mayor also reminded the beneficiaries to use the assistance wisely. "Ayaw ninyo igasto ang inyong madawat nga hinabang sa temporary ra nga mga butang, i-invest na ninyo para mulambo og kung adunay pandemyang muabot, aduna na moy kakwaan para maka-survive," Sumbo said.

Present during the activity were Chief of Staff Atty. Stephany Datig representing Governor Pacquiao and Provincial Information Officer Joana Grace Lapore.

On the same day, the DSWD also conducted the distribution of LAG to the towns of Glan, Alabel, and Malungon.

Despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic, the DSWD pledges to continue to implement programs to help low-income families recover from the socio-economic impact of the ongoing health crisis. (Joshua John S. Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

  Martin Fernando E. Bernad Jr.

KIAMBA, Sarangani (September 5, 2022) – As part of Governor Rogelio "Ruel" D. Pacquiao’s commitment to bring government services closer to the people, a consultative meeting, attended by 48 barangay captains of the Maasim, Kiamba, Maitum (MaKiMa) area, was conducted along with the launching of the Ronda Probinsya program.

To symbolize the support of the officials, a signing of the pledge of commitment for all the endeavors and projects of the Pacquiao administration was conducted. Matters including health, finance, social services, and the realization of different government programs were discussed.

Governor Pacquiao presented his Ronda Probinsya flagship program as an inclusive and people-centered program which aims to support the improvement of governance structures of the barangays, promote peace-building, preserve and promote the cultural integrity of Indigenous Peoples and Moro communities, improve the quality of lives of Sarangans and those belonging to the vulnerable sectors, and provide improved educational opportunities for the youth.

"Dili nako kaya nga mabuhat ning tanan nga ako ra, maong gahangyo ko sa inyo aron kita magtinabangay para mahatag ang saktong serbisyo sa matag katawhan sa atong probinsya," said Pacquiao.

Present during the meeting were Dr. Gabriel Fernandez, representing Provincial Health Officer Dr. Arvin Alejandro; Amelia Catolico of the Provincial Treasurer’s Office (PTO), Fernando Tolete of the Internal Audit Unit, Provincial Accountant Armando Cunanan, Provincial Barangay Affairs head Paul Allen Villamora, and some Ronda Probinysa staff.

Dr. Fernandez talked about PhilHealth enrollment, Tutok Buntis program, free medicine for senior citizens, and the process by which Sarangans can access assistance and services from the local hospitals.

Financial matters pertaining to unliquidated transactions of barangays that hinder them from accessing financial assistance from the province and technical support that will help each barangay speed up their liquidations was discussed by Tolete.

Cunanan reminded and tackled the Commission on Audit regulations and their importance to avoid disallowance and to have access to government funds and support.

The PTO, through Catolico, discussed matters pertaining to tax revenue and its benefits. She detailed the regulations and fees on sand and gravel and explained the sharing of revenues in every tax collected.

During the meeting, an open forum was conducted where some barangay captains shared with Gov. Pacquiao their needs and concerns, particularly on the allocated budget for each barangay, road projects, social welfare services, and access to free education.

Gov. Pacquiao assured the barangay leaders that all their concerns would be addressed. He pledged to give additional cash assistance to every barangay in the province.

The governor also led the ceremonial turnover of cash assistance to the barangays, which fund was from the Provincial Government of Sarangani.

Vice Governor Elmer De Peralta, Mayors Zyrex Pacquiao of Maasim and George Falgui of Kiamba, Provincial Administrator Atty. Ryan Jay Ramos and Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Jenric Garcia showed their support during the activity. (Joshua John S. Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

 Jake T. Narte