Fiev towns in Sarangani get P22.5M from DSWD

ALABEL, Sarangani (March 28, 2010) – A total of P22.5 million has been turned-over to five municipalities in the province by the regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD 12) as fund assistance for the realization of the shelter program implemented by the department in coordination with the Province of Sarangani and the municipality beneficiaries.

The checks worth P5 million each were granted to the local chief executives and representatives of Alabel, Glan, Kiamba, and Maasim, while a total of P2.5 million was turned-over to the representative of the municipality of Malapatan .

The Shelter Assistance Program started in Malapatan last year wherein victims of typhoon were the identified beneficiaries of the program. The DSWD has given the initial fund of P2.5 million for the first phase of the program implemented in Juanicoville, Purok Diamalod, barangay Lun Padidu.

Kiamba Mayor Rom Falgui, who accepted the check from DSWD Regional Director Bai Zorahayda Taha, expressed his gratitude to the department’s assistance for the resettlement area of the flood victims in his town.

“Through this fund, flood victims will not only acquire a shelter, but this will also upgrade their way of living,” said Falgui, who was recently lauded by Gov. Migs Dominguez as one of the best performing mayors in Sarangani because of his exemplary leadership.

Gov. Dominguez, on the other hand, said that the province is serious in eradicating the indicators of poverty in some barangays in the municipalities of Alabel, Malapatan, Glan, Kiamba, and Maasim through social services interventions.

“Finally, we’re out of the magic ten poorest provinces in the country. Our target next year is to exit in the magic 20, that is why we are helping the top poorest barangays in our municipalities and start focusing on investments where it matters most,” the governor said.

Dominguez said six years ago, Sarangani Province was ranked number four in the country’s identified poorest provinces, while the province was placed number eight in 2006.

“Bakit nag-i-improve tayo? This is because of the effort and cooperation of all local government units (LGUs), and also because of the intervention of the province and the national government’s implementation of social services,” he said.

The turn-over ceremony of the checks for the Shelter Assistance Program was held at the conference room of the Provincial Capitol. The activity was held back-to-back with the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the implementation of Kalahi CIDSS Projects in the municipalities of Maasim and Maitum.

The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) is a poverty alleviation project implemented by the DSWD and funded by the World Bank. The project covers 184 of the poorest municipalities in 12 regions nationwide.

The project capacitates poor communities to make decisions for themselves and identify their needs. Kalahi-CIDSS provides grant for the needs of communities that range from water systems, Day Care Centers and school buildings, and others. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)