MAASIM, Sarangani (March 30, 2011) – A United Nations official has expressed his impressive comments to the provincial leadership in bringing assistance to lowly communities in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The MDGs are a set of eight time-bound, concrete and specific targets aimed at significantly reducing, if not decisively eradicating poverty, by the year 2015.
His Excellency Brian Bowler from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said the province is successful in doing its job towards development.
“We came as a board to this beautiful part of the world to learn and see first-hand the relationship between the Philippines and your successful province with the UN family,” Bowler said.
“What we appreciate more is to see how effective the governor is in leading his province as well as the enthusiasm of his whole team in a common vision to translate the ideas to alleviate poverty in this province and at least moving it on the right direction,” Bowler said.
Bowler made the statement in a dinner with Governor Migs Dominguez and local officials Tuesday evening (March 29) at Lemlunay Dive Resort after visiting and interacting with peace and development communities in barangays Gasi and Lagundi in Kiamba town and Kalaong in Maitum who were either former combatants or displaced families.
“We were very impressed at the very first visit we took who was the army where they got peace without (firing) a single round which is a unique idea, the very concept of having an army as a deterrent. What you are neutralizing here can be a lot of lesson to the other parts of the world,” Bowler said.
73rd Infantry “Neutralizer” Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Adolfo Espuelas Jr. made a briefing for the 24-man delegation as they arrived at its headquarters in Kamanga from General Santos City International Airport.
Espuelas showed documentation of how the soldiers got involved in humanitarian actions and social work since they arrived in Sarangani in the midst of social disturbances here in 2008.
“The message that we would like to share with you in many examples that you have seen today is synergy, hope, commitment and sincerity and we are all key players starting from the communities all the way up to the governing officials,” Governor Dominguez said.
“The formula that you have observed can be replicated in many areas all over the world after experiencing strife and lots of reforms,” Dominguez said.
“We are a model province where you can see investments of the UN have been going, talking and feeling the impact of the investments,” Dominguez said.
“We all do have a very big challenge to play in making this world a better place to live in.”
In addition, Bowler noted that “also impressive is your support to the schoolchildren which we see along the road. In many parts of the world most of the children are deprived of education, but we are seeing you do all the necessary details to keep the children to school.”
“My favorite particular project is the maternity wing (in Kalaong) which has been set up and delivers five births a day. The place is in a very good condition,” Bowler said.
“All these, Governor, without you being there along with the mayors, it is clear that the success is with the vision and also the participation and the relationship you have with the UN family.”
“Our job is to bring the good stories back to NY (New York),” Bowler added.
In 2009, Sarangani’s Kalinaw Program was given the Galing Pook award for innovative governance in peace and development. (Russtum G. Pelima/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)
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