PWDs join Munato Festival celebration

ALABEL, Sarangani (December 4, 2014) – Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) including children with cerebral palsy join the parade during the opening of the 22nd Foundation Anniversary and 12th Munato Festival of Sarangani Province on November 27. The PWDs showed their active and full support to the provincial leadership. Earlier this month, the Sarangani Provincial Government provided free wheelchairs and other assistive devices and prostheses to the beneficiary-residents of the province with the help of NGO partners namely the Physicians for Peace and Latter Day Saints Charity. (Kim Windell Tiblani/PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)

Sarangani hosts Starkey, NCeries

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (August 11, 2014) - Cong. Manny Pacquiao (center, back to camera) bows down his head while Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon leads the prayer before dinner with guests from Starkey Hearing Foundation and NCeries on August 6. Starkey Hearing Foundation, led by its president Richard Brown, has been the partner of Sarangani Provincial Government in providing hearing aids and body aids to senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and other Sarangani residents at the equivalent total amount of P10 million for last year alone. The NCeries, on the other hand, led by its founder former senator Nikki Coseteng, is a potential partner of the province as Gov. Solon, Cong. Pacquiao and Vice Governor Jinkee Pacquiao wish to share the NCeries Space Science roadshow to Sarangani Province, for the Sarangan youth to experience the unique learning experience. Nceries has a digital planetarium that can accommodate an average of 120 people at a time with an interactive show that simulates a 360-degree display of celestial objects in a digital environment for 30 minutes, which will surely educate participants on Space Science. Sarangani houses the regional science high school in Region 12 that is the Alabel National Science High School. (Kim Windell V. Tiblani/PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)

Sarangani PWDs federate to help others

By April Jane Cagas Ugsad

ALABEL, Sarangani (August 7, 2014) - A provincial federation of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) has been established in Sarangani Province.

The Sarangani PWD Provincial Federation was created after the conduct of a two-day Strategic Planning Workshop for PWDs that aimed to formulate the PWD Strategic Plan for 2015-2017 and assess the sustainability and functionality of PWD sector/program.

Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon led the oath-taking of the newly-elected officers to serve until 2016 composed of president Juan Macalam from Alabel; vice president Ildefonso Gargaran of  Malungon; secretary Faisah Abdulwahab of Maasim; treasurer Marcelo Mungkil of Glan; assistant treasurer Raymund Christopher Avila of Kiamba; auditor Elmer Puno of Maitum; and PIO Anthony Alcanzado from Malapatan.

This is the first time the provincial federation of PWDs is created in Sarangani thru the Sulong Sarangani flagship program with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO).

The federation is hopeful that they can extend services to the remote areas of the province with the help of the local officials.

Gov. Solon has pledged the support of the provincial government and urged the federation to have a holistic approach to their future development plans and activities.

To initially kick off the organization, Gov. Solon handed over P20,000 cash to the federation.

Gov. Solon has been very supportive to the PWDs by conducting medical missions, provisions on hearing aids, wheelchairs/prosthetics/crutches, and similar assistance with the help of Congressman Manny Pacquiao, Vice Governor Jinkee Pacquiao, board members, partner NGOs and private sector.

The provincial government so far was able to access a total of 277 wheelchairs from different NGOs, like Mahintana Foundation, Physicians for Peace, and Operation Blessings Foundation, and distributed them to needy PWDs and senior citizens in the province.

The Physicians for Peace headed by Dr. Josephine Robredo-Bundoc has given 62 prosthesis for the leg and arm, crutches and walkers of PWDs here.

Medical missions were organized for the children with cerebral palsy cases. Lectures and training for parents and guardians of said children regarding the proper management were done.

Financial assistance amounting to P2,500 annually from the Gender and Development (GAD) fund is provided to each indigent child with cerebral palsy to sustain their medical needs.

The province was also able to partner with the Philippine Physical Therapist Association, Inc. in General Santos City in giving the PWDs a chance to avail of rehabilitation services at a lower cost.

“The Starkey Hearing Foundation held hearing mission to beneficiaries providing hearing aids and body aids at P16,000 per hearing aid and P80,000 to P100,000 per body aid. Last year, there were 422 beneficiaries from Sarangani who received 670 units of hearing aids and body aids in the total equivalent amount of P10.7 Million,” community affairs officer and PWD in-charge of PSWDO Joel Cuartero said.

The province will conduct training on beauty culture to women with disability and the parents of the PWDs. (April Jane Cagas Ugsad/PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)

Gov. Solon funds PWD provincial federation

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (August 4, 2014) – Sarangani Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon hands over to Sarangani PWD provincial federation treasurer Marcelo Mungkil (2nd from left) P20,000 cash as initial fund to operate the newly-created PWD provincial federation in the province during the Strategic Planning Workshop for PWDs Friday, August 1. Gov. Solon has been very supportive to the PWDs by conducting medical missions, provisions on hearing aid, wheel chairs/prosthetics/crutches, and similar assistance with the help of Congressman Manny Pacquiao, Vice Governor Jinkee Pacquiao, board members, and partner NGOs and the private sector. Now, Gov. Solon wants the federation to have a holistic approach to their future development plans and activities. This is the first time that the provincial federation of PWDs is created in Sarangani Province thru Sulong Sarangani with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO). (Kim Windell V. Tiblani/PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR'S OFFICE) 

Sarangani PWDs form federation

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (August 4, 2014) – Sarangani Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon swears in the officers of Sarangani Province Persons With Disability(PWD) provincial federation Friday, August 1. This is the first time that the provincial federation of PWDs is created in Sarangani Province thru the Sulong Sarangani flagship program with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO). The provincial government conducted a two-day Strategic Planning Workshop for PWDs in the whole province that aimed to formulate the PWD Strategic Plan for years 2015-2017, assess the sustainability and functionality of PWD sector/program, and above all, to organize a provincial PWD federation. Many interventions have been provided by the provincial government with Congressman Manny Pacquiao, Governor Solon, Vice Governor Jinkee Pacquiao, and board members for the PWDs in the province thru the conduct of medical missions and similar assistance with the help of partner NGOs and the private sector. (Kim Windell V. Tiblani/PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR'S OFFICE)

PWDs hold workshop thru Sulong Sarangani

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (July 31, 2014) – The Provincial Government of Sarangani thru the Sulong Sarangani flagship program conducts Strategic Planning Workshop for Persons With Disability (PWDs) in the whole province on July 31. The workshop aims to formulate the PWD Strategic Plan for years 2015-2017, asses the sustainability and functionality of PWD sector/program; and above all, to organize a provincial PWD federation. It is also participated in by MSWDO officers and staff, focal persons, program managers and volunteers of Community-Based Rehabilitation, an NGO serving PWDs. Many interventions have been provided by the provincial government with Congressman Manny Pacquiao, Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, Vice Governor Jinkee Pacquiao, and board members for the PWDs in the province thru medical missions, hearing aid provisions and similar assistance. (Aiza E. Cruz/PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)