By Carina L. Cayon
SARANGANI, Davao del Sur, Aug. 28 (PIA) – The Association of Regional Executives of National Agencies (ARENA-XI) has continued delivering a convergence of services closer to the people, recently reaching out to residents of this town, the last frontier of Davao Region.
ARENA-XI brought on Sunday (Aug. 26) its “Serbisyo Caravan” in the municipality of Sarangani, this province, serving more than 2,000 Saranganians, mostly farmers and fisherfolks including the indigenous people mostly from the B’Laan tribe.
The residents coming from the 12 barangays of said town have availed of various services and programs from 25 national government agencies with over a hundred personnel who converged in the caravan held at the municipal gym.
Mayor Jerry Cawa was thankful to ARENA-XI officers headed by its president Regional Director Achilles Gerard Bravo of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM-XI), for considering the town as recipient of the caravan.
“Ever since I was the vice-mayor, and now the mayor of this town, it’s only now that we were visited by regional directors (of NGAs),” said Cawa adding, “We could see that you have concerns and love for the people of Sarangani.”
He said the caravan is one of the strategies to address the needs of the people in far-flung areas, especially in Sarangani, a 5th class municipality and the farthest town in the region made up of two islands called Sarangani and Balut where its political seat is located. Cawa brought up health as one of the main concerns of his constituents.
In the caravan, the Department of Health (DOH-XI) with the assistance of the 10th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army administered 200 injections of influenza vaccines mostly to senior citizens.
DOH-XI also turned over common medicines worth P10,000 to P15,000 to the local government for the Rural Health Unit use, and anti-tuberculosis and anti-leprosy drugs as requested by the LGU.
DSWD-XI headed by Assistant Regional Director Priscilla Razon handed over financial/capital assistance worth P200,000 under the agency’s sustainable livelihood program to 20 beneficiaries.
For its supplementary feeding program for the daycare pupils, DSWD-XI turned over a check amounting to almost P800,000.
Some 2,048 households in Sarangani received their PantawidPamilya Over the Counter Payment (OTC) which amounted to P2,690,200 from DSWD-XI.
The agency also distributed the third quarter social pension pay-outs of P1,500 each to 114 senior citizen recipients. The Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost) carried the cash as conduit partner.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-XI) distributed 50 sets of tuna handline to fisherfolks, while the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-XI) awarded Certificates of Entitlements of Livelihood Projects to the LGU for the provision of fishing gear to 100 beneficiaries.
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR-XI) handed over Certificates of Landownership Award (CLOAs) covering 17 hectares to 20 agrarian reform beneficiaries.
The Department of Agriculture (DA-XI) distributed vegetable seedlings to farmers, and administered anti-rabies vaccination to the residents’ dogs and cats.
DBM-XI conducted consultation and dialogue with teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd-XI) in Sarangani and with the municipal and barangay officials.
The Civil Service Commission (CSC-XI) accepted applications for the Civil Service Exam-Paper and Pencil Test (CSE-PPT), while the National Statistics Office (NSO-XI) facilitated offline requests on birth and marriage certificate, among others.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST-XI) encouraged qualified students to apply for its scholarship program, and facilitated technology needs assessment.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED-XI) accepted applications for Certification, Authentication and Verification of School Records (CAV).
The other NGAs that provided information, advocacy campaign and lectures about their mandates and programs were the National Food Authority (NFA-XI), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA-XI), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-XI) and Philippine National Police (PNP-XI).
Officials and personnel of the 10th ID headed by Col. Manuel Felino Ramos, deputy brigade commander of the 1002nd Infantry Battalion together with the PNP-XI provided the security of over a hundred officials and personnel of the participating NGAs throughout the conduct of the caravan as well as during the five-hour travel from General Santos City to Balut Island and vice versa.
The group was ferried by the BRP Miguel Malvar ship of the Philippine Navy.
Bravo, who led the delegation in this one-stop-shop delivery of various services, explained that Sarangani was identified by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA-XI) and the 10th ID as one of the priority town recipients in the province.
“This is one way of informing our people that the taxes they pay to the government is being used properly, and that services go directly to the people,” he stated.
Sarangani was the 3rd recipient of the caravan in the province, and the sixth in the entire region.
Next to Sarangani, ARENA-XI will be bringing the “Serbisyo Caravan” to the municipality of Governor Generoso and Mati City, both of Davao Oriental on August 30 and August 31, respectively.
The caravan will be back in Davao del Sur on September 4, this time in Digos City, and the next stop will be in Kapalong, Davao del Norte which is slated on September 7. (PIA-11/Carina L. Cayon)
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