Koronadal City—The Provincial Government of South Cotabato identified 69 priority Convergence Areas this year. The program aims to converge all necessary government agencies that would help reduce poverty in the area, Program Focal Person Chris Fuentes presented during the Provincial End Local Communist Armed Conflict Task Force meeting earlier today.
“We can expect that more government projects will pour in these areas in the next months,” Fuentes said.
The Task Force identified 15 barangays in the town of Banga, two in the City of Koronadal and four in the town of Lake Sebu.
The list recognized eight barangays in Norala, two in Sto. Nino and 13 in Suralah, a first-class town in the upper valley area of South Cotabato.
Tboli eyed eight barangays in its municipality.
The Provincial Task Force also identified 12 barangays in Tampakan, four in Tantangan and one in Tupi.
Polomolok, however, has no convergence priority barangay.
The flow of services follows the process of the Convergence Program of South Cotabato that used combined resources of government agencies, local government units, business sector, and non-government organizations as a holistic approach to fight poverty.
In a separate interview with local media yesterday, Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr. said, “In my administration, I will emphasized grassroots approach to every program. The voice of the community means a lot to me.”
The governor stressed out that projects in the community should be identified by the community.
“The government should be an enabler and a bridge so that the people will reach their aspirations and dreams,” Tamayo said.
Meanwhile, the Duterte Administration will also download P1.4M in every barangay provided that a Barangay Development Plan will also be presented.
The Local DILG here asked mayors to remind barangay councils to laydown BDP the soonest possible time.
The Provincial Task Force aims to sustain peace and order among local communities while addressing and providing basic social services to the public, especially to the Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA).
However, the unique process of South Cotabato is focused on five dimensions–education, community empowerment, environmental and human security, food security and nutrition, health and sanitation, livelihood and employment and, spatial integration.
Tamayo hired barangay organizers to take the lead at the community level and monitor that the programs are fully implemented.
