LAKE SEBU, South Cotabato – The Provincial Government’s flagship program, Convergence Approach for Transformation and CHange – Unification Program (CATCH-UP), successfully conducted its first site validation for 2025 in Sitio Lembukon, Barangay Upper Maculan, Lake Sebu, on January 16-17, 2025, marking a significant step toward rural development.
Under the leadership of Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo Jr., the CATCH-UP program aims to address critical infrastructure and basic service needs in remote communities across South Cotabato. The two-day comprehensive assessment revealed three primary challenges facing the Sitio Lembukon community: insufficient road infrastructure, lack of access to potable water, and the absence of electricity.
Project Development Officer II Cris Pingkunn R. Fuentes, who headed the site validation team, emphasized the importance of this initial assessment. “Our ground validation provides us with firsthand information about the community’s needs, allowing us to develop targeted interventions that will directly impact the residents’ quality of life,” Fuentes stated.
The CATCH-UP team deployed for the validation included:
– Romel Evangelio (Administrative Assistant III)
– Engr. Abdullah Bonamin Samaluden
– Novie Aban (Program Coordinator)
– Princess Diane Delfin (Program Coordinator)
– Scherazaide Beltejar (Program Assistant)
– Marlon Tiwan (Program Assistant)
– Tommy Bansawan (Community Organizer, Barangay Affairs Unit)
The validation process included community consultations, technical assessments, and documentation of existing infrastructure conditions. This comprehensive approach ensures that future interventions will be aligned with both community needs and technical requirements. Following this initial assessment, the CATCH-UP team will develop an integrated development plan for Sitio Lembukon, incorporating solutions for the identified challenges. The plan will be presented to relevant provincial government departments and potential partner agencies for implementation. The Provincial Government anticipates that the improvements in Sitio Lembukon will serve as a model for future CATCH-UP initiatives across South Cotabato, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness in bringing meaningful change to remote communities.
