Thursday, July 24, 2008 Union, gov't sign pact for peace project
MALUNGON, Sarangani -- The European Union has tied up with the Provincial Government and the Alcantara Foundation Inc. to establish peace and development communities (PDCs) in Mindanao.
In a tripartite Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) signed on July 15, the partners aim to build communities to strengthen peace efforts in the Mindanao region.
"We had initial talks with the local officials in the past," project coordinator Butch Batilong said.
"We have expanded those talks through this memorandum of understanding in our aim on how we could really support the government to help the people," Batilong said.
Sarangani Governor Miguel Dominguez said: "Our aim is to bridge and connect people together in order to build lasting peace in Mindanao."
"Peace is a work in progress," he pointed out.
The MOU would maximize social development for more PDCs, thereby sustaining the call for peace in Mindanao.
The Kalinaw Sarangani Program identifies the PDCs where it could effectively implement holistic development programs and advocate empowerment.
European Union's Habitat for Humanity Philippines (HFHP) implements its Build for Peace Project in these PDCs with full fund support from the union in terms of house construction and repair.
For its part, Alcantara Foundation Inc. intervenes by providing capability building trainings for enterprise development of the communities and by extending educational services.
"This is a great opportunity for the foundation to extend its services to the people by transforming education from our home," said Cecile Dominguez, executive director of Alcantara Foundation Inc.
Kalinaw Sarangani joined HFHP on its implementation of the poverty database-monitoring tool to the province's PDCs.
Habitat for Humanity International was founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller and his wife Linda in Georgia, USA. Today, it has built more than 175,000 houses and provided shelter to 3,000 communities.
HFHP was established in 1988. It has built more than 15,000 houses for more than 100 communities in the country today. (Press release)
