By Fruto Sumagaysay/PNA
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The government of Japan has approved a grant of around PHP8.2 million for the construction of a training center building and water system in two municipalities of South Cotabato province.
South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes on Monday said the projects will be implemented under the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD), which is funded by the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects or GGP of Japan.
She said they formally signed the grant contract in a meeting in Cotabato City last week with Ambassador Koji Haneda of the Embassy of Japan in Manila.
“The initial preparations for the implementation of the projects are now underway,” she said in an interview.
The governor said the approved projects include the construction of a level II water supply system in Barangay Kablon, Tupi town worth USD75,149 or around PHP3.99 million and a one-story technical vocational education and training center building in Tampakan worth USD80,485 or around PHP4.2 million.
A project briefer said the water system project involves the construction of four concrete water tanks, comprising a main tank and three other support tanks for three sitios.
A spring or catchment box will be installed along with 25 units of tap stands with 9,619 lineal meters of pipelines and a water treatment facility connected to the main tank.
The training facility will serve as the town’s base for technical vocational education and will host various equipment for skills trainings.
The water system project was proposed by the provincial government while the training center was pushed by the municipal government of Tampakan.
Fuentes expressed gratitude to the Embassy of Japan for the approval of the grants, which were the second and third for the province under the J-BIRD program.
In 2015, the province received a grant of around PHP4 million for the construction of three units of two-classroom building for the Dumadalig Integrated School in Barangay Dumadalig, Tantangan town.
The classroom buildings equipped with toilets and furniture, currently benefits around 700 pupils enrolled at the school.
