GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The provincial government of South Cotabato is pushing for the expansion of its flagship anti-poverty convergence program to two more impoverished communities.
Jennifer Guadalupe, provincial convergence program coordinator, said Thursday they have begun the profiling of residents and communities in two sitios in Lake Sebu town to facilitate their inclusion into the program by next year.
Guadalupe said the approved expansion areas are Sitio Datal Ligaw in Barangay Tasiman and Sitio Blit in Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu.
Immersion activities in the two sitios will be conducted early next year to determine the needs and priorities of the areas, especially in terms of socio-economic services, she added.
“This step is very important to know the real situation of the communities,” she said.
Dubbed “Convergence Program for Poverty Reduction of South Cotabato”, the provincial government launched the program last year in Sitio Traanlatang, Barangay Kematu in Tboli town.
The initiative is mainly to empower and transform poor communities into productive areas through the provision of basic services and development projects.
At least 20 government agencies and non-governmental organizations pooled their services and invested a combined PHP1 million for the implementation of convergence programs and projects in the area for three years.
These included the improvement of the sitio’s roads; implementation of capability and capacity training for livelihood, health, financial literacy and community empowerment; provision of armchairs and other construction materials for its school; conduct of feeding programs; and, installation of additional sanitary toilets.
Guadalupe said they intend to replicate the successful implementation of the program in Sitio Traanlatang in Sitios Datal Ligaw and Blit. (Anna liza Cabrido/PNA)