Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Secretary-General Isidro Lapeña visited various poverty alleviation projects in geographically isolated and depressed areas (GIDAs) of Davao City to see the progress of their implementation.
He bared he personally wanted to see and to check for himself the delivery of government services in this part of the country, especially in line with the mandate of TESDA, before proceeding to Koronadal City, South Cotabato for the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security meeting.
“In the process, I see for myself the compliance and delivery of the services of TESDA and the members of the Poverty Reduction Livelihood and Employment Cluster headed by the TESDA in the RTF ELCAC (Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict). It is the most important cluster to address the root cause of the communist insurgency, which is poverty that is experienced by our kababayans in the countryside,” Lapeña said.
He stressed that the TESDA aims to deliver its services to the farthest and hardest to reach barangays.
Lapeña held a consultation meeting with the tribal datus in far-flung areas of Davao Region to ask about their current condition and to determine if the government projects are delivered already to their communities, in accordance to the intentions of President Duterte.
He said that the president wants a comfortable life for Filipinos in the countryside and for government to truly deliver.
Lapeña stressed making the Indigenous Peoples satisfied is a very strong guarantee to address the communist insurgency.
“Making good with our promise will guarantee that they will no longer exploited by the rebels,” he said.
Lapeña pointed out that the government will continue to be present in the countryside defying the Communist Party chair Jose Maria Sison’s pronouncement that the rebels are in the countryside because the government is not there.
He said in accordance with the EO 70, which creates the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict, the government will guarantee the delivery of basic services and capability of the people in the countryside.
Lapeña mulled of providing solar light to every household in barangays declared cleared by the security forces.
He assessed that it would take time to give electricity from post to post since road construction is required.
“Habang walang kalsada, bibigyan na natin sila ng ilaw, kasi ang pakiramdam ng mga tao roon ay biglang gagaan at iyon mismo ay isang pakiramdam na umabot na rin ang serbisyo ng gobyerno,” (As there are still no roads we will give them lighting, people will feel lighter and they will feel that government services has reached them),”Lapeña said.
In April 28, he officiated the opening program of the skills training for the IP Community and site visit to PRLEC/EO 70 Project at Sitio Ilihan, Brgy. Marahan, Marilog District where recipients were trained in organic agricultural production and Photovotaic system installation.
Lapeña also visited the /Barangay Development Program & KSK SM Foundation Site Visit at Carmen, Baguio District to see the training program in Organic Agriculture Production.
He also did a site tour at the National Dairy Authority to visit an enterprise-based partner agency and eventually a dialogue with the IP communities at the Sentro Mindanao in Bago Oshiro. (PIA XI-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)
