KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/12 June) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo challenged residents here this morning to emulate the heroism displayed by the nation’s forefathers by joining hands with the government in fighting poverty and the impact of the continuing global economic crisis in the country.

“Heroism is not obsolete, it comes in many forms, when the nation needs us it is an opportunity to become heroes today. If our heroes before fought for our political redemption, now we should be united as a community so we can be saved from the perils of poverty and the global crisis,” she said.

The President, who is on a two-day swing in South Cotabato area, led the traditional Independence Day flag-raising rites and wreath-laying at the monument of national hero Jose Rizal at the newly-renovated Rizal Park here.

The historic flag-raising rites here was also joined by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, National Historical Institute chair Ambeth Ocampo, South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes, South Cotabato 2nd District Rep. Arthur Pingoy Jr. and host Mayor Fernando Miguel.

The President said she chose to hold the 111th Independence Day flag-raising rites here to focus this year’s celebration “on Mindanao and on jobs.”

During the commemoration program, she led the distribution of 20,313 Kalayaan 2009 workers benefits for Region 12 or Southwestern Mindanao.

Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of Koronadal, Tacurong, General Santos, Cotabato and Kidapawan.

The benefits cover 4,594 emergency employment contracts, some 6,908 training vouchers and scholarship certificates and 114 livelihood funding cheques worth close to P19 million and would benefit some 8,811 individuals.

Teodoro, who is Region 12’s cabinet officer for regional development, said these benefits are part of the continuing implementation of the national government’s flagship Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program or CLEEP.

The CLEEP is the administration's nationwide effort intended to protect the country's most vulnerable sectors, such as the poor, returning expatriates, workers in the export industry and out-of-school youths from threats and consequences of reduced or lost income as a consequence of the global economic crisis by providing emergency employment and funding and supervising livelihood projects.

Its target is to create 220,000 jobs.

It aims to achieve two crucial objectives, namely, to build the capacities of Filipino workers and afford them the skills they need to compete in tougher job markets; and to create as many jobs as possible in the least possible amount of time for the poor through investments in public works and enterprise development.

In Region 12, Teodoro said at least 8,500 individuals have already benefited from the program since it was launched late last year.

He added that 14 percent of these beneficiaries were supported by the Petroluem Association of the Philippines, which the government earlier enlisted as program partner. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)

---

Share this story through the following Social Media sites: