COTABATO CITY, Philippines (PNA) – After a much-needed assessment, the World Bank (WB) has resumed its funding for peace and development projects for Maguindanao, site of the infamous Nov. 2009 massacre that killed 57 people including 33 journalists.

The WB, which granted an additional $30 million soft loan through the national government for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), suspended since November last year the implementation of poverty alleviation projects in the province due to risk evaluation of law and order in the area.

“Recently, though, the WB gave the go-signal for the resumption of the projects,” ARMM Social Fund Project Manager Nasser Sinarimbo said.

Rural assistance

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – Farmer beneficiaries in the Caraga Region, especially those in far-flung communities, benefited from the recently concluded five-day mission of the International Fund for Agricultural Development of the United Nations (IFAD) Design Mission for project convergence, said regional agrarian information officer Joie L. Ceballos.

The farmers benefited after learning the project design that is expected to enhance their living condition in their respective localities.

The IFAD, along with the Department of Agrarian Reform team mission visited the municipalities of Kitcharao in Agusan del Norte, Barobo in Surigao del Sur, and Bunawan in Agusan del Sur. (Mike Crismundo)

Religious leaders

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (PNA) – The Davao Prison and Penal Farm, formerly the Davao Penal Colony in Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte, will soon have 15 professional religious leaders.

Prison farm superintendent Venacio J. Tesoro said the 15 inmates are expected to graduate in 2015 with a Theology degree.

They were the first batch of scholars given the opportunity to continue their tertiary education while serving their sentence inside the prison farm.

CARAGA ventures

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is now implementing various foreign assisted infrastructure projects amounting close to P1 billion that will enhance the living condition of communities and ultimately spur the economic development in the five provinces, six cities, and 67 municipalities in the Caraga Region.

 It was learned that these various infrastructure projects are also being closely assisted by the local government units in an effort to “hit” the targeted time-line of completion.

These foreign assisted programs include farm-to-market roads, construction and rehabilitation of roads, water system, training, capacity building, and other programs. (Mike Crismundo)

Earthquake drill

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Heads of public and private elementary, secondary, and tertiary schools here have been reminded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to conduct early this school year earthquake drills.