COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources is pushing for the construction of water catchments and impounding projects to end, once and for all, the cycle of flooding in Mindanao that has claimed the lives of at least 38 people lately.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, committee chairman, raised the proposal in a meeting here recently with the Presidential Task Force on Mindanao River Basin Rehabilitation and Development (PTFMRBRD), a body chaired by Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo and created in 2008 to craft short and long-term solutions to flooding. (Ali Macabalang)

Support urged

DAVAO CITY (PNA) – Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio urged residents living along the shoreline of nearby provinces to return to the city government all the valuable items carried away by the flashflood last Tuesday and ended up in their vicinity.

Speaking to reporters before taking an official leave of absence Monday, the mayor said they must take a cue from a resident of Barangay Astorga in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur identified as Librado Tutor who turned over to City Hall on Saturday several valuable items recovered from the seashore after the flash flood. She said Tutor wants to return all recovered items to their respective owners. All the items were listed for inventory.

Aid recipients

BUTUAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the Caraga Region handed over more than P1 million to the beneficiaries of the Self-Employment Kaunlaran Program in Jabonga, Agusan del Norte. Leah T. Quintana, DSWD regional information officer, said Angelita B. Amista, DSWD operations division chief, turned over three checks to Jabonga Mayor Glicerio M. Monton Jr. who also gave it to the area presidents.

The Sunflower SEA-Kaunlaran Association (SKA), composed of 30 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries received the total amount of P300,000 as capital seed fund. While the EGE SKA composed of 25 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries also received P250,000. (Mike Crismundo)

UP extension

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PNA) – The provincial government of South Cotabato has allocated an additional P3.5 million to augment the operational funds and finance the construction of additional facilities of the University of the Philippines–School of Health Sciences (UP-SHS) extension campus in Koronadal City.

South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy Jr. said the local government is set to release some P1.5 million to the UP-SHS administration as part of its earlier commitment to assist the operations of the UP extension unit, which opened in the area last year.

Davao achievers

DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur (PIA) – The Davao del Sur provincial government acclaimed its “rare talents and achievers” who have brought honor and pride to the province, locally and on a national scale.

Several home-grown talents and achievers of the province from various fields were cited and awarded with plaques of recognition being the highlight during the culmination of the 44th Araw ng Davao del Sur on July 1.

The first to be recognized was Annabel Ungcad who was given a plaque of recognition for winning the 1st place national award as the Most Outstanding ALS Mobile Teacher.