Monday, May 19, 2014

MILF: Pagalungan School building donated by Japanese Government completed

From the MILF Website (May 19): Pagalungan School building donated by Japanese Government completed



A six-room school building in Bago-inged, Pagalungan, Maguindanao donated by the Government of Japan through her Embassy in Manila was finally completed.
  
The project was implemented by the Bangsamoro Development and Resource Center, Incorporated (BDRCi). The contract for the construction of the 6-room school building at the compound of Upper Bago-inged Elementary School between the Embassy of Japan and BDRCi was signed on March 19, 2013 at Astoria Plaza Hotel, Pasig City.

For the residents of Bago-inged, the new school building is first of its kind as the locality was devastated by both natural and man-made calamities. Even during the American-Japanese War in early 40’s, the village was severely damaged in the fighting. Past skirmishes between members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) from 1997 to 2003 also affected the village and its residents as they were forced to evacuate to neighbouring villages.

During those periods, the school was closed as some teachers and students were in evacuation centers.  Government soldiers torched to the ground school buildings, residents’ houses, mosques and madaris buildings and nothing were spared. The school as well as madaris in the community ceased to operate for about ten years. Fortunately when the peace negotiations between GPH and MILF Peace Panels proceeded despite disagreements and deadlocks, the school and madaris re-opened. 

Mr. Samid Pidtukasan, the School Principal, barangay officials, other community leaders, parents and teachers expressed their happiness and gratitude to the Japanese Government for the project which they see as a springboard for their children to achieve a brighter future.

On May 13, 2014, Mr. Takayuki Nakagawa, the 1st Secretary and Senior Adviser for Reconstruction and Development of Mindanao from the Embassy of Japan and working for IMT on Socio-Economic Assistance component together with Mr. Tomoyuki Tada, also Senior Adviser for Reconstruction and Development of Mindanao and serving in the IMT visited the project.

The visit was closely supervised and secured by members of the Pagalungan Police Force headed by their Commander, S/Insp. Solaiman Bakal. BDRCi, the partner non-government organization, headed by its Executive Director Mr. Abdulkadir M. Abubakar sincerely expressed his profound gratitude to the Japanese Government for donating the school building. He said, “I am very grateful to the Government and the people of Japan through their Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Toshinao Urabe for donating this school building at Upper Bagoinged Elementary School, Pagalungan, Maguindanao.

“You planted the seeds of knowledge that will ensure the future of our children”, Mr. Abubakar further said. He also extended his thanks to Engr. Mansory H. Latif, the Head and Manager of the Angkat Construction for his sincere and good management during the construction of the school building.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/983-pagalungan-school-building-donated-by-japanese-government-completed

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.