1st placer of Saf’kaan dancing contest

MALUNGON, Sarangani (September 30, 2011) - Malandag National High School is this year's champion for the Safkaan Festival street dancing competition held on Thursday, September 29, at barangay Malandag plaza. The barangay celebrated its abundant farm products from which Saf’kaan Festival was named after. Saf’kaan is the native word for food. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Saf’kaan Festival showdown yield 2nd placer

MALUNGON, Sarangani (September 30, 2011) – The contingent from Malandag Institute Incorporated performs for the final showdown of Saf’kaan Festival street dancing competition Thursday, September 29, at barangay Malandag plaza. The group won 2nd place. Saf’kaan is the native word for food. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

The 3rd placer of Saf’kaan dancing contest

MALUNGON, Sarangani (September 30, 2011) - Elementary pupils of Lower Lamcanal chant as they perform to win 3rd place at the Saf’kaan Festival street dancing competition Thursday, September 29, at the barangay plaza. The barangay celebrated its abundant farm products from which Saf’kaan Festival was named after. Saf’kaan is the native word for food. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Winning float at Saf’kaan Festival

MALUNGON, Sarangani (September 27, 2011) - Residents and barangay officials pose at the farm products-decorated cart that won 1st place during the “Karo Float Parade” as it highlights the opening of Saf’kaan Festival 2011 at barangay Malandag plaza. (Russel Delvo/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Mayor joins thanksgiving celebration

MALUNGON, Sarangani (September 27, 2011) - Mayor Reynaldo Constantino delivers his message at the opening program of Saf'kaan Festival 2011 Tuesday, September 27, at barangay Malandag plaza. Saf'kaan which means food, is a thanksgiving celebration for the good harvest of its farmlands. Barangay Malandag is known for its agricultural products and high value crops. (Russel Delvo/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Food carts at Saf’kaan Festival

MALUNGON, Sarangani (September 27, 2011) – Carts decorated with farm products compete at the “Karo Float Parade” with winners (L-R) 3rd
placer from sitio Lower Lamcanal, 2nd placer from sitio Upper Lamcanal and 1st placer from sitio Buayan. (Russel Delvo/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Barangay marks festival of food harvest

MALUNGON, Sarangani (September 27, 2011) - Barangay Chair Delia Constantino welcomes guests at the opening program of Saf'kaan Festival 2011 Tuesday, September 27, at barangay Malandag plaza. Saf'kaan, which means food in local parlance, is a thanksgiving celebration for the good harvest of its farmlands. Barangay Malandag is known for its agricultural products and high value crops. (Russel Delvo/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

The hopes in education for Sarangani kids

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 28, 2011) - Anne Edday, project manager of QUEST (Quality Education for Sarangani Today), presents the challenges and hopes in education to participants of the Education Summit for the municipality of Alabel Wednesday, September 28, at the municipal gymnasium. Stakeholders have been pursuing the education agenda thru commitment and accountability with the targets of increasing the participation rate, completion rate, and achievement rate for elementary pupils by the year 2013. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

School of Living Tradition on Tagakaolo Loom Weaving

The School of Living Tradition (SLT) is one of the projects under the Indigenous Peopled Development Program (IPDP) of Sarangani. The aim is to preserve the culture by teaching it to the next generation.

Photo shown here is courtesy of the IPDP c/o Toto Tirando for the SLT on the Tagakaolo Loom Weaving.

Indigenous Peoples Development Program (IPDP) update

I.Training on Bag Weaving and Making using Up-cycling materials funded by SMART Communications, Inc will be on October 3-8, 2011 at Sitio Bolol Kilot, Kawas, Alabel. Recipient of this training is the Bolol Kilot Tribal Women's Association.

II. Maitum Tribal Women's Association is a recipient of Mindanao Rural Development Programme (MRDP) for their inland fishery project in Barangay Wali, Maitum.

III. Provincial Celebration of National IP Thanksgiving Day will be on October 28, 2011 at Provincial Capitol, Alabel. Proposed activities are:

1) Recognition of Cultural Masters/Artists, IP Achievers & Outstanding IP Teachers
2) Food and Craft Exhibit
3) Cultural Performances and Tribal Sports Competition
4) Ceremonial signing of covenant of support for IP programs
5) Gala Night for partners, public officials, awardees and tribal leaders

Visit to Lemuhen Performing Arts Group

The Lemuhen Performing Arts Group from Badtasan, Kiamba is a recipient of School of Living Tradition on Tboli Musical Instrument Playing and Dancing funded by the Provincial Government of Sarangani through the Indigenous Peoples Development Program (IPDP). The IPDP was joined by Toby Martin in this effort of cultural documentation.

Photos courtesy of Toto Tirando, IPDP.

Trekkers reach 70-foot high waterfalls

MAITUM, Sarangani (September 8, 2011) – Mountaineers reach Dakeol Falls (1st tier) over the weekend. It is estimated to be 70 feet high. The mountaineers were not able to reach the 2nd and 3rd tiers because of time constraints but discovered many breathtaking sceneries in sitio Angko, barangay Batian. (Beth Ramos/MAITUM INFORMATION OFFICE)

Maitum mountaineers explore town’s jungle

MAITUM, Sarangani (September 8, 2011) – Municipal employees and local mountaineers take time to pose while on their way to sitio Angko in barangay Batian which is the starting point of their mountain expedition over the weekend. The trekkers, looking for more sites that would fit the “Sarangani your adventure” tourism brand of the province, explored caves and immersed with the Tboli indigenous people who served them local food. (Beth Ramos/MAITUM INFORMATION OFFICE)

Giant staircase awes trekkers

MAITUM, Sarangani (September 8, 2011) – A part of the natural giant staircase made of rock is one of the passageways leading to numerous waterfalls found in sitio Angko, barangay Batian. Mountaineers followed the source of the water in order to find Dakeol Falls, a three-tiered waterfalls still untouched by tourists. (Beth Ramos/MAITUM INFORMATION OFFICE)

Above the mist in Maitum

MAITUM, Sarangani (September 8, 2011) – A trekker surveys one of the breath-taking sceneries of sitio Angko in barangay Batian where you can feel Mother Nature’s soothing embrace above the mist, warming the truly human heart. Municipal employees and local mountaineers hiked to sitio Angko in barangay Batian over the weekend, looking for more sites that would fit the “Sarangani your adventure” tourism brand of the province. The trekkers explored caves and immersed with the Tboli indigenous people who served them local food. (Beth Ramos/MAITUM INFORMATION OFFICE)

This T'boli woman demonstrates how she chews a certain bark (instead of a betel nut), ikmo, and other herbal plants. What's interesting about it is that she is chewing tree barks. The tree bark has a flavor and the juice in the bark releases the red pigmenu in the saliva. According to those who have tried it, it's refreshing!

Photos and information courtesy of Beth Ramos of LGU-Maitum

Top young Filipinos picked for Asia leaders program

The Asia Society, a renowned international organization based in New York that aims to strengthen understanding among the peoples of the Asia Pacific region, has selected nine Filipinos to be part of this year’s batch to the Asia 21 Young Leaders program.

The program aspires to develop the next generation of leaders who would take up the challenge of collaborating on creative solutions to address national and regional issues.

The honorees will take part in the Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit where Asia Society gathers the top 200 young leaders of the Asia Pacific region. This year’s summit will be held in November in New Delhi, India.

This year’s batch includes lawyer Paulino Salvador Leachon, lawyer Lesley Jeanne Cordero, Maria Doris Dumlao, Jeffrey Tarayao, Alvin Cloyd Dakis, Michael Sandejas, Soledad Sylvia Nubla-Lee, Annalie Edday and Joy Anya Lim.

Leachon and Cordero represent the government sector. Cordero was chosen for her contributions as the assistant secretary for legislative affairs in the Presidential Communications Operations Office, while Leachon was picked for his effective management and policy implementations as the mayor of Calapan City.

Nonprofit sector

Nubla-Lee and Edday represent the nonprofit sector with Nubla-Lee being cited for her work in providing access to quality higher education for underprivileged public high school students through Pathways to Higher Education. Edday was cited for her advocacy of improving educational systems in the rural areas through programs such as Quality Education in Sarangani Today (Quest).

Tarayao was chosen for his achievements in the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) being the chief CSR officer of Meralco and, previously, of Globe Telecom.

Dakis, founding chair and national president of Alliance of Young Leaders and Advocates International Inc., was selected for his advocacies in health and human rights. Lim, a social entrepreneur from Cebu, founded Anthill Fabric Gallery which promotes cultural preservation of the Philippines’ weaving industry.

Dumlao was honored for her work as a multiawarded business reporter of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Sandejas represents the arts and culture sector who uses his films as a means to shed light on marginalized sectors of society such as the deaf.

Former Filipino fellows include education advocate Ching Jorge, former National Youth Commission chair Bam Aquino, DNA forensics scientist Dr. Ma. Corazon de Ungria, human rights lawyer Damcelle Torres-Cortez, social entrepreneur Lt. Col. Dennis Eclarin, IPVG’s Enrique Gonzalez and Mayor Jeng Reyes of Alicia, Isabela.

To select this year’s delegates, the Asia Society in the Philippines screened more than 100 Filipinos between the ages of 25 and 40. They came from various sectors such as government, academe, media, business, health, nonprofit, military, and culture and the arts.

The honorees were chosen based on their leadership experience, achievements in their chosen field, impact of their leadership, and service to the country. The program is supported by Metro Pacific Investment Corp.

Source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/7823/top-young-filipinos-picked-for-asia-leaders-program

Photo courtesy of QUEST Program.

Distribution of School Supplies to IP Pupils in Lamlifew

This project is in partnership with Read-to-SMART of SMART Communications together with private individuals.

Distribution of School Supplies to IP Pupils in Lamlifew

This project is in partnership with Read-to-SMART of SMART Communications together with private individuals.

Information Education Campaign for Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA)

Thanks to the Indigenous Peoples Development Program (IPDP) staff for facilitating this information education among our fellow tribal folks.

Barangay Kihan uplands

This documentation resulted to identification of 106 Blaan Upland Rice Varieties in Barangay Kihan, Malapatan in partnership with Mindanao State University-Science Department, General Santos City; Barangay Council and the Blaan upland rice growers of Kihan.

Upland rice fields of Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province

This documentation resulted to identification of 106 Blaan Upland Rice Varieties in Barangay Kihan, Malapatan in partnership with Mindanao State University-Science Department, General Santos City; Barangay Council and the Blaan upland rice growers of Kihan.

Upland rice grains of Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province

This documentation resulted to identification of 106 Blaan Upland Rice Varieties in Barangay Kihan, Malapatan in partnership with Mindanao State University-Science Department, General Santos City; Barangay Council and the Blaan upland rice growers of Kihan.