Koronadal City—The Convergence Program, an anti-poverty program of the Provincial Government of South Cotabato, tries to reach out to far-flung communities and address poverty and eventually end local communist armed struggles as a result of this perennial problem especially to areas that the government seldom visits.
Maria Ana Uy, Community Affairs Chief and Convergence Team Leader, said the grassroots communication approach clears out issues between the people and the government.
“It is best to extend services from the perspective and needs of the people in the community rather than giving it to them based on what we think they need,” Uy stressed out in an interview after she conducted a focus group discussion with purok leaders at Barangay Cebuano, Tupi, yesterday.
Barangay Cebuano is one of the 69 priority barangays of the Convergence Program. The Convergence Program is an umbrella program of the Provincial Taskforce-Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) as an effort to complete the Retooled Community Support Program Action Plan.
Uy, however, said that this month, the Convergence team is at Barangay Danlag (Tampakan), and Sitio Blit (Ned, Lake Sebu).
The Provincial Government plans to facilitate 12 priority barangays and the remaining barangays will be conducted by the Municipal counterparts.
“We wanted to pilot one barangay while the municipal counterpart will take charge of the remaining priority barangays in their area,” Uy said.
The Provincial Government allocates funds for this program under the peace and order council and the municipal government shares resources for various activities.
The plan will integrate, harmonize, and operationalize the various efforts of the whole-of-government and of all sectors of society in delivering goods, services, and information, as well as in providing for peace, security, and development in South Cotabato.
