SULU (Mindanao Examiner / May 22, 2012) – Poor Muslim families in the southern Philippine province of Sulu have been awarded housing units by the Sulu provincial government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development as part of a joint program aimed at alleviating the plight of the indigents.
Gov. Sakur Tan and Social welfare provincial head Madeleine Bahjin led the awarding of some 65 shelters to families in the villages of Timbangan in Indanan town and Laum in Maimbung town.
Tan also inaugurated a water system in Maimbung town where Mayor Samier Tan led local officials in the ceremony.
“We made very good progress in the span of two years and Maimbung is so much better now that it was in the past. Aside from these housing projects and water system, the seaport is now on its final phase of construction and new school buildings were constructed to give a comfortable place of learning for the children of Maimbung,” Tan said.
He said an integrated public market is also expected to be in operation soon to spur economic activity in the town and nearby areas.
“These projects are just but some of the initiatives that my administration accomplished and all these to provide opportunities and make lives better for our people,” Tan said.
He also urged the locals to contribute in the development and progress of Sulu. “If we cannot initiate development in our own town, we cannot expect others to come here and do it for us, and we must have progress first as a people, so that we can bring progress to others as well,” he said.
Tan said he would also build a hospital in Maimbung in partnership with the Department of Health which pledged P10 million. He said he and the town mayor will also share at least P5 million for the project.
Other provincial officials who attended the ceremony were Board member Darren Limpasan, Mayor Hatta Berto, of Pandami town; Mayor Alrazmie Halun, of Kalinggalang Caluang town; Timbangan village chieftain Akmad Hussin, who represented Mayor Saripuddin Jikiri, of Indanan town; and Laum village chieftain Edzfar Tan. (Mindanao Examiner)
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