iBus inventor inspires fellow Tacurongnons

November 20, 2012-“I am proud that I have come from Tacurong. This is where I was able to establish my strongest foundations.”

In 2011, Tacurongnon Elma Arboleras with her co-inventor Rodel de Guzman won the gold medal in the 11^th British Invention Show with her iBus invention. iBus or the Intelligent BUS Utility System can organize buses based on machine readable tags. It is a bus monitoring and management system that can make the buses load and unload passengers at designated areas only. “When you see a problem, you should see it as the best opportunity to improve,” Ms. Elma said in her inspirational during the LGU’s flag raising ceremony on November 19, 2012.

                Ms. Elma confessed that she had long been invited by the city officials to come home. “I regret not being able to come earlier but I believe that everything has its own time. I believe that this is the best time that God appointed,” she said.

                The crowd of employees cheered on as Ms. Elma pointed out Tacurong’s world class asset: “We may not have a majestic volcano like Mayon in Albay, or the wings of the Philippine Eagle in Davao, but we have something that we can take anywhere we go. That is, our strong-willed spirit as a people.” For Ms. Elma, Tacurong’s best asset is its people. “We have to continue to showcase ourselves [and] bring glory to our hometown and to God,” she added. Ms. Elma believes that Tacurong is made for greatness, just like the Tacurongnons.

Mayor Montilla hands the Plaque of Recognition to Ms. Arboleras.

 Ms. Elma congratulated the city government for the vast development evident in the city. She especially remarked the city’s excellent performance in the past years through the leadership of Mayor Lina O. Montilla. The improvement is not only reflected by rising and increasing infrastructure but also in the numerous awards reaped by the city for exhibiting quality service and governance.

L-R: Vice Mayor Chit Collado, Mayor Lina O. Montilla, Ms. Elma Arboleras, and Ms.  Edna Arboleras

                The city government awarded Ms. Elma with a Plaque of Recognition for her achievements. The city government thanks Ms. Elma for informing and encouraging Tacurongnons to be engaged in various opportunities like Project Pagsulong—a million peso challenge inviting young Filipinos to come up with innovative business ideas towards poverty alleviation.

 “What is great about her is that she never forgets to look back and inspire the people in her hometown. We are pleased to know that Tacurong has yielded yet another humble and empowered individual to the world,” said Mayor Lina O. Montilla.

Jezereel Louise C. Billano