TACEMPCO declares 24-Million total assets

In its annual general assembly attended by 273 members comprising 70 per cent of the total membership, Tacurong City Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (TACEMPCO) declared that its total assets has gone up to P24.87 million at the end of 2013.

TACEMPCO Manager Shirley Fernandez, in her report presented during the 15th on March 29, said that the coop’s assets recorded an increase of P3.30 million compared to its 2012 assets of P21.57 million. Fernandez also reported that at the end of 2013, the coop recorded a net income of P2.36 million from its lending services, cash loans, and consumer services.

Aside from Fernandez, other officers and various committee chairpersons of the TACEMPCO also rendered their respective annual reports during the assembly.

TACEMPCO Chairperson Imelda Pamplona presided over the annual assembly and also rendered her report.

The impressive performance of TACEMPCO was commended by Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Specialist Flora Castro who graced the event and gave inputs on how to improve more the operation of the coop.

Castro said that out of the more than 700 cooperatives in Sultan Kudarat registered to the CDA, there are only 90 that remained to be active and TACEMPCO is one of those active cooperatives.

Mayor Lina Montilla and City Councilor Benjamin Fajardo Jr., both present during the assembly, lauded the good standing of TACEMPCO in the cooperative circle. Both promised their all-out support to the future activities of the coop.

Another highlight of the assembly was the election of new set of officers for vacant positions. Newly-elected Board of Directors included Diana Guadalupe, Roger Arzagon and Radney Ganzon. Ms. Rudiliza Bello was elected as Audit Committee member, while Ms. Candy Leen Baulete and Ester Layam were reelected as members of the Election Committee.

The distribution of more than P1 million dividends on share capital and patronage refunds for the coop members also highlighted the whole-day activity. Various prizes were also given away during the raffle draw. The grand prize, a brand new refrigerator, was won by Leilani dela Cruz of the City Treasury Office. (LGU Tacurong Information)

LGU-Tacurong City wants zero TB deaths

LGU-Tacurong City through the Office for the City Health Services (OCHS) enjoined the participants of the World Tuberculosis (TB) Day Forum to be advocates of TB testing, treatment, and cure for all towards achieving zero TB deaths. This call is in line with the 2014 World TB Day theme: A TB Test, Treatment, and Cure for All. The forum was conducted on March 28.

OCHS advised participants to encourage suspected TB-infected individuals to avail of the free sputum exam at the city health center. TB, if detected and treated early, can be cured.


Tacurong TB-DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short Course) center caters child and adult patients with TB of all forms for free, whether they are PhilHealth members or not. TB treatment takes a minimum of six months given that the patient is not multi-drug resistant.

Once detected, TB patients must undergo treatment for two weeks to eliminate the possibility of infecting other people around them. Right after detection, the patient will have to immediately proceed to the city’s TB-DOTS center for counseling and to get his/her medicines. From the second day to the sixth month, the patient must meet with the barangay health worker everyday. However, the patient must again undergo a sputum exam at the city health center before the second month ends. The patient will again undergo the sputum exam before the fourth and fifth month ends.

In 2013, Tacurong OCHS detected 138 TB cases, and cured 89 patients. Most patients cannot complete the free 6-month TB counseling and treatment. “Karamihan sa mga pasyente, hindi kayang makipagkita sa kanilang rural health worker araw-araw for treatment. Sabi ng iba, dahil walang pamasahe, dahil sa stigma, o dahil wala daw sapat na pagkain araw-araw,” said Lorelie Muyuela, OCHS Nurse. TB patients constantly feel hungry especially if they are in high dosage medication. “We hope to increase our TB cure rate this year by involving sectors in the community. We hope to encourage TB patients to complete their treatment to be cured,” said Dr. Giovanni Deles, City Health Officer.

Tuberculosis remains the 6th cause of death and morbidity in the Philippines. Three out of ten Filipinos have tuberculosis. World TB Day was celebrated on March 24, 2014. (LGU-Tacurong City Information)

LGU-Tacurong assesses business permit and licensing system

Key officials and heads of offices of the LGU-Tacurong City and partner-agencies participated in the Diagnostic Workshop on the Regulatory Simplification for LGUs (RS4LGUs) on Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS) on March 26, 2014. Through the workshop, participants assessed the current system of business permit and licensing, determining strengths and areas for improvement. Professor Simeon Elago of UP-NCPAG, workshop facilitator, emphasized the importance of assessing the LGU’s BPLS from the perspective of the business applicant. "The LGU must ensure that regulatory policies support simplification of the process for the clients," Elago said. This workshop is the LGU’s first step in improving its BPLS. The RS4LGUs program applies a four-phase approach: diagnosis, design, implementation, and evaluation. (LGU-Tacurong City Information)

DOH XII Rabies Coordinator: Be an advocate of wound care

Department of Health (DOH) Regional Rabies Coordinator for SOCCSKSARGEN Ali Tumama, MD advised all participants of the Rabies Awareness Month forum to educate the community regarding wound care, specially those who are exposed to animals who might be infected with rabies virus.

The City Health Office spearheaded the event and was attended by the different City Community Volunteer Health Workers of the 20 barangays in Tacurong City last March 26 at Edjin Pension House.

The event aims to educate all health workers in the city on the upshots of rabies and how it infects its victims as well as the do’s and don’ts in providing treatment of those infected. Lectures on “Rabies on Dogs” and “Rabies on Humans” were discussed by City Veterinarian Hermenegilda Sanque, VMD and Asst. City Health Officer Efraim Collado, MD respectively.

Dr. Tumama also commended the city government for its immense support in the advocacy of making Tacurong City a rabies-free community, having no record of rabies cases for the past year.
Tacurong is also one of the two nominees of Region XII on the national level as a “rabies-free area” together with Cotabato City.

This activity is part of the scheduled events in celebration of Rabies Awareness Month which kicked off on March 8. It carries the theme “Working together for a Rabies Free Philippines.” (LGU-Tacurong City Information)

Phil Army celebrates 117th Anniversary

Walk for Peace 2014. Approximately 500 students, civilians, and soldiers celebrated the Philippine Army (PA) 117^th anniversary on March 22, 2014 by joining the Walk for Peace 2014. The 601st Unifier Brigade organized this event to commemorate the national celebration. The event gathered PA’s public and private partners in maintaining peace and order. These include various organizations such as: LGU-Tacurong City; Rotary and Rotaract Club of Tacurong; religious sector; business sector; the Philippine National Police (Tacurong and Sultan Kudarat); Local Women Development Federation; academic institutions; and media. Prior to the walk, participants enjoyed a Zumba session. “Kailangang unahin ang pagbigay-pansin sa kapakanan ng mga mamamayan. Kaya nagkaron kami ng paradigm shift: instead of winning the war, we want to win peace,” said Col. Melquiades Feliciano, 601^st Brigade Commander. Phil. Army’s 117^thAnniversary carries the Army Core Purpose as its theme—Serving the People, Securing the Land. (LGU Tacurong City Information)

Project PAGLAUM in Tacurong wins more support from stakeholders

Sino pa ba ang magdadamayan, kundi tayo-tayo rin, says a song for the achievement of the Millenium Development Goals.

These lines were truly evident during the Project PAGLAUM Strategic Formulation and Action Planning Workshop on 21 March 2014. LGU-Tacurong City’s Project PAGLAUM continues to gain support from local stakeholders for the improvement of the lives of 40 family beneficiaries in one of the city’s slum areas—Purok Onse, Barangay Poblacion. During the workshop, stakeholders identified and submitted their proposed services and programs that could strengthen Project PAGLAUM.

Prior to this planning workshop, family beneficiaries identified three key problems and issues through surveys and interviews: economic (poverty, hunger, and low family income; peace and order (illegal drugs and gambling); environmental (improper solid waste management and unsanitary/no toilet ).

Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative or SUKELCO committed to help in addressing the problems on peace and order by rehabilitating street lights in the area. This includes free light inspacetions and free light installations. Families said that dark alleys encourage lawless acts at night. SUKELCO will also explore the possibilities of funding livelihood programs for the families.

Meanwhile, the Extension Office of Sultan Kudarat State University-Tacurong Campus guaranteed their support in the conduct of livelihood trainings through their existing programs such as urban gardening and Cavendish banana processing. With the LGU Agriculture Office, SKSU is determined to offer these trainings to uplift the economic status of the 40 families under Project PAGLAUM.  

The Tacurong City Police Office also vowed to intensify Oplan Kalampag, its campaign against illegal drugs. Drug users and pushers are said to usually take refuge in Purok Onse because of its location.

DepEd Tacurong further committed to conduct drug education symposia to spread awareness on the disadvantages of illegal drugs. This effort will supplement PNP’s goal to eradicate the use of illegal drugs.
Tacurong City Employees Association and Tacurong City Employees Cooperative are also determined to help families by conducting parent effectiveness seminars.

Aside from these local partners, other LGU offices such as the Planning and Development Office Coordinating Office, Engineering Office, Public Employment Service Office, City Environment and Natural Resources Office, Health Office, Treasury Office, Accounting Office, and Registry Office committed their services for the project. The barangay government of Poblacion has also expressed its commitment in sustaining the project.

“We will consolidate these plans of action for finalization. We will unify our efforts so that there will be no duplication of programs; DILG and the LGU will make sure that our efforts will converge towards poverty alleviation,” said City DILG Officer Alberto Sero.

Project PAGLAUM prioritizes children’s rights to a peaceful and healthy environment. This project was conceived when LGU-Tacurong City became a recipient of DILG’s MDG Family-based Actions for Children and their Environs in the Slum (FACES) Program. One in every three slum dwellers is a child.

 “I believe that we will achieve our goal. Project PAGLAUM will be sustained because of this tremendous support from local partners,” said Mayor Lina Montilla during the workshop.

Project PAGLAUM monitoring team is headed by City Councilor Psyche M. Sucaldito. (LGU-Tacurong City Information)

LGU promotes gender sensitivity in public service

The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Tacurong City engaged 34 city, barangay, and DILG officials in a Gender Sensitivity Training on February 27-28, 2014 at Edjin Pension House & Restaurant, Tacurong City.

The activity facilitated awareness on gender concerns affecting public offices and clients, and even those that affect the participants and their families. Participants were also informed about gender and development laws. Equality of women and men officials and officers in development and nation building was also emphasized. 

Through the training, the LGU hopes to encourage the integration of gender and development perspective in the workplace. It gears on making the local government unit employees strong partners of the community in promoting gender and development in Tacurong. 

Republic Act 7192 or the Women in Development and Nation Building Act Sec. 27 and Republic Act 8174 (1996 General Appropriations Act) mandates all government agencies and instrumentality to integrate gender and development concerns into their plans, programs, projects, and office activities.

The resource speaker on gender sensitivity from the Civil Service Commission was tapped for this training.

LGU gender sensitivity trainings are conducted through the initiative of the City Human Resource Management Office. (LGU-Tacurong City Information)