Category: English Press Release

KIDAPAWAN CITY- Newly designated Department of Education Regional Director Dr.Carlito Rocafort, CESO V paid a courtesy visit to City Mayor Joseph Evangelista on April 20, 2021.

Rocafort replaces Former Deped XII Chief Dr. Cesar Bringas.

He received a warm welcome from the Mayor and at the same time  oriented with the current education-related programs implemented by the City Government.

He was

happy to learn that among other LGUs, only Kidapawan City subsidies the Parent Teachers Association fees of the more than 36,000 pupils and students enrolled in all public elementary and secondary schools in the city.

Aside from this, the Mayor informed Dr. Rocafort of the Education Health, Nutrition and Social Welfare development programs for all children.

These programs contributed to the reduction of drop out rates and malnutrition cases among children in public schools.

Mayor Evangelista also revealed that a P5Million fund was approved by the Local Schools Board to be utilized for the printing of learning modules of pupils snd students in the implementation of the blended learning approach in this time of Covid19 pandemic.

Added to this is for the teachers in both public and private schools to be inoculated with the anti Covid19 vaccine for their  protection.

Dr.Rocafort,

 likewise  led the installation of Dr. Natividad G.Ocon, CESO VI, and Meilrose Peralta as the new City Schools Division Superintendent and Asst. Schools Division Superintendent,  respectively.

KIDAPAWAN CITY, APRIL 21, 2021 – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is offering scholarship program for incoming Grade 11 children of fisherfolks in Kidapawan City. 

Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph A. Evangelista through City Agriculturist Marissa Aton is calling on interested and qualified sons and daughters of registered city fisherfolks who wants to pursue studies to avail of three scholarship programs namely Fisherfolk Children Educational Grant (FCEG), Fisheries Industry Leaders Grant (FILG) – a merit-based scholarship for high school graduates, and FCC Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICC/Ips).

Mayor Evangelista said the children of these of fisherfolks can select on the three program components of the scholarship based on their competency but will definitely be as advantage to them.

Under the FCEG, FILG and ICC/Ips scholarships, the students will receive certain privileges such as school and miscellaneous fees amounting to P2,000 per semester; monthly stipend and living allowance amounting to P5,000 upon submission of grades every end of the semester, and book allowance for 2,000 to be given upon enrolment on the first semester of each year.

Aside from those benefits, the scholars will also receive various supports to include On-the-Job Training (OJT) for 3,000 upon submission of certificate of enrolment, Thesis/Special Problem for P7,000, and graduation support for P1,500.

On top of these privileges, a cash incentive awaits those scholars who will graduate with honors or excellence – P20,000 for Cum Laude, P30,000 for Magna Cum Laude, and P50,000 for Summa Cum Laude. 

Interested applicants are advised to visit and submit their applications to the Office of the City Agriculturist situated at the City Hall on or before September 30, 2021. (AJPME/JSCJ-CIO)

KIDAPAWAN CITY, April 21, 2021 – The City Government of Kidapawan enjoins every eligible senior citizen in the city to get inoculated with the Covid-19 vaccine with assurance that every vaccinee will be monitored appropriately.

Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph A. Evangelista informed that the vaccination of Priority A2 or senior citizens with controlled comorbidities will commence tomorrow, April 22, 2021, several weeks after the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) conducted profiling and registration of the city’s senior citizens.

“We urge our beloved senior citizens which are among the eligible for vaccination to please take this opportunity to get vaccinated and also those who are still not on our list to get in touch with our respective offices”, said Mayor Evangelista.

The mayor highlighted that part of the local government’s vaccination roll out plan is to monitor all the eligible seniors from the moment they get inside the vaccination site and upon returning to their houses. This includes monitoring of their vital signs and possible side-effects of the vaccine.

Furthermore, Mayor Evangelista cited the great importance for eligible senior citizens to get vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccines whether Sinovac or AstraZenecia or any brand for that matter because they were given Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) and are proven safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

CESU Operations Officer Dr. Nerissa Paalan disclosed that senior citizens from two barangays – Poblacion and Sudapin will be the first to be inoculated as these are the villages that has logged the highest cases of Covid-19.

Dr. Paalan further said that every senior citizen who were registered in their own Barangay Health Stations (BNS) particularly those with controlled comorbidity was initially required to submit documents such as medical certifications from attending physicians, prescriptions, hospital records or surgical records which were consequently assessed and evaluated by medical physicians, while those who have none will also under assessment by the physician.  

“This is an opportune time for the senior citizens to receive the vaccine because they are at risk of severe infection or the worst situation from Covid-19 considering their ages as well as their comorbidity” said Dr. Paalan as she underscored the presence of trained people to administer the vaccines.

Moreover, she highlighted that those senior citizens with controlled or monitored comorbidities such as high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and asthma need not to worry because there are teams of front liners to check on their conditions even after they were vaccinated.

A total of 11,599 senior citizens from different villages in Kidapawan City are among the list of vaccinees under Priority A2.  Of this number, some 160 persons (110 from Barangay Poblacion, 50 from Sudapin) will first receive the vaccines as the inoculation starts this week.

The Kidapawan Doctors College, Inc. (KDCI) will be the designated vaccination site for the activity, according to the CESU. (AJPME/JSCJ-CIO)

KIDAPAWAN CITY, April 19, 2021 – The Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the City Government of Kidapawan has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to facilitate the release of P20M to be utilized for various socialized relocation and relocation projects in the villages of Ilomavis and Perez, Kidapawan City.

DHSUD Sec. Eduardo del Rosario and Mayor Evangelista, signatories of the said MOA, both expressed high optimism for the venture that aims to build more houses for the 2019 earthquake-stricken families from the two barangays this year.

Funded by the DHSUD, the relocation project is under the BALAI Filipino Program of the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the City Government for its part shall develop the projects and cause the completion of the land development component in accordance with approved program and schedule. 

The relocation sites have a combined total area of 91,096 square meters which will cater to some 768 families, whose houses were either totally damaged by earthquakes or whose residences were located in areas tagged as high-risk. 

The houses that will be built come with electric and water connections, drainage canals, and road rehabilitation making it more livable and convenient for the beneficiaries.

Mayor Evangelista wasted no time in reaching and coordinating with the concerned government agencies – Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), NHA, DHSUD, as well as other offices to generate funds for the relocation of thousands of families hit by earthquakes to safer areas.

Three relocation sites were already opened and houses formally turned over to recipients by no less than Mayor Evangelista himself. These were in Barangay Ilomavis on July 2020 (357 houses), Barangay Indangan on February 8, 2021 (108 houses), and Barangay Perez on March 26, 2021 (50 houses initially).  

The City Government of Kidapawan is the first LGU among earthquake-stricken areas to fully implement and completely turned over houses funded by national government agencies. (AJPME/JSCJ-CIO)

KIDAPAWAN CITY, April 15, 2021 – Two newly-opened business establishments in the city – the Peak Properties by CSR and Marlit Realty were given tax incentives by the City Government.

No less than Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph A. Evangelista handed the Certificate of Tax Incentives to the representatives of the two firms at the City Mayor’s Office, today, April 15, 2021.

The said establishments will be exempted to pay real property taxes for a period of two years; from 2021-2023 or a tax holiday given to business companies who either open or expand their business in the city but not to include other form of taxes to be paid in the course of their operations.

This is also to encourage company owners or proprietors to pursue opening of their businesses in order to stimulate or activate once more business activities in the city in this time of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“We value our business sector because they are our strong partners in improving our economy, hence; this incentive to show them our appreciation”, said Mayor Evangelista.

On the other hand, business companies undergo evaluation to determine if they can avail of the tax incentive or worthy to receive tax certifications especially the City Trade and Investment Promotion Council (CTIPC) according to Designated Local and Economic and Investment Promotions Officer Gillian Ray Lonzaga.

“We carefully appraise business companies and verify on some significant aspects as this is an important part or requisite in giving tax incentives”, said Lonzaga. 

The City Government is keenly optimistic that the business sector continues to recover from the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic especially now that vaccines for Covid-19 are already being rolled out and that the citizens are enjoined to strictly follow the minimum health protocols set by the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Inter-Agency Task Force for Covid19 (NIATF). (AJPME/jscj-CIO)

More than 200 coconut and corn farmers in Kidapawan City and Kabacan receive cash and food aid from DA12 and PCA

Kidapawan City, April 13, 2021 – Over 200 coconut and corn farmers based in different barangays in Kidapawan City and the Municipality of Kabacan benefited from the cash and food aid from the Department of Agriculture (DA) 12 and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) as part of the agencies’ assistance to agriculture sector severely affected by Covid-19 pandemic.

DA 12 Regional Corn Coordinator Abas Abdullah, Coconut Development Officer Kathleen Lana, and City Agriculturist Marissa T. Aton led the distribution held at the Mega Tent of the City Hall this morning where each farmer-beneficiary received P3,000 cash and food items consist of half sack rice and five kilos dressed chicken.

Abdullah said the assistance forms part of the DA’s initiative to provide aid to those farmer individuals not included as recipients of the Special Amelioration Program (SAP) of the national government. “The department recognized the ill-effects of the pandemic of Covid-19 to our small corn farmers and how they suffer the consequences that is why the DA came up with program to alleviate their unfavorable situation”, Abdullah said during the opening of the activity.

For her part, Lana said, a large number of coconut farmers have incurred heavy losses because of the pandemic and the PCA has also came up with a program to help them. “We know how much our small coconut farmer took the tool of this Covid-19 pandemic.

On the other hand, Aton said the City Agriculturist Office provided the list of qualified beneficiaries to the DA and PCA which consist of farmers having only one hectare of coconuts or corn whose livelihood are highly affected by the pandemic.

Aton further informed that all in all the recipients comprised of some 136 coconut farmers and 4 corn farmers from Kidapawan and 20 coconut farmers and 6 corn farmers based in the Municipality of Kabacan who were included in the distribution. 

Expressing his gratitude to the program, Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph A. Evangelista said he is more than happy to know that the programs and projects of the City Government for the affected farmers coincides with that of the DA and PCA especially in recovering from the pandemic.

“The City Government continues to create programs aimed at helping the agriculture sector and to strengthen food sufficiency as this is very important in this time of pandemic”, said Mayor Evangelista adding that practically everybody is a victim of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially our farmers who had difficulties in transporting and selling their harvest.  The mayor then underscored the City Government of Kidapawan’s focus on agriculture this year which include distribution of free seedlings and fertilizers, hogs and other livestock, animal feeds, technical trainings and capacity building for crop planters and growers. (CIO-AJPME/jscj)

KIDAPAWAN CITY. April 8, 2021 – The City Government of Kidapawan through the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) and some partner-employers jointly launched an online job and business fair that provides opportunities to first time job seekers as well as those displaced workers who lost their jobs due to Covid19 pandemic.

The launching took place on April 8, 2021at the PESO where some 430 applicants for the 1st Online Trabaho, Negosyo,  Kabuhayan Job and Business Fair registered through online, according to PESO Manager Herminia C. Infanta.    

The job and business fair offers a total of 797 job positions for interested and qualified applicants which include Paralegal Officer, Human Resource, Accounting, IT Specialist, Customer Service Champion, Technical Support Expert, Sales Representative, Sales Center Clerk, Delivery Sales, and many others.

Infanta informed that some 75 registrants were successfully interviewed – 51 through online and 24 walk-in; 4 were hired on-the-spot and 71 were considered highly qualified to fill-in various positions where 43 were scheduled for a final interview this week.

In the event they are hired, they will be working for partner companies such as VXI Global Holdings, BV, Pryce Gas, Inc., Taytay sa Kauswagan, Bluesun, KCC Mall Marbel and Sky Go Motors.

In a video message during the launching, Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph A. Evangelista expressed high optimism that there will be a tremendous output from the job and business fair as it is aimed to help those workers or employees severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is our way of helping those affected by the pandemic (Covid-19) to at least find a new employment, earn and eventually help their families cope up with the negative effects of pandemic”, said Mayor Evangelista.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 12 Regional Director Raymundo G. Agravante also gave his message online for the job seekers.

“This is purposely for displaced workers in Kidapawan City and nearby places to help them in landing new jobs through the opening of various job positions of our partner local and national companies”, said Agravante.

As such, he lauded the City Government of Kidapawan for its efforts in assisting job seekers access to online employment and business opportunities.

Agravante said that in accordance with the DOLE’s mandate to help displaced workers as well as first time job seekers, this is an opportune time for Kidapawenos to apply and land a job in various establishments with the help of the City Government of Kidapawan.

DOLE North Cotabato Field Officer Marjorie P. Latoja, for her part, thanked the job seekers for grabbing the opportunity and for taking part in the collaborative effort to help the unemployed and become productive amid the pandemic.

Other agencies that support the job and business fair include the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). (CIO-AJPME/jscj)

DOST, City Government of Kidapawan put up Complementary Food Center in Barangay Magsaysay, Kidapawan City

KIDAPAWAN CITY, April 8, 2021 – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 12 and the City Government of Kidapawan joined hand in hand in the campaign against malnutrition and to sustain provision of healthy food for young children, especially those nutritionally deficient children in the city.

Today, April 8, 2021, Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph A. Evangelista and DOST 12 Regional Director Engr. Sammy Malawan led the launching and formal opening of the Complementary Food Center in the village of Magsaysay, Kidapawan City with the presence of barangay officials and other stakeholders.

The project total cost is P3M where the DOST funded P1.7M and the City Government shelled out the amount of P 1.3M as counterpart.

Prior to the establishment of the Complementary Food Center, Mayor Evangelista was able to send a proposal letter to DOST 12 in 2017 for the said project in order to augment nutritious food for the growing number of day care and pupils in public elementary schools in the city. 

“We seek to establish initiatives to help fight the incidence of malnutrition in some villages, more importantly those who are living in far-flung areas”, said Mayor Evangelista. He emphasized that fighting malnutrition does not need to be expensive and it can be done by using the proper technology from the DOST.

For his part, RD Malawan highlighted the efficient collaboration between the DOST and the City Government of Kidapawan which resulted to the establishment of the center. “The DOST is elated to see the enormous support of the City Government led by Mayor Evangelista for the materialization of the project. Together, we will continue to introduce science-based interventions to come up with concrete answers to the problem of malnutrition”, said RD Malawan.

Some nutritious food that are available in the Complementary Food Center include rice with mongo blend and vegetables, rice and mongo with sesame and rice and mongo baby food blend. The DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute also collaborates with the center in coming up with nutritious recipe being supplied by the Complementary Food Center for young children especially in this time of Covid-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, the City Nutrition Office as well as the City Agriculture Office will be partnering with the center to come up with more healthy food that will be sought by the children and is not costly. (CIO-AJPME-jscj)

Medical physicians from Kidapawan City to gain from sharing of best practices with Korean counterparts through webinar

KIDAPAWAN CITY, April 5, 2021 – Medical doctors based in Kidapawan City engage in a session with counterparts from South Korea in the Public Health and Services Improvement webinar at the Convention Hall, Kidapawan City from April 5-9, 2021.

The activity aims to help physicians and other front liners to gain more knowledge from the International Urban Training Center in Gangwin Province of the Republic of South Korea in reducing risks of death from non-communicable disease, other emerging and re-emerging infections, environmental threats and most importantly in fighting the Covid-19 disease. 

City Health Officer Dr. Jocelyn Encienzo informed that the 5-day webinar will provide more skills and enhance the capability of local doctors to address medical and health concerns amid the health crisis brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is a very timely seminar, with relatively new learnings and adoption of best practices from our medical counterparts in South Korea”, said Dr. Encienzo as she thanked Mayor Joseph A. Evangelista for his directive to organize the webinar which encompasses both government and private doctors.

For his part, Mayor Evangelista said his administration will take every opportunity to help front liners improve their capacities and in the long run learn how to apply new strategies in medical and health in the new normal way of living.

Mayor Evangelista himself had gone to South Korea in previous years and successfully attended environmental seminars and applied the learnings and best practices here in Kidapawan City particularly in waste or garbage disposal and protection of the environment. 

Through the CHO and the City Tourism Office, he earlier tapped the members of the North Cotabato Medical Society to engage with the activity realizing it as a highly essential action to further improve the campaign against Covid-19 and other health issues and concerns.

“We will not let up in looking for ways to help our front liners especially now that there is again an emerging high cases of Covid-19 and new variants of Covid in NCR, we are constantly doing proactive measures so as not to experience the same situation”, the City Mayor stressed.

Each day, the seminar provides and discusses some topics focused on gaining fact-based understanding or insights as the protection, detection, treatment and other significant new ideas.

Gillian Ray T. Lonzaga, City Tourism Operations Officer said the webinar provides a lot of help to the participating doctors who at present have enormous responsibilities in the treatment and monitoring of sick patients specially those infected with the Covid-19 virus.

“We are one with them (front liners) in advocating a Covid-19-free community and by merely supporting activities such as this one we already are doing our share in winning this battle against the dreaded disease”, said Lonzaga.

A wide response came from both government and private medical physicians who not only signified their participation to the five-day webinar but also manifested to apply everything they learned back in their respective hospitals.

They include Chiefs of Hospitals, Medical Officers, OB-GYN Department Heads, Nephrologists, Infection Control Officers, and others.

The five-day Public Health and Services Improvement webinar, finally, is anticipated to boost capabilities of front liners and equip them with fact-based learning as they continue to protect the public health during this Covid-19 pandemic. (CIO-AJPME/JSCJ)

Medical physicians from Kidapawan City to gain from sharing of best practices with Korean counterparts through webinar

KIDAPAWAN CITY, April 5, 2021 – Medical doctors based in Kidapawan City engage in a session with counterparts from South Korea in the Public Health and Services Improvement webinar at the Convention Hall, Kidapawan City from April 5-9, 2021.

The activity aims to help physicians and other front liners to gain more knowledge from the International Urban Training Center in Gangwin Province of the Republic of South Korea in reducing risks of death from non-communicable disease, other emerging and re-emerging infections, environmental threats and most importantly in fighting the Covid-19 disease. 

City Health Officer Dr. Jocelyn Encienzo informed that the 5-day webinar will provide more skills and enhance the capability of local doctors to address medical and health concerns amid the health crisis brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is a very timely seminar, with relatively new learnings and adoption of best practices from our medical counterparts in South Korea”, said Dr. Encienzo as she thanked Mayor Joseph A. Evangelista for his directive to organize the webinar which encompasses both government and private doctors.

For his part, Mayor Evangelista said his administration will take every opportunity to help front liners improve their capacities and in the long run learn how to apply new strategies in medical and health in the new normal way of living.

Mayor Evangelista himself had gone to South Korea in previous years and successfully attended environmental seminars and applied the learnings and best practices here in Kidapawan City particularly in waste or garbage disposal and protection of the environment. 

Through the CHO and the City Tourism Office, he earlier tapped the members of the North Cotabato Medical Society to engage with the activity realizing it as a highly essential action to further improve the campaign against Covid-19 and other health issues and concerns.

“We will not let up in looking for ways to help our front liners especially now that there is again an emerging high cases of Covid-19 and new variants of Covid in NCR, we are constantly doing proactive measures so as not to experience the same situation”, the City Mayor stressed.

Each day, the seminar provides and discusses some topics focused on gaining fact-based understanding or insights as the protection, detection, treatment and other significant new ideas.

Gillian Ray T. Lonzaga, City Tourism Operations Officer said the webinar provides a lot of help to the participating doctors who at present have enormous responsibilities in the treatment and monitoring of sick patients specially those infected with the Covid-19 virus.

“We are one with them (front liners) in advocating a Covid-19-free community and by merely supporting activities such as this one we already are doing our share in winning this battle against the dreaded disease”, said Lonzaga.

A wide response came from both government and private medical physicians who not only signified their participation to the five-day webinar but also manifested to apply everything they learned back in their respective hospitals.

They include Chiefs of Hospitals, Medical Officers, OB-GYN Department Heads, Nephrologists, Infection Control Officers, and others.

The five-day Public Health and Services Improvement webinar, finally, is anticipated to boost capabilities of front liners and equip them with fact-based learning as they continue to protect the public health during this Covid-19 pandemic. (CIO-AJPME/JSCJ)