Cagayan de Oro: In a signing ceremony which marked years of longstanding partnership, the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur, led by Governor Mamintal “Bombit” Alonto Adiong, Jr. and Vice Governor Mohammad Khalid “Mujam” Raki-in Adiong, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), spearheaded by its Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran, reaffirmed their joint commitment to advance peace and development in the province through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) towards enhancing development activities for the advancement of peace, resilience, and sustainability in Lanao del Sur. The MoU will provide a framework for the continuous collaboration of Lanao del Sur and UNDP focusing on key priority areas such as: Covid-19 response and recovery, peacebuilding, prevention of violent extremism, digital governance, and promotion of renewable energy among others. During the signing ceremony, UNDP also turned over a generator to the Sagonsongan Temporary Shelter, which is home to 140 Meranao families that were displaced by the 2017 siege of Marawi City. Aside from addressing the socioeconomic needs of communities in Lanao del Sur, UNDP has also supported an important element of the provincial government’s response to the pandemic. Last December 2020, UNDP turned over 5 medical ventilators to the provincial government in support of the efforts to enhance the local government’s capacity in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Source: Manila Times March 14, 2021 16:07 UTC