LAUNCHING of SOUTH-EASTERN PHIL HEALH & ECONOMIC ALTERNATIVES PROJECT

Launching of South-Eastern Phil Health and Economic Alternatives Project

CLOSING REMARKS
March 3, 2009

Greetings:

To our government leaders from the four Provinces of region 12: Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and South Cotabato, to our Delegations of the European Commission (EC) to the Philippines, to our NGO partners and friends, Good morning!

Recognition:

As we close this program this morning we are now entering into the formal commencement of our South-Eastern Phil Health and Economic Alternatives Project or HEAL. In behalf of the NGO partners here, first and foremost, we sincerely thank the Delegation from the European Commission to the Philippines for appreciating the concept of HEAL and for giving us the opportunity to share your resources for our people and for taking us as your new partners in development for the next three years – and hopefully beyond 2012.

Our Local Government Units, the Local Chief Executives, who are here most especially, thank for your active presence, we assure you that you got the cream of the crop of NGO implementers in the development work in your respective provinces, we really thank you for recognizing and accepting us to be your partners in serving the least of the families in your province; and of course I wish to thank Dodoy Magdolot for his enabling leadership in forging the consortium of six NGOs to be part of this endeavor; Doy salamat for bridging hope and for being an instrument in allowing us to share our capabilities to our upland and boundary occupants, especially the Indigenous Peoples; and of course we wish to thank MAHINTANA Foundation for hosting this launching.

Challenges:

The area of coverage of HEAL PROJECT maybe small put against the total population of each province but if this project can create opportunities for development this can make a difference in the lives of the smallest unit of the society, the family, this can create ripples of development; and it can go beyond because it can recreate itself towards development of peoples in a new peace paradigm. So we are happy and hopeful that we can do something for the people in the margins that hopefully no firearms will be grown but rather life in abundance.

To all of us who put all our stakes into this project let us not forget to put all our trust and hope in the loving presence of God in this endeavor as we commit ourselves to make a difference and go creating ripples of development.

SALAMAT PO!