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Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Datu Salibo folks elect an educator as town mayor


Mayor  Dr. Solaiman M. Sandigan, Al-Hadj  
DATU SALIBO, Maguindanao --- Folks in this town would likely endear their new mayor when it comes to education and manpower resource development having elected last May midyear poll a professional educator.
Mayor-elect Dr. Solaiman M. Sandigan holds a doctoral degree having earned this high academic credential from the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, Quezon City (1995 to 1997).

He is also the founder and owner of Southern Philippines Academy College, Inc.,   now the Bangsamoro University of the Philippines, located at Datu  Ugalingan Piang Street in Datu Piang, Maguindanao province.

In politics of education, the learning process and skills development are paramount in the executive and legislative agenda so to push onwards the needed progress in a community setting other than development thrusts.

“As an educator and a graduate of a prestigious university, I should say education is the most powerful weapon of our young generation of today for them to be on top and live a better life in society.  I believe that education is a strong foundation for each and every one of us and the means of eradicating poverty and criminalities that we are confronted with right now in our community,” Sandigan said.

Mayor-elect Sandigan said that education is the very reason he is back to his place of origin “where my parents brought me out in this very wonderful world on December 15, 1968.”

 “Education is the one that motivated me most to push through  my dream of putting up a school from kinder up to college and this was realized when it was established in the year 2003,” he said.

 As of present, the enrolees in basic education in the university has reached some 20,000 in clustered classes and consortium. Some students have come from Region-12, Compostela Valley in Davao, Caraga Region, and Balot Island.

He said many have been enticed to enrol in this university because of quality education and mentors and the high standard school facilities.  Tuition and other miscellaneous fees are free for deserving students, especially those qualified for subsidies.

“I am doing this because this is my own way of helping my fellow constituents living in a far- flung community and who are in dire need of attention by a true leader in uplifting their way of living. I have only one vision in life --- the good and betterment of this locality, which is to make this into a more developed, progressive, and peaceful place where people could be secured in the spirit of unity and cooperation,” he said of his mission in life and public service.

Program of gov’t
In thanking his constituents for the political mandate along with his line-up in Datu Salibo, Sandigan said he will pursue development initiatives that are pro-poor in a bid to uplift the folks’ living conditions.

Among local government efforts as first priorities within 100 days of assumptions in office, he cited, are the installation of street lights from Barangay Magaslong in Datu Salibo up to the boundary of Datu Saudi Ampatuan and re-assignment of personnel to offices based on their qualifications and in accordance with the service code as mandated by the Civil Service Commission.

He said the 150-watt street lights have to be illuminated nightly for certain necessities and security purposes.

Further, he said favoritism and nepotism have no place in his administration. (Anne B. Acosta)

Editorial

The comfort of rest rooms
Who wouldn’t want public facilities to be “service deluxe” like those in first-class structures? With Republic Act 11311 signed into law, non-commuters or non-travelers could opt to release their personal necessities in public comfort rooms that are really comfortable and free from charges.

The new law mandates the land transport and “roro” terminals and stop-overs to install and maintain adequate and sanitary comfort rooms or rest rooms in their respective service areas or be meted sanctions/penalties for violation of the edict. The provision of the law requires that these CRs have continuing water service with functional flush system and these four-square rooms be always kept clean and well-maintained like those we enjoy in big malls and first-class hotels. Most of all, we want CRs to smell good, free from fowl odors.

Moreover, the law mandates that these terminals equip these rest rooms with soap, tissue papers, and hand dryers. There is one more plus… these terminals should install wifi for free. Really? Such wonderful and appreciative service amenities.

All these proviso for the “convenience” of the clientele, the riding public. Passengers pay the bills or transport rates and this should be reciprocated with ample services for the comfort of the commuters whom the transport industry serve. These comfort services ought to be part of the business investments. It is dutiful for the transport industry to ferry passengers safely with the accompaniment of comfort. In this way, the transport service industry is continually patronized by the clientele.

In every town and cities, there are terminals and stop-overs, especially on long-distance travel. Commuters need to disembark for personal necessities and they expect real comfort in the rest rooms equipped with amenities that come in handy, free of charge. Most of the trucking services, include vans, have their respective stop-over centers where passengers could use terminal comfort/rest rooms. This time, the law mandates that these are sanitary, well-maintained, and well equipped with handies.

It’s high time that commuters or passengers feel the comfort of the service rooms. That is why it is called COMFORT room. Get it terminal proprietors? And don’t disturb the users, please… give them the extra comfort.

Enforcement agencies, including local government units, will have their hands full to track the serviceability of the terminal CRs. There are also lots of netizens who could report infraction of the law through the use of their cellphones and take photo shots of the “state of CR affairs” as evidence of compliance or violation of the law provisions.

A bit of advise: Let us also use these terminal facilities with care and not steal the toiletries lest terminal proprietors install CCTVs, which would rather expose your personal body parts.

Convenience and comfort is the substance and intent of the law.

INSIDE STORIES


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