Fil-Am educators fete Maguindanao guv with community service award

RECOGNITION --- Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu (right) poses in posterity with other awardees of the Maryland-based Filipino-American community. (Photo courtesty: Maguindanao Governor's Office)  

COTABATO CITY --- Maguindanao Governor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu has received the Leadership and Community Service award through Education from the Filipino-American community in Maryland, United States of America.

Mangudadatu said the awarding rites held last May 26 Lanham, Maryland was organized by the United Federation of Fil-Am Educators, Inc., (UNIFFIED), an organization of teachers, educators, and professionals who share the vision of promoting excellence in teaching and providing community services through projects that will benefit the communities.

Ronnie Mataquel, UNIFFIED president, said in a letter to Mangudadatu that the decision to grant him the 2018 Community Service Award was based on a screening process initiated by a committee.

In accepting the award, Mangudadatu highlighted the gains of an annual project aimed at educating poor but deserving Maguindanaons to lift them out of poverty and help promote peace in the province.

Mangudadatu was referring to the Maguindanao Program for Education and Community Empowerment (MAG-Peace), which has already benefited more than 20,000 young Maguindanaons. The program, which incorporates socio-economic programs and peace-building projects, has produced college graduates even in the field of law and medicine.

“Never stop dreaming to quest for your success and for the betterment of your constituents,” Mangudadatu on Sunday (May 27) said as he urged other local executives in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to come up with a similar program.

“I am grateful to the US-based UNIFIED for recognizing my efforts to foster peace and cultural solidarity among all peoples in Maguindanao,” Mangudadatu said. (Edwin Fernandez, PNA – Cotabato/MINDANAO EXPOSE’)