StanChart donates computers to NCotabato barangay execs

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines  --- Barangay leaders began using this week the slightly-used branded computers donated by a bank in Japan.

Thirty two of the 75 Dell Optiplex computers from the Standard Chartered Bank of Japan have been turned over to 16 barangays and four community organizations in Mlang town in the third district of the province.

The computers, valued at P1.5 million, were shipped to North Cotabato last month as “information technology intervention” aimed at enhancing the delivery of government services to peasant communities in the third district of the province.

A member of the provincial board representing the third district of North Cotabato, Ivy Dalumpines-Ballitoc, was responsible for securing the computer donation from Masayuki Fujimoto, information and technology director of the donor Japanese bank.

North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza, who led the distribution of the computers to recipient-barangay officials last week, said she is thankful to Ballitoc for initiaing the effort to secure the computers.

The bank had also paid for the freight, costing about P300,000, of the computers from Japan to North Cotabato.

Community leaders in  Mlang’s adjoining Barangays Sangat, Magallon, New Antique, Tibao, Lika, Ugpay, New Lawaan, Pulang Lupa, Luz Village, La Suerte, Tawan-Tawan, Palma Perez, Bagontapay, Buayan, New Rizal, and Pag-asa, are now using the computers in their respective barangay centers.

M’lang Mayor Joselito F. Piñol and his constituent-local officials witnessed the ceremonial distribution  last week of the computers to the beneficiary barangay officials.

The Kabacan National High School in Kabacan town, also in the third district of North Cotabato, received eight units of the slightly-used computers.

Officials  have yet to distribute the remaining units of computers to barangay governments in North Cotabato’s Tulunan, Carmen and Banisilan towns. - John Unson