NINE colleges and state universities competed in a fancy silent drill at the ongoing Kalimudan Festival in Sultan Kudarat. They are part of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) of each participating school.
Participating Schools:
- University of Southern Mindanao
- Sultan Kudarat State University
- RMMC MI – Ramon Magsaysay Memorial College
- Holy Trinity College of General Santos City
- MSU Maguindanao
- University of Southern Mindanao
- Southern Mindanao Institute Of Technology (SMIT)
- Notre Dame of Marbel University
- Upi Agricultural School
The competition is part of strengthening discipline among the youth in the province. The Reserve Command of the Philippine Army stressed the importance of military training in teaching the youth to follow orders and be true patriots. It also prepares everyone for any impending natural disasters.
“The execution of synchronized movements is a demonstration of skill, achievable only through proper discipline in following commands,” according to Col. Florencio Politud Jr., Group Commander, Reserve Command Region 12.
The Southern Mindanao Institute of Technology once again secured the championship and received P200,000 as prize money.
According to the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Government, the silent drill competition is part of their promotion of nation-building.
“This is beautiful because our youth are showing their discipline, nationalism, and much more. Because, as we say, the youth are the nation’s hope,” Gov. Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu, Province of Sultan Kudarat stated.
All non-winning schools took home 50,000 pesos each.
On Monday morning, the provincial government gathered all persons with disabilities or PWDs. Among the first in line was a college student named Ian.
He expressed his wish to have an artificial leg to make it easier for him to attend school.
“I hope to have prosthetic feet so that I won’t have difficulty going up and down the stairs to the 2nd and 3rd floors at Isulan SKSU because that’s where I study,” said Ian Paul B. Brillantes, College Student.
Ian is one of the hundreds of individuals with disabilities who dream of changing their lives with the government’s assistance.
The Sultan Kudarat Provincial Government did not disappoint them with their program for PWDs.
On the recently held PWD Day, over five hundred individuals received 5,000 pesos each in cash assistance.
Twenty-three were provided with free wheelchairs, and 106 received prosthetic legs and arms.
The key figure in this program is the executive secretary to Governor Mangudadatu, who is also a PWD.
“This will continue from year on now that we have a program for PWDs not only during Kalimudan but throughout the year,” John Redondo, Executive Secretary to the Governor stated.
“Here in Sultan Kudarat, we have a calling that everyone should be inclusive so we give the PWD the best service we can provide,” Gov. Mangudadatu said.
“Early next year, we will have another batch. Because what we want is for all PWDs in Sultan Kudarat to feel that their family is there for them,” he added.
