500 ethnic Manobo children in Cotabato gets free shoes

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Hundreds of ethnic Manobo schoolchildren received new pairs of shoes from two former political rivals during an outreach mission in a tribal enclave in Magpet, Cotabato, on Friday, December 20.

Radio reports on Saturday morning, December 21, in Cotabato City and in nearby Central Mindanao provinces stated that 500 grade school pupils in the Manobo Elementary School in Barangay Manobo in the upland Magpet town benefited from the joint humanitarian activity of Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño Mendoza and her former political rival, Nancy Catamco.

Mendoza defeated Catamco, a reelectionist governor, during the 2022 gubernatorial race in the province.

Mendoza is the concurrent chairperson of the multi-sector Regional Development Council 12 covering the provinces of Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Sarangani and the cities of Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal and General Santos.

Catamco is among the traditional leaders in one of the indigenous groups in Cotabato province.

Manobo tribal chieftains in Magpet and in nearby towns were quoted in radio reports on Saturday as saying that they were elated with the reconciliation of their incumbent and now reelectionist governor and Catamco.

Catamco, who had also served as congressional representative of the second district of Cotabato, is not aspiring for any elective post in Cotabato province during next year’s election.

Mendoza said she has directed the employees of the Cotabato provincial government to plan out more outreach activities, involving tribal leaders, in ancestral lands of indigenous communities that are under her jurisdiction.