RD Foundation, IHome donate school building

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (11 May 2015) - City Mayor Ronnel Rivera graces the groundbreaking ceremony of a one-storey, three-classroom building donated by RD Foundation Inc. and IHome to Ondok Gawan Elementary School in Barangay San Jose on May 8. Mayor Rivera said this donation is a big help in cutting down the 274 classroom shortage in the city. (Gensan CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

World TB Day

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (30 March 28 2015) – The Department of Health (DOH), St. Elizabeth Hospital, Mindanao Medical Hospital, General Santos Doctors Hospital, Mother Children Hospital, Midwives Association, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Mahintana Foundation, PAMET South Cotabato Chapter, Public Health Center, doctors, nurses, midwives, and medical technologists support "World TB Day" as they teach the community how to treat tuberculosis (TB) at Barangay San. Jose on Tuesday, March 24. This activity aims to provide awareness of the illness called TB initiated by DOH and the City Health Office. (Gensan CPIO/ Jan Rey Libunao)

People first in Barangayan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (30 March 2015) – Residents of Barangay Bawing are prioritized in the free medical services given by the city government through its Barangayan program Friday, March 27. The city government also brought government services to Barangay San Jose on March 20 through the Barangayan program where residents availed of services like free medical check-up, medicines , massage  and civil registration. (Gensan CPIO/ Jan Rey Libunao)

CDRRMC trains barangays for disaster response

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (24 March 2015) – The Integrated Barangay Affairs and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) have conducted a Rapid Community Response Program (RCRP) to train barangay volunteers for calamity preparedness. 

The RCRP was a two-day training-workshop implemented by the city government to equip residents of different barangays with the basics of disaster preparedness and mitigation skills. 

The participating barangays were Baluan, Fatima, Lagao, San Isidro, San Jose and Sinawal. 

CDRRMC action officer Bong Dacera handled the seminar and introduced the volunteers to the plausible hazards their respective barangays are prone to. 

He also taught them how the CDRRMO analyzes community risk assessment and tools for hazard assessment.

A simulation drill was set on March 21 after the one-week planning.

“After the two-day classroom seminar, they will go down to the purok level and facilitate community organizing,” said Dacera.

“We give them one week to plan, and then the following week is the drill simulation of the first batch,” he added.

The RCRP is also part of the advocacy of City Mayor Ronnel Rivera to attain environmental security and rehabilitation through disaster risk resilience.

The city mayor plans to make the activity regular in order to empower barangays in times of disaster or emergency. (Gensan CPIO/ Sharmagne Villacastin)

Barangays learn disaster preparedness

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (12 March 2015) - Volunteer residents from the barangays of Fatima, San Isidro, San Jose, Sinawal, Baluan, and Bawing participate in the Rapid Community Response Program (RCRP) of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and Integrated Barangay Affairs (IBA) of the city government Wednesday, March 11. This program is crafted by City Mayor Ronnel Rivera to equip the constituents of the city on disaster preparedness and mitigation. (Gensan CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

Mayor Rivera donates salary for education

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (14 November 2014) - City Mayor Ronnel Rivera continues his advocacy in improving the educational system in the city as he donates his salary for the benefit of 26 students of the Datu Balunto High School in Barangay San Jose Thursday, November 13.(Gensan CPIO/Russell L. Delvo)

Water and sanitation projects operate in puroks

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (10 July 2014) - Integrated Barangay Affairs head Joel Sy Duterte explains to the officers of Rural Water and Sanitation Association (RWSA) of Barangay San Jose on Thursday, July 10, about their role in the successful operation of RWS project in their respective puroks. (GENSAN CPIO/Russell Delvo)

Mayor Rivera visits public school pupils

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (10 July 2014) - City Mayor Ronnel Rivera mingles with the children of San Jose Elementary School as they eat their lugaw sponsored by the Mike Wee Foundation.  (GENSAN CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

Mass oath taking of RWSA in San Jose

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (10 July 2014) - City Mayor Ronnel Rivera empowers the Rural Water and Sanitation Association (RWSA) officers of Barangay San Jose through a mass oath taking Thursday, July 10. The mayor also gives a lecture on how the RSWA can generate income that can be used to fund other barangay projects. (GENSAN CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

School gets PTA Donation from Mayor Rivera

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (05 July 2014) - A far-flung school at Barangay San Jose and an extension of General Santos City National High School (GSCNHS) is Maligaya High School which receives a PTA Donation from City Mayor Ronnel Rivera Friday, July 04. All of the beneficiaries are Blaan students who are living in Purok Maligaya as well as those who are in the outskirts of San Jose. (GENSAN CPIO/Russell Delvo)

Food served to village kids

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (05 July 2014) – City Mayor Ronnel Rivera helps serve  arroz caldo to students of Maligaya High School, a far-flung school attended mostly by Blaan kids at the mountains of Barangay San Jose. The mayor also delivered his PTA Donation to the school Friday, July 4. (GENSAN CPIO/Russell Delvo)

School gets help

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (26 June 2014) – City Mayor Ronnel Rivera donates a part of his salary to Ondok Gawan Elementary School at Barangay San Jose Wednesday, June 25. Mayor Rivera said the donation is an act of help, in his personal capacity, to give back to the constituents to the city especially to the children. (GENSAN CPIO/Russell Delvo)

Mayor Rivera delivers armchairs to public school

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (22 May 2014) - Another school in Barangay San Jose, Shuttle Elementary School, receives 80 armchairs from City Mayor Ronnel Rivera and RD Foundation Thursday, May 22, through their program "Edukasyon Mo, Kabuhayan Ko". The donation is part of the educational thrust of the mayor to address the 14,000 lacking armchairs in the public schools of the city. Since October 2013, the program has already produced more than 4,000 armchairs. (GENSAN CPIO/Russell Delvo)

Elementary school gets 100 armchairs from Mayor Rivera, RD Foundation

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (22 May 2014) - City Mayor Ronnel Rivera with the RD Foundation delivers 100 armchairs to Bia-o Elementary School in Barangay San Jose Thursday, May 22. The armchair donation is a part of the educational initiative "Edukasyon Mo, Kabuhayan Ko" of Mayor Rivera in partnership with RD Foundation to supplement the shortage of school armchairs in the city. These armchairs were manufactured by Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to give them livelihood. As of now, the program has already donated more than 4,000 chairs to different public schools in the city since October 2013. (GENSAN CPIO/Russell Delvo)

IP kids receive assistance

By Michelle Ann Gonzales 

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (01 April 2014) - City Mayor Ronnel Rivera has led a team to the Indigenous People (IP) community of Sitio Datal Salvan in Barangay San Jose to extend help among school children.

Together with Ronnel C. Rivera (RCR) Foundation, the team crossed four rivers and rocky terrains to reach Datal Salvan High School (DSHS), one of the many beneficiaries of Mayor Rivera’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) donation.

The far-flung DSHS has only one classroom made from used tarpaulins repurposed as walls. The usage of the classroom depends on schedule.

This school year they were able to serve 37 grade seven and 52 grade eight students.

Students mostly come from the Blaan tribe.

The school received P20,000 as PTA Donation from Rivera.

Furthermore, the city mayor also pledged to put up more classrooms in DSHS through the Local Government Unit employees unions’ build a classroom advocacy.

“Hangyo lang nako sa atong mga ginikanan nga ibutang gyud ang mga bata sulod sa eskwelahan. Mga bata, paningkamot pud kamo nga mag-eskwela ug magdamgo para sa inyong kaugmaon (My plead among our parents is to send your children to school. Children, also strive to study and dream for your future),” Mayor Rivera said.

The Blaan students, teachers and parents expressed their gratitude to Rivera.

“Nalipay ko nga gitagaan ug prayoridad kaming mga Blaan. Gusto gyud namo makatapos og eskwela (I am happy that we the B’laans were given priority. We really want to finish our studies),’’ said Aljun Melody, student.

To date Mayor Rivera has helped almost 150 IP kids in their pursuit for education including those who were enrolled in the Alternative Learning System.

Aside from the PTA Donation, Rivera also assisted in feeding children in the community through a feeding program by the RCR Foundation.

Two large pots of rice porridge and several packs of candies, biscuits, and pouched juices were served by Mayor Rivera‘s team to the Blaan kids. (GENSAN CPIO/Michelle Ann Gonzales)

Mayor Rivera swears in purok officials

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (01 April 2014) - Purok officials of the 23 puroks of Barangay San Jose take oath before City Mayor Ronnel Rivera on March 19  at San Jose Elementary School. Mayor Rivera posed the challenges that these officials have to take as leaders. Along with that, Rivera assured them the support of the city government especially on projects for education, health and modified social services which are prioritized in the "CLEAN GenSan" (Creating a Livable Environment for All Generals towards Nation-building) platform of the mayor. (GENSAN CPIO/Russell Delvo)

Mayor Rivera delivers check to remote village

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (01 April 2014) - The Datal Salvan National High School, another far-flung public school in General Santos City, receives a check from the PTA Donation program of City Mayor Ronnel Rivera and the Ronnel C. Rivera (RCR) Foundation. Datal Salvan is a purok situated on a plateau atop the mountain ridges of Barangay San Jose. Datal Salvan National High School was prioritized by Mayor Rivera to be a part of his donation program to help the needy but deserving Blaan students there. All in all, Rivera has helped almost 150 Blaan students in their pursuit for education including those who were enrolled in the Alternative Learning System. (GENSAN CPIO/Russell Delvo)

Kids enjoy Mayor Rivera’s feeding assistance

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (01 April 2014) - Aside from the PTA Donation in Datal Salvan High School in Barangay San Jose on March 19, City Mayor Ronnel Rivera also helps in feeding children in the community through a feeding program by the Ronnel C. Rivera (RCR) Foundation. Two large pots of rice porridge and several packs of candies, biscuits, and pouched juices were served by Mayor Rivera to the Blaan kids. (GENSAN CPIO/Russell Delvo

ALS student, 64, thanks Mayor Rivera

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (01 April 2014) - Linda Melody Cano, 64, the oldest student of the Alternative Learning System (ALS), expresses her gratitude for the visit of City Mayor Ronnel Rivera at Datal Salvan High School in Barangay San Jose on March 19. Cano said she is not ashamed at enrolling in ALS despite her advanced age because she wants to learn. Mayor Rivera’s education agenda under "CLEAN GenSan" (Creating a Livable Environment for All Generals towards Nation-building) aims to help people like Cano by assisting the Department of Education in improving the accessibility of public education to all constituents by augmenting the number of classrooms, school facilities and even the number of teachers. (GENSAN CPIO/Russell Delvo)

IP kids celebrate Kalilangan, tour downtown GenSan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (26 February 2014) - With the help of Mindanao State University-General Santos City Sociology Club, 50 students from Datal Salvan Elementary School in Barangay San Jose who have not yet experienced urban life finally set foot in downtown GenSan Wednesday, February 26. During the "Kastifun: A Day for Indigenous People", the students were met by City Mayor Ronnel Rivera (center). Then they were toured around the city's malls, landmarks, and other known destinations. To let them enjoy Kalilangan 2014, free carnival rides were included in their excursion. (GENSAN INFO OFFICE/Russell Delvo)