Ambassador Francis Ricciardone and USAID Director Michael Yates
Visit USAID-Assisted GEM and LEAP Program Sites in Cotobato City
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(Above:) US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone is welcomed
by students of the Rasheeda High School, one of several DECS-accredited
“Madaris” or Islamic Schools located in the city.
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(Right photo:) Shaheenah Abas, student body
president of Rasheeda High School, gave an inspiring
speech expressing gratitude for the CLIC computer resources,
saying: “Beginning today, Insah Allah, we, the students
of Rasheeda High School, can be at par with other schools
in the country and even the world. There is no more reason
for us to lag behind as we have finally joined the global
village.”
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Rasheeda High School students surf the web using
CLIC computers as Ambassador Ricciardone and Cotobato City
Mayor Muslimin Sema look on.
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(Above) Ambassador Ricciardone receives a token of appreciation
from Hadji Dumama, president of the Rasheeda High School. Also
in photo are USAID Mission Director Dr. Michael Yates, Secretary
Jesus Dureza, ARMM Governor Parouk Hussin, and Mayor Sema.
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(Above left photo) Assistant Information Officer Ruth Urry shares
a light moment with some of the students of Rasheeda High School.
(Above right photo) Political Officer Joe Saus poses with some
students.
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Students of Rasheeda, joined by Ms. Happy Ballesteros-Raagas,
CLIC Manager, and USAID Specialist Jojie Daway bid their farewell
to the Ambassador as he departs for another engagement.
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(Left photo) Curious residents of Matanog, Maguindanao watch
the delegation arrive at the site of the Sitio Sarmiento Bridge.
(Photo courtesy of AFP)
(Above photo) Carlos Tan, GEM’s Deputy Program Manager
for Infrastructure, briefs Ambassador Ricciardone on the social
and economic impact of the newly constructed bridge. On his
left is Secretary Dureza. (Photo courtesy of AFP)
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(Right photo:) Secretary Dureza and Ambassador
Ricciardone unveils the marker of the Sitio Sarmiento Bridge.
With the Ambassador are Gov. Hussin, Mayor Sema, and Faisal
Manedeg, Matanog Vice-Mayor.
During his visit, the Ambassador reaffirmed the US’s
confidence in the people of Mindanao, the Armed Forces of
the Philippines, and the Philippine Government’s continuing
pursuit for lasting peace and development in the conflict-affected
areas of Mindanao.
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The Ambassador next traveled to Sitio Pril, Langkomg Matanog,
Maguindanao to visit a Livelihood Enhancement and Peace
(LEAP) Program site. In this photo, he meets the wives
of former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) combatants
and some participants of the LEAP Program.
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(Below) The people of Matanog listen to the
Ambassador’s speech. |
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(Top photo) Ustadz Indao Bilao, State Chairman of the
Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) thanks the US government
for providing 50 former MNLF combatants in Sitio Pril
a sustainable means of making a living through hybrid
corn production. Sitio Pril is one of the first production
clusters to receive assistance from the LEAP Program,
following the signing the 1996 Peace Agreement between
the MNLF and the Philippine Government.
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(Right:) A young girl welcomes the traveling
party to the Office of ARMM Regional Governor Parouk
Hussin. (Photo courtesy of AFP)
(Below) The ARMM Governor hosted a lunch for the Ambassador
and party and leaders of the GRP-MILF International
Monitoring Team (IMT).
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IMT leaders at the luncheon included IMT Chief of Mission Maj.
Gen. Dato’ Zulkifeli Bin Mohd Zin (4th from right); IMT
Deputy Chief of Mission Bdgr. Gen. Mohd Bin Sulong (3rd from
right); and Lt. Col. Haji Aminuddin Ihsan Bim Pehin Dato Haji
Abidin of the Brunei Armed Forces. The group discuss matters
affecting the progress of the GRP-MILF peace talks. After the
lunch meeting Maj. Gen. Zin (right photo) bids farewell to Ambassador
Ricciardone as Mr. Noel Ruiz and Maj. Kevin Clark of JUSMAG
look on.
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