MATEO CHIYAWAN sees education and disaster risk reduction among 10 point agenda

GUBERNATORIAL candidate MATEO CHIYAWAN, 55  sees education and  disaster risk reduction as two among the main focus of his 10 point agenda.

              For one who has served as municipal mayor of Natonin from 2001 till the present. Mayor Chiyawan, has come to know good supervision and control over programs and activities of the municipality in  enforcing  laws and ordinances and programs of the national government.  He also served as provincial vice governor from  1998- 2001, acted as the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Provincial Legislative Body; and a two term Board Member of District 1 of Mountain Province.

Chiyawan prizes EDUCATION as crucial in the life of a person for his dignity, career, well being, and of better service to the community. As the only one among six siblings who finished college, education comes crucial in his agenda for his gubernatorial bid for Mountain Province. Chiyawan graduated Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History  in 1988 at Saint Louis College, San Fernando, La Union. He took up units in Graduate School in Masters in Public Administration  at Baguio Central University. He finished high school education at Immaculate Heart High School Poblacion, Natonin, and elementary education at Tonglayan Elementary School.

Common in most locations in Mountain Province, schools are located far from each other making the pupil and the student hike long hours to go to school.

And for one where Natonin’s 11 barangays are located far from each other, too with schools  are located far from each other. And  with the policy of  the Department of Education that there are 35 pupils in one classroom, makes it difficult for a  barangay to fill up  the requirement. This results to the  pupil having to walk far from his home, cross rivers in order to  go to school and finish elementary or high school  school. Mayor Chiyawan had to ask the Department of Education to open some elementary schools to give some exceptional consideration where attendance falls below the required minimum providing some fund from the local government to augment the salaries of teachers.

Such feat must have earned him a certificate of Appreciation from Early Childhood Care and Development Council  (ECCD) Council and from DepEd- CAR for his support to the implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Program.

In the municipal level, Chiyawan received  a certificate of recognition from DepEd- Natonin District for his support in the improvement of education facilities in support to the Sustainable Eco- Friendly Schools (SEFS), a program of DepEd

The  SEFS  refers to environment-friendly schools that have initiated and integrated in their instruction, research, extension, and/or administration, programs which are environment-related. SEFS is based from Republic Act No. 9512 also known as the “National Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008” and to the ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan for Sustainable Development for 2014-2018.

SEFS is manifested in schools with  environmental policies  and practice on physical cleanliness, orderliness and beautification, energy and water conservation and management,  paper conservation and recycling; waste reduction and segregation, recycling and composting; air, water, and soil pollution control; seedling production and vegetable gardening and marketing, reforestation and nursery establishment; establishment of a botanical garden, herbarium, establishment of a bio-park; and environmental audits of school’s operations and facilities.

And for his exemplary promotion of the  Alternative Learning School  program of Dep Ed, he received  a Certificate of Commendation from DepEd- Bureau of Alternative Learning System.

In the realm of sports where DepEd is involved in for the physical development of  students, Chiyawan received Certificate of Recognition from World Archery Philippines for his support to the successful establishment of the First Archery Clinic and Tournament in Natonin

The gubernatorial candidate wants to implement programs for  education  culture and sports where more financial aid goes to deserving students as well as teachers for them to develop their career and competencies, provide greater support for academic festivals and improve promotion of culture and sports.

DISASTER RISK  REDUCTION

For one whose municipality has fallen to  many  victims during the onslaught of typhoon Rosita last year, attention to a high vulnerability to landslide Mountain Province is a must.   The Province has been an unfortunate witness to victims at  Dantay, Bontoc and  Banawel Natonin in the recent year.

Disaster risk  reduction is a matter of priority in a landslide prone Mountain Province..Let us learn from what happened in Natonin, he said. We tap Mines Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to identify  high risk areas, extend  technical support and identify safe settlement areas. It is not enough that MGB ound out that Mountain Province is a geo hazard area, more attention should be done in curbing disasters such as what happened in the landslides of iBanawel Natonin during typhoon Rosita or at Dantay Bontoc that killed victims. Chiyawan sees that MGB should extend technical and even facilitate financial assistance to mitigate landslides and keep communities safe from the disasters.  

LIVELIHOOD

Among the top priority needs is livelihood. For Mountain Province which belongs to one of the poorest provinces of  the country, livelihood support shall be done through the provision of  additional fund via  linkage and  partnership  with government entities and private organizations. Entrepreneurship  endeavors of our people  should be encouraged for  them put up small scale businesses by providing capital assistance.

Funding assistance shall come not only from the Internal Revenue Allotment  (IRA) but also outside sources. And with the lobbying capacity of  the candidate, sources from outside  shall be facilitated for implementation.  

Mountain Province abounds with natural resources, soil and waters. From here  agricultural farming and fisheries needs technologies and opportunities to get agricultural endeavors boosted. All the municipalities of Mountain Province have their respective  agricultural  products with rice  and bananas as the common crop.  With this, there is still need to develop mechanization of agriculture along with increase on arable land to increase rice production, provision of irrigation facilities  and post- harvest facilities for  vegetable producing areas of western Mountain Province and the rice and corn producing  town of Paracelis.

             On the IMPROVEMENT OF ROADS  AND ACCESS  shall further improve provincial roads, bridges and pathways. Such commitment is anchored on the firm belief that good roads lead to greater opportunities. Infrastructure and tourism sees the building building of structures such as multi-layer parking spaces, and tourism facilities like toilets, view decks and information centers.

SOCIAL SERVICES to further enhance the programs for youth, senior citizens, the PWDs and other marginalized sectors. Health  to improve the health facilities and services in the district hospitals

Mateo Chiyawan  was born in Tonglayan, Natonin, Mountain Province. His mother Arummay Chiyawan (+), and  father Lubbagan Chiyawan (+) are from  Natonin. He is married to Shirley Acofo- Chiyawan of Bontoc and Sadanga descent and blessed with six children.