25-year-old Vitali chapel gets facelift from miner

“It is part of the company’s community development

program,” Mr. Francis Malones (second from right),

Community Relations Officer of Atro Mining-Vitali, Inc.

(AMVI), told the residents of SitioTindalo, Vitali,

Zamboanga City during the delivery of materials last

May 3 for the rehabilitation of the local chapel.

(Photo provided by Altro)

By JONG CADION

PAGADIAN CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR (May 8, MPF-News) --- Twenty-five-year-old Roman Catholic Chapel in Sitio Tindalo in Barangay Vitali, Zamboanga City has received assistance from a mining company to rehabilitate its old and weakened structure.

Ricardo Cesante, president of the local chapel, in dialect said “the chapel was not rehabilitated for the last 25 years.”

“It took this long for our chapel be rehabilitated with the help of Atro Mining” Mr.Cesante told Mr. Francis Malones, Community Relations Officer of Atro Mining-Vitali, Inc. (AMVI).

“We are thankful to the company for extending assistance to us,” he said.

Mr.Malones during the turn-over of the materials last May 3 assured the chapel president of “continued company support on community projects such as this one.”

“This financial assistance extended to the local chapel of Sitio Tindalo amounting to P22,700 is part of our year-round community development program,” the Community Relations Officer said.

He said AMVI is committed to implement its Social Development Management Program (SDMP) religiously.

AMVI, he revealed, has included in its SDMP the following priority areas, namely: education, sustainable livelihood, livelihood training and development, manpower technical skills training and development, sports and youth development, support for socio-cultural-religious development, community support, health and sanitation, community environmental programs and infrastructures.

The Mining Act of 1995 requires all holders of Exploration Permits or a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement or Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement in the Exploration Stage to develop and implement a CDP which implementation shall be supported by a fund equivalent to a minimum of ten percent (10.0%) of the budget of the approved two years Exploration Work Program.

Mr.Malonessaid the company has also been supporting the Madrasah in Barangay Taguite in a form of allowance for their ustadz (teacher) so that they can continue with their Educational Programs. Madrasah is the Arabic word for school.

Barangay Taguite is one of secondary impact barangays identified by the company.

Aside from the support to the Madrasah in Barangay Taguite, AMVI has also extended educational assistance to the Day Care Center in Camp 147.   

"AMVI provided chalks, eraser, notebooks and pencils to the students,” Mr.Malones said. 

AMVI also extended educational assistance to Sta. Fe Elementary School in Sitio Sta. Fe of Barangay Vitali by renovating the school and provided chairs, blackboard, eraser and chalks for the school, Mr.Malones further revealed".  

The company also provided the school signboard of Tagpangi Elementary School and has donated seedlings to the school for the tree planting program of the school.  AMVI also donated the sports uniforms of Vitali High School during their sports programs.

Last year, the company launched its first Poster Making Contest to the different schools of the Vitali District with the theme "Responsible Mining in Agricultural Lands" and the winners of the contests were given Cash Rewards.  The winning posters are being used by AMVI in its 2014 calendar and were distributed to residents of Vitali.

"The company is planning to institutionalize its literacy program through an Adopt-A-School scheme," he said.

The Adopt-A-School Project is a project which will adopt a certain school in order to focus its attention in the development thereof and attempt to deliver much needed school assistance in terms of providing a better school, teacher support, provision of supplies and equipment and other necessary supports to the school and students to make the project successful, he explained.

Mr.Malones said "we are looking at our literacy program as one that delivers support to identified partner-school on a more sustained and holistic basis."

Meanwhile, AMVI also fully support Vitali High School in its quest for the honor of representing Zamboanga City to the Sepaktakraw Competition during the Philippine National Games 2014 this May, 2014 at Ultra Stadium, Pasig City. 

For the past three years, the company has been implementing its CDP religiously and it has tremendously helped the Vitali community, the Community Relations Officer said. 

Aside from the Educational Programs, it has assisted in the renovation of several chapels during their Fiesta celebrations; renovated mosque in Taguite and Limaong; supported Barangay Vitali in its Fiesta and Dia de Vitali celebrations; donated garbage drums; donated seedlings for tree planting; planted trees for reforestation programs; conducted medical missions on a regular basis; donated bloods during the Philippine Red Cross blood-letting programs; provided defogging of Vitali during the dengue outbreak in Zamboanga City;  assisted the community during flooding by providing foods and also construction materials to affected residents; assisted Vitali residents during emergencies, death and burials; provided foods during Zamboanga siege; cleaned-up esteros and Vitali River; constructed farm to market roads; rehabilitated Tagpangi-Campo Uno Road; renovated the Vitali Police Station; renovated the NICA firing range; and other significant projects.