Evangelista, Mendoza visit ROK for cooperation on health, tourism, etc

KIDAPAWAN CITY– Local officials from North Cotabato met their counterparts in Gangwon Province in the Republic of Korea where they discussed possible cooperation in the fields of medical and health care, tourism, agriculture, and solar lights technology. Cotabato Governor Lala Talino-Mendoza led the delegation from the Philippines. Mendoza was with other local officials, including Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista, Cotabato 2nddistrict Board Member Noel Baynosa, and staff from the Provincial Planning and Development Office. Evangelista said the purpose of the four-day visit that ended Friday was to explore the possibilities of collaboration and assistance between the two provinces. For Mendoza, the visit yielded positive results, especially in modernizing the health care system of the province. Mendoza wants to replicate Gangwon’s tele-medicine program, where patients from barangays can be diagnosed of their disease by doctors through a tele-conference. No need to send in doctors to remote barangays. All we have to do is put up a system where residents would be able to talk to medical experts even if they are not in the area,” Mendoza said. She added that she is set to send in government doctors and personnel from the Rural Health Units in North Cotabato to study Korea’s health tele -management program. The International Urban Training Center (IUTC), a training center supported by Gangwon provincial government, will design a program for the tele -medicine,” the governor said. During the four-day visit to Korea, Mendoza and the Cotabato delegation had an exposure to Gangwon Medical Equipment Show (GMES) in Gangwon. [With Korea’s advance technology], the city and the provincial government will soon purchase medical equipment there,” said Evangelista. In August, the government of the Republic of Korea led by Korean ambassador for international affairs Doo Jung Soo, visited Kidapawan City. Doo said his government, through Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), is keen on funding several projects, which would help develop the urban-rural integration in North Cotabato.The project proposal was submitted in July. For Doo, the Philippines is a very important partner of his country. The proposal includes health care sustainable agriculture and capacity building, eco-tourism development and income generation and human settlement improvements. On health, it consists of upgrading and provision of modern equipment and apparatus to several health stations in the province. On agriculture, the project also includes the putting up of a processing plant for vegetables feed mills and rice mills. Doo said KOICA might pour in some US$5.9 million (P400 million) to help realize the project.