COTABATO CITY (May 28) – Filipino American communities in Maryland, USA awarded Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Toto Mangudadatu for leadership and community service through education.
In a statement, Mangudadatu said the awarding rite on Saturday was organized by the United Federation of Fil-Am Educators, Inc., or “UNIFIED.” The awarding rite was held in Lanham, Maryland.
In a letter to Mangudadatu, Ronnie Mataquel, president of UNIFIED, said the decision to grant him the 2018 community service award was based on a screening process initiated by a committee.
In accepting the award, Mangudadatu highlighted the gains of annual project aimed at educating poor but deserving Maguindanaons to bring them out of poverty and help promote peace in troubled Maguindanao.
He was referring to the Maguindanao Program for Education and Community Empowerment or “MAG-Peace.”
Aside from the scholarship program that already benefitted more than 20,000 young Maguindanaons, some graduated Bachelor of Laws and medicine, he also mentioned socio-economic programs and peace-building projects.
“Never stop dreaming to quest for your success and for the betterment of your constituents,” Mangudadatu said as he urged other local executives in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
“I am grateful to the US-based UNIFIED for recognizing my effort to foster peace and cultural solidarity among all people in Maguindanao,” Mangudadatu said. Copies of his statement were released to journalists Sunday. -Edwin O. Fernandez/Newsline.ph
