Pangandaman reiterates gov't support for peace, development of Lanao Sur

Marawi City (3 July) -- "The national government will support all efforts for the development of the province, and I can assure, the best is yet to come." 

Thus, the statement of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Nasser Pangandaman during a People's Congress held at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall.

The Congress was hosted by the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur as part of their 50th founding anniversary celebration and participated in by non-government organizations and people's organizations in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City. 

In his message, he reiterated the support of the national government in pushing for peace and development in Mindanao. 

He said the decision of the Supreme Court on the illegality of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) will not eliminate the government's resolve to move forward while stressing the significant role of people's participation in finding solutions to the decade-long Mindanao problem. 

"We must look for ways to resolve the conflict in Mindanao and we need the participation of all sectors of the society," he pointed out. 

The government, he said, will be conducting workshops and seminars involving the different sectors of the society on how it can strategize and be able to come-up with a solution to the conflict in Mindanao. 

"We are on the right track on the right time and we need to join hands so that we can come-up with a comprehensive solution for a lasting peace here in Mindanao particularly in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)," he stressed. 

The Agrarian Reform Secretary also presented an overview of the implementation of the Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) of the Arroyo's administration. 

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, he said, has ordered national government agencies to implement the CLEEP to mitigate the impact of global financial crisis.

Pangandaman is designated by President Arroyo as CLEEP steward for ARMM whose task is to ensure the proper implementation of the program. (Apipa P. Bagumbaran / PIA)