ARMM gov lauds PNoy’s 3rd SONA

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 28 (PIA) -- The Governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) lauded the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno S. Aquino III. 

ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said the President’s SONA was a cut above the rest as compared to the prior SONAs of past chief executives. 

“I’ve been in Congress for nine years and so far, wala talagang sinabi ang mga nagdaang SONA kumpara sa ginawa ngayon ng ating pangulo (I’ve been in Congress for nine years and so far, the past SONAs have no match to what the President did now),” Hataman said. 

He said that in a scale of one to 10, he will rate President Aquino’s SONA an excellent rating of 99.9, taking in account that the President himself was the one who prepared his detailed speech. 

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, he said, told him that the President knew the development specifics he mentioned in the SONA about the ARMM because the Chief Executive himself wrote that speech. 

Hataman said he was clueless that he would obtain Presidential merit and he was elated by the recognition bestowed on him for ARMM. 

The governor and his workings in the ARMM addressing the problem of graft and corruption earned the President’s appreciation before the Filipino people, labeling him a “certified ghost buster.” 

Hataman said he was happy the President explicitly mentioned in his SONA the things that the governor and his companions in the ARMM government have achieved during the last six months. 

Being cited by the President for a job well done in ARMM gave warmth to the governor’s heart but he said this would also entail added pressure especially on how to sustain the President’s trust and confidence.

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TESDA-Lanao del Sur intensifies employment tracer study

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 26 (PIA) -- Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (Tesda) Provincial Director Tarhata S. Mapandi said they are intensifying their employment tracer study to determine where their graduates have landed. 

Mapandi said they are currently gathering data to get the employment status of their graduates starting 2011. 

She said the employment tracer study, which is now a part of their regular activities, will help determine how Tesda skills' trainings have helped their graduates. 

Based on their records, a total of 4,972 individuals have enrolled in the various skills training offered by Tesdea in the year 2011. In the same year, the Tesda provincial office has also assessed 893 individuals and certified 590 of them. 

The provincial director disclosed that initial findings of the tracer study shows that some of their graduates have opened-up their own shops while most of them went abroad. 

In addition, Mapandi also reported that as of June 30 this year, Tesda skills' trainings have benefited 2,167 individuals in the entire province. 

Around 782 of these individuals have availed of the community-based trainings, 806 for the center-based trainings and 579 for the school-based trainings. 

Eighty-three percent or 1,808 of the trained individuals came from the 1st congressional district of the province, which includes Marawi City, while the remaining 17 percent or 359 came from the 2nd district.

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Lanao del Sur health office to reduce infant mortality in ARMM

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 19 (PIA) -- The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) here will continue to work hard to further lower the infant mortality rate in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). 


This was the response of IPHO Chief Dr. Alinader Minalang to the results of the 2011 Family Health Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) which showed that ARMM surpassed the international standard of 19 deaths for every 1,000 live births by the end of 2015 set under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). 

According to the survey, ARMM posted the lowest infant mortality rate of 18 deaths for every 1,000 live births among the 17 regions in the country. 

"With this development, the challenge for us in the ARMM is how to maintain this status or even bring down the rate to 15 deaths by 2015," he said. 

But Minalang is optimistic that they can meet the target by stepping-up efforts on educating the Muslim population on maternal and child health. 

He said one of the reasons that led to lower infant mortality rate in Muslim Mindanao was the intensified health education campaign that they have conducted which resulted to more infants delivered at health facilities by skilled health attendants. 

The training of health workers as well as the increasing number of accredited health facilities and emergency maternal obstetrics centers (EMOCs) which improved access to maternal and child health services were among the contributors of low mortality rate in the region, particularly in the province.

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200,000 voters register with Comelec in Lanao Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 16 (PIA) -- A total of 214,218 individuals have filed their application for registration with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as of July 13, after five days of conduct of the general voters’ registration in the province. 

COMELEC Commissioner Armando Velasco said the biggest turnout was recorded in Binidayan town with 65 percent, from the previous figure of 8,345 to 5,461 registrants as of Friday, July 13. This was followed by Calanogas town with 60 percent turnout or about 3,770 registrants. 

Marawi City, on the other hand, posted a turnout rate of 39 percent with 26,419 registrants compared to the previous record of 66,988 voters. 

Velasco said although they encountered some problems, the conduct of the registration, as a whole, went on smoothly. 

He said some registration centers failed to function in the earlier days of the registration due to unexpected incidents, but as of press time, all the registration centers are now functioning. 

Meanwhile, Lanao del Sur provincial Police Dir. Romeo Magsalos reported that the conduct of registration in the entire province was relatively peaceful as compared to registrations in previous years. 

We have noted some shooting incidents and other registration-related violence but we are still on top of the situation, he assured. 

He said they have enhanced their strategies and are now more vigilant in doing their mandate in terms of securing the election officers and the voters registration machines. 

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Authorities to file charges against a boarding house owner for election code violation

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 15 (PIA) -- A boarding 
house owner within the Mindanao State University (MSU)
campus is facing charges for allegedly coercing students
to register under fictitious Maranao names during the 
third day of the general voters’ registration, here.


This was disclosed by 103rd Brigade Commander Col. 
Daniel Lucero in a press conference July 14, saying that
they are preparing the legal documents to file appropriate 
charges against the boarding house owner.


On Wednesday, around 30 non-Maranao freshmen and 
sophomore students of the university aired a complaint 
against the said owner who warned them to vacate the
 boarding house if they will not follow him.


This kind of intimidation was also experienced by other
 students from other boarding houses situated within 
the MSU campus as per report received by the army's 
103rd Infantry Brigade.


According to Lucero, documents are now being readied 
to file charges against these people because such 
action can be considered an election offense.


In a related development, a crackdown on passenger
 jeeps and vans suspected of ferrying fictitious 
registrants was continuously conducted at several 
checkpoints since military forces intensified its 
checkpoint operations.


Lucero said they have monitored an influx of alleged and 
suspected flying registrants.  “We have intercepted 
vehicles and flagged down several suspected people from 
other areas entering the province to register, but after
giving them warning of the possible charges, they went
back to their respective places,” he added.


The 10-day general voters’ registration in the entire 
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) which 
include the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, 
Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, as well as the cities of 
Marawi and Lamitan started last July 9 and will end on 
July 18.


As of 9:41 a.m. Saturday, a total of 245,525 individuals 
in the province have submitted their respective applications
 for registration to the poll body. (APB-PIA 10) 

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Lanao Sur youth head calls on fellow youth to work together

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 13 (PIA) -- The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) in the province is urging young people to work hand-in-hand for the progress of the province. 

In his speech during the 53rd founding anniversary of the province last week, Lanao del Sur SK president Mohamad Khalid R. Adiong called on his fellow youth to take part and work as a team for the betterment of the province. 

He said their contribution as youth is highly needed as they play a crucial role in nation building. 

“We are social actors of change, in our little way, we can be agents for social transformation,” he added. 

Adiong further reminded them that youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow but also partners of today. Thus, he appealed to them to unite and help in the various efforts geared towards promoting peace and development in the province. 

“Let us help change the negative impressions that hamper the progress of our province and this we can do if we just work together,” he said. 

The SK has been a partner of the provincial government in pursuing youth-related programs such as inter-school extemporaneous speech and poster-making contests, as well as sports development initiatives. These programs develop a positive attitude and camaraderie among the youth and keep them away from drugs and other illegal activities. 

A sports enthusiast himself, Adiong is very active in the implementation of sports development program like the Summer Youth Sports Clinic. 

The Summer Youth Sports Clinic is a joint summer grassroots development program of the provincial government and the SK Federation undertaken every summer for the young people of the province, aged seven to 15 years old. The sports clinic includes basketball, table tennis, badminton and karatedo. 

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Voters' registration in Lanao Sur normal - COMELEC

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 10 (PIA) -- The first day of the general voters' registration in the province was normal except for isolated problems on clustering and locations of the registration centers, according to Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Commissioner Armando Velasco in a press conference held on Monday, here.

He said a number of the parties were not satisfied with the present location of the registration centers.

The reasons are mostly attributable to "rido" (family feud) and political rivalry, Velasco said.

According to Velasco, some claims that before they could go to designated registration centers they had to pass through the territory of political rivals while others could not go to the centers because of family feud.

The commissioner, however, assured that they are trying their best to lessen the questions on clustering, emphasizing that aside from the convenience of registrants, they also consider its security aspect.

As per Comelec report, there are 253 registration centers and 309 voters registration machines in the province.

The other problem encountered were glitches in the voters registration machines in some areas but these had already been addressed by the Comelec.

Velasco also said that the four regional directors of the Comelec assigned here moved around the province conducting ocular inspections and observing the conduct of the registration.

Col. Daniel Lucero, commanding officer of the 103rd Infantry Brigade, said almost 99 percent of the security forces are now deployed except for a contingent going to Upper Tagoloan as they are still waiting for the availability of the chopper that will ferry them from Cagayan de Oro City to the area.

"There is also a high possibility of violence in the municipalities of Tugaya and Kapai, however, appropriate actions have been taken to prevent or avert such incidences there and that CCTV cameras were installed in the areas," he further said.  

Lucero added that forces designated to secure Butig arrived in the municipality at around 8:30 a.m. and no violent incident was reported in the area.

No other registration-related violence was also reported in other areas as of press time.

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ARMM holds general registration caravan

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 10 (PIA) -- The regional government conducted a general registration caravan last July 8, a day before the start of the general registration of voters in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). 

Carrying the slogan "Isang Tao, Isang Rehistro, Isang Boto," the caravan kicked-off early morning in the Office of the Regional Governor in Cotabato City, passing through some towns in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur provinces, and ended at the Provincial Capitol Gym here where a simple program was held.   

ARMM Executive Secretary Anwar Malang, who represented ARMM Acting Governor Mujiv Hataman, said the caravan, which calls on voters to register only once, aims to push for honest and clean registration. 

"We wanted to erase the notion that ARMM is the cheating capital of the country, " he said. 

According to Malang, a clean registration is the first step towards real reforms in the region. 

Provincial Governor Mamintal Adiong called on the civil society organizations and members of the media in the entire region, specifically in the province to take an active part in ensuring the conduct of clean and honest registration. 

He also urged everybody to unite and help in cleansing the region through this electoral reform.   

Provincial Election Supervisor Nasib Yasin advised that complaints should be filed at his office or at the designated areas of the four monitoring teams organized just for this registration.   

Col. Daniel Lucero, 103rd brigade commander, assured the military and police forces are enough to secure the registration.  "Security are already in place in time for start of the registration ."   

He added that no untoward incidents happened as of press time

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Lanao del Sur stakeholders rally for honest, free voters’ registration

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 6 (PIA) -- Multi-sectoral stakeholders in the province joined forces yesterday in a demonstration rally pushing for the conduct of honest and free voters' registration next week. 

Calling themselves Alliance for Lanao Electoral Reforms Today (ALERT), the group converged in Plaza Cabili in Barangay Banggolo, this city, and rallied for the campaign “One Fingerprint, One Person, and One Vote for a Better Future.” 

According to the group, free and honest registration is the only way to realize the quest for peaceful and credible elections free from all forms of electoral fraud and irregularities. 

The rally was also supported by local officials in the province that included Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Assemblywoman Samira Gutoc-Tomawis, President of the League of Municipalities-Lanao del Sur Chapter Mayor Lampa Pandi, and City Mayor Sultan Fahad Salic. 

Salic said the campaign for holding honest registration can help in ensuring clean elections in the future. 

“Even if the registrants here in the city will decrease, the most important thing is that they are the real voters here,” he added. 

Earlier this week, ARMM Acting Governor Mujiv Hataman appealed for the conduct of clean voters’ registration, citing that good governance starts with clean registration. 

Provincial Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. also reiterated this call and urged his constituents to support the electoral reform initiatives of President Benigno S. Aquino III by advocating the “One Fingerprint, One Person, and One Vote” campaign. 

He said the Aquino administration is on the track right in pursuing electoral reforms not only for the betterment of the province but also for the entire ARMM as well. 

Adiong is also confident that the biometric registration will become successful in the province. 

Meanwhile, an information caravan on the upcoming general voters’ registration in the ARMM is set this Sunday, July 8. The caravan will start in the ARMM Compound in Cotabato City going to the Dimaporo Gymnasium in Mindanao State University (MSU) here, passing some towns in the Maguindanao province. 

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Cultural street dance highlights culmination of Karimbaran sa Ranao 2012

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 6 (PIA) -- A colorful cultural street dance competition highlighted the finale of the week-long celebration of the 53rd founding anniversary of the province dubbed as “Karimbaran sa Ranao 2012” on Wednesday, July 4. 

The competition was participated in by students from the various schools in the province clustered into five schools division, namely Lanao del Sur IA, IB, IIA, IIB, and Marawi City. 

The Lanao del Sur IIB contingent was awarded champion winning P60,000 while Lanao del Sur IIA contingent won first runner-up taking home P50,000 cash prize. 

Contingents from Lanao del Sur IB and IA placed second and third runners-up with cash prizes of P40,000, and P30,000, respectively. On the other hand, a special award was given to the delegation of the Marawi City School Division. 

During the culmination program, Provincial Governor Mamintal A. Adiong Jr. expressed appreciation to all those who joined in the week-long festivity and merry-making. He also thanked the Sangguninang Panlalawigan for continuously supporting his programs and projects, as well as, the Lanao civil society, national line agencies, and local government units in the province for being key partners of the provincial government in promoting and advancing the province. 

The theme of this year’s celebration was “Lanao del Sur: My Home, Your Home.” 

It can be recalled that Republic Act No. 2228 divided Lanao into two provinces, Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur, on July 4, 1959 making Iligan and Marawi the capital of the two provinces, respectively. 

Today, Lanao del Sur is one of the five provinces comprising the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). It voted to join the Muslim Mindanao region in plebiscite in 1989 while Lanao del Norte was included as part of Northern Mindanao.

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News Feature: Lanao Del Sur celebrates Karimbaran Sa Ranao 2012

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 5 (PIA) -- A week-long festivity and merry-making marked “Karimbaran sa Ranao 2012," the 53rd founding anniversary celebration of Lanao del Sur with the theme “Lanao del Sur: My Home, Your Home.” 

The celebration kicked-off June 26 with a series of shows featuring the rich Maranao culture such as “kakolintang” (playing the kolintang), “kasipa sa manggis” (a game of skills with the aim of dropping a suspended colorfully decorated cube by kicking a rattan ball towards it), “kambayoka” (chanting of poetic verses with a theme revolving around the festivity being celebrated), “kasayaw sa singkil” (dancing the singkil), and “kanggarotaya” (Maranao version of tug-of-war). 

The Karimbaran sa Ranao was a fantastic opportunity to highlight the tourism potential of the province especially with the lined-up cultural showcase of Maranao traditional performing arts, said Secretary Nassreena Sampaco-Baddiri of the Department of Tourism in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). 

The celebration is a way of looking back at our past, our history as Maranao, our culture and heritage. It is a way to remain proud of who we are and what we can be, she further said. 

Adding energy to the festivity was the conduct of sports tournaments from June 26 to July 3. Players all over the province, including local chief executives, fought for the honor of being the provincial champion in basketball, volleyball, tennis, 21K marathon, badminton, golf, and practical shooting. 

Line Agencies Day 

Line agencies also participated in the celebration by showcasing their respective programs and projects in a booth exhibit within the New Capitol Complex grounds from June 26 to July 3. 

On July 1, declared as Line Agencies Day, representatives from various line agencies operating in the province, held a "hataw exercise" session followed by a reportorial show with ARMM Acting Governor Mujiv Hataman as keynote speaker. 

Line agencies offered free services such as mass registration of live birth, legal assistance, and application for a business permit, as well as, medical and dental mission. 

Solidarity Day 

As part of its social contract with the provincial government, civil society organizations (CSOs) and peoples’ organizations (POs) under the umbrella of the Lanao del Sur Peoples’ Council also joined in the celebration through a tree planting and fish dispersal in Ramain town on July 2. 

On the same day, the Lanao CSOs spearheaded a solidarity walk from the Sarimanok Station going to Social Hall of the New Capitol Complex where a Solidarity Day program was held. 

The program was graced by Asaka Nyangara, country deputy director of the United Nations World Food Programme (UN-WFP) who launched the agency’s Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations 2 and led the symbolic turnover of the WFP Food Support to the provincial government. 

LGU Day 

On July 3, local government units (LGUs) from the municipal to the barangay level, including the two congressional district offices, who are active partners of the provincial government in bringing services to the grassroots took-part in the festivity through a simple program that highlighted their various accomplishments. 

Also on this day, provincial Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. delivered his State of the Province Report where he announced that the provincial government was a recipient of the Seal of Good Housekeeping for its compliance to the full disclosure policy of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). 

Culmination Day 

A cultural street dancing and presentation by the five schools division in the province capped the week-long celebration on July 4 with DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo gracing the program. Winners of the cultural events and sports tournaments were also given trophies and cash prizes. 

In his keynote message, Robredo cited the relevance of commemorating the founding anniversary of the province. He said this was an opportunity to look back to the past, learn, plan, and work hard for the future. “Kung walang pagtanaw sa nakaraan at kung walang paghanap ng paraan para sa magandang kinabukasan ay hindi magkakaroon ng saysay ang anibersaryo,” he added. 

Lanao del Sur got its charter in July 4, 1959 by virtue of Republic Act No. 2228. The province has one component city and 39 municipalities with a total of 1,158 barangays. Its is the home of the Maranao sultanate known as the “Pat a Pangampong sa Ranao” (four principalities) namely Masiu, Unayan, Balo-I, and Bayabao.

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ARMM enacts human rights charter

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 5 (PIA) -- Acting Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) signed on Tuesday the Muslim Mindanao Act (MMA) 228 to uphold and enhance respect for the primacy of human rights in the region. 

MMA 228 is the region’s Human Rights Charter under which the newly created ARMM Human Rights Commission will operate. It covers a wide range of national and international laws pertaining to anti-torture, genocide, inhuman treatment, driscrimination against women, rights of the child, and others. 

The law was passed less than a month after President Benigno Simeon Aquino III appointed 24 members of ARMM’s Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA), representing seven districts of the region’s five component provinces, as well as the women and youth sectors. 

A press statement by the Bureau of Public Information quoted Hataman saying that establishing an independent human rights body in the ARMM has been long overdue, with the region’s worst experience during the martial law and even during armed clashes between government forces and enemies of the state. 

Principal author of the MMA 228, Lanao del Sur Assemblyman Zia Adiong, said the regional law affirms national and international laws, including the Article III of the Philippine Constitution; Republic Act 9745, the Anti-Torture Act of 2009;Republic Act 9851, the Philippine Act On Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity; Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948); International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976); International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1976); Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984); Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (1979); Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989); and all other international instruments on human rights to which the Philippines is a signatory. 

RLA Speaker Rasol Mitmug Jr. said MMA 228 becomes the country’s first operational charter of an independent human rights body that is passed into law by a legislative body. The charter of the national government’s Commission on Human Rights was created by an executive order issued in 1986 by then President Corazon C. Aquino.

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ARMM law scraps district impact funds

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 5 (PIA) -- Lawmakers of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will effectively waive their powers over the region’s version of “pork barrel,” a privilege of allocating funds for pet projects among members of Congress in the national government. 

ARMM officer-in-charge Governor Mujiv Hataman met all 24 members of the Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) last Tuesday when he signed into law the Muslim Mindanao Act 229 or the region’s Public Works Act. 

Hataman said the law scraps district impact funds (DIP), the uses of which were normally left to full discretion of RLA members, and were said to be a huge source of corruption, just like its national counterpart, the Priority Development Fund to some members of Congress. 

MMA 229 provides for the utilization of the P2-billion infrastructure fund program that the national government annually transfers to the ARMM, as required under Republic Act 9054, the Expanded Autonomy Act that serves as the region’s charter. 

The DIP provision in the annually passed regional public works law has been adopted by all past administrations since 1993, he said. 

Instead of the regional lawmakers determining their districts’ priority projects, community needs for infrastructure programs and projects were established based on assessment and evaluation made by the ARMM public works department, the local civil society organizations (CSOs), and people’s organizations as well as the local government units (LGUs), Hataman said. 

“The bidding process will be made open to the public, with representative observers from the civil society and media. We will also determine if some LGUs are capable of implementing their own infrastructure projects on a localized bidding process, or by administration, if they have the necessary equipment, or with the help of the Army Engineering Battalion in some cases,” he added. 


Women Sector Assemblyperson Samira Gutoc-Tomawis said it would be most welcome for the Filipino people for members of Congress to also waive their privilege over PDF provisions of the national budget, under the annual General Appropriations Act.

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WFP to extend assistance to Lanao del Sur until 2014

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 3 (PIA) -- The province will continue to receive assistance from the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) until 2014. 

This was announced by UN-WFP Deputy Country Director Asaka A. Nyangara during the ceremonial launching of the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations (PRRO) at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall Monday, July 2. 

Nyangara said the two-year program aims to support government in recovery activities in food-insecure and conflict-affected communities in Central Mindanao. 

He said it is also expected to contribute to the government’s peace-building initiatives by increasing resilience of affected communities to shocks. 

According to him, more than 900,000 beneficiaries in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato, Zamboanga peninsula, and the two Lanao provinces are set to benefit from the program. 

The PRRO launching, as well as the symbolic turn-over of UN-WFP Food Support to the provincial government, was one of the many activities highlighting the 53rd Araw ng Lanao del Sur celebration. 

In his keynote message, Nyangara mentioned some of the assistance extended to the province by the WFP, the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. 

He said the WFP has supported efforts to improve the nutritional status of pregnant and lactating women, as well as children, aging between six to 23 months with ready-to-use food supplements. 

With the hope that schoolchildren in the province will be encouraged to return to school and in the process help establish a sense of normalcy in their lives, Nyangara said the WFP also extended support to schoolchildren through its emergency school-feeding activities. 

WFP likewise supported local government units and communities in various livelihood initiatives with the end goal of empowering and achieving self-sufficiency in the communities, he added. 

Provincial Governor Mamintal A. Adiong Jr. expressed his appreciation to the UN-WFP Deputy Country Director for gracing the anniversary celebration of the province and thanked the UN-WFP for the numerous interventions extended to the province.

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Line agencies showcase programs, projects

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 3 (PIA) – Various line agencies in the province showcased their respective programs and projects Sunday, declared by the provincial government as Line Agencies Day as part of its 53rd founding anniversary. 

A "hataw" exercise session, which is part of the healthy lifestyle program of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), kicked-off the day’s activities. Various agencies also showcased their booth displays at the provincial capitol grounds. 

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) officer-in-charge governor Mujiv Hataman, graced the occasion and responded to the concerns of some of the agencies during the Line Agencies Reportorial Show held at the Social Hall of the Provincial Capitol. 

Agencies that presented their accomplishments were the IPHO, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Districts I and II, Department of Education Divisions Lanao Sur IA, IB, IIA, and IIB, and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF). 

Other agencies present at the event were the Department of Social Welfare and Development Lanao Sur-A and Lanao Sur-B, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Trade and Industry, National Food Authority, Department of Interior and Local Government, National Statistics Office (NSO), Provincial Prosecutors Office, and Public Attorney’s Office. 

In his message, Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. expressed appreciation to all the agencies who participated in the celebration. 

He also thanked them for supporting and cooperating with the provincial government in bringing programs and services that respond to the needs of the community specifically mentioning existing strong partnerships with NSO and National Bureau of Investigation on the mobile passporting program with DFA , IPHO on health and nutrition, TESDA on livelihood and manpower development, DAF on agricultural projects and DPWH on infrastructure support, among others. 

He also emphasized that the provincial government is committed to support consistency and transparency in all government actions and the core part of this will be achieve through strong collaboration with line agencies and other sectors of the society. 

The Line Agencies Day was also busy with people seeking free services like in mass registration of live birth, legal assistance, and application of business permit, as well as a medical and dental mission. 

The day was capped with a concert featuring the Freestyle band, and lantern lighting at the Provincial Capitol Grounds. 

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Local execs campaign for a clean voters’ registration

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 2 (PIA) -- Local chief executives here called on the Maranao people to support the “One Person, One Register, One Vote” advocacy. 

Provincial Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. said this campaign aims for a credible, clean, and honest registration and elections for the betterment of the province. 

In yesterday’s "Line Agencies Reportorial Show" attended by representatives of various line agencies in the province, Adiong emphasized that a way for good governance to prosper in the province is for the Maranao electorate to have a will to support the conduct of a clean registration of voters. 

The same call was reiterated by Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) officer-in-charge Governor Mujiv Hataman, who was the keynote speaker of the program, emphasizing that governance starts with registration. 

“Huwag kayong pumayag na mapasukan ng hindi taga-Lanao del Sur, papayag ba kayo na magkaroon ng lider na inihalal nang hindi taga-Lanao del Sur? Dapat kung sino ang taga-Lanao del Sur ay sila lang ang may karapatang maghalal ng lider sa Lanao del Sur (Do not allow non-residents of Lanao del Sur to elect the leader of Lanao del Sur. Would you allow that? It must residents here who will have the right to vote for their own leader),” he urged. 

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has earlier announced that a general registration of voters will be held from July 9 to 18 in the entire ARMM. 

COMELEC Commissioner Armando Velasco, in his recent visit in the province, disclosed that the filing of application for registration shall be held at the Office of the Election Officer or in the designated registration centers from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the scheduled dates. 

He said that applicants, who are at least 18 years of age on or before the May 13, 2012 elections and residents of the country for at least one year, and in the place where they propose to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the May 13, 2013 elections must personally apply and present valid identification documents. 

However, he clarified that community tax certificates or cedula and certifications issued by barangay officials will not be honored as valid identification documents. 

Velasco also emphasized that no application for transfer of registration from non-ARMM to any ARMM city or municipality will be entertained at the registration centers. 

The application for transfer of a voter’s registration record from non-ARMM to an ARMM area shall be personally filed at the Office of the Election Officer only, he added.

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Checkpoints to be set for ARMM voters’ registration

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 2 (PIA) -- Checkpoints will be established in strategic places in order to discourage "flying registrants" during the general registration of voters in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on July 9-18. 

These checkpoints will be manned by the Special Action Forces (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP). 

According to ARMM officer-in-charge Governor Mujiv Hataman, the SAF will be the one to conduct checkpoints to check if passengers entering the province are indeed residents of the area or part of the "flying registrants" paid by politicians. 

He warned potential flying registrants and politicians that cases would be filed against them should they be proven cheating in the general voters’ registration. 

This warning was sounded by Hataman during the Forum on Partnership Building for Lanao del Sur Electoral Reform Initiatives last June 29, an undertaking initiated by the 103rd Infantry Brigade in partnership with the provincial office of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), ARMM regional government, and the Lanao del Sur Peoples’ Council. 

The PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) based in the province have expressed their commitment to protect the conduct of credible and honest registration. 

Both the PNP and the AFP was deputized by the COMELEC to assist the poll body in the implementation of registration laws and in ensuring the orderly and peaceful conduct of the registration of voters in Muslim Mindanao. 

Col. Daniel Lucero, commanding officer of the 103rd Infantry Brigade and Task Force Makalintad, said he will import troops from Lanao del Norte or request for additional troops if required just to secure the 10-day voters’ registration. 

Provincial Police Director PSSupt. Romeo Magsalos said he will deploy police troops in the various registration centers, with more troops to be allocated in hot spots, while stand-by forces will remain in the various police stations in the province. 

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Gun ban in ARMM for a month

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 2 (PIA) -- The 30-day gun ban that the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) had imposed for the general voters registration in the entire Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) started yesterday, July 1. 

Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Nasib Yasin said the gun ban that will be implemented until July 31 covers the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Marawi and Lamitan. 

But aside from the ARMM areas, the cities of Cotabato, Zamboanga, and Isabela, as well as the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, Zamboanga del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and North Cotabato are also covered by the ban. 

Yasin said the gun ban was imposed to ensure the safety of the registrants, and COMELEC personnel and equipment that will be deployed in the various registration centers and in other places in the ARMM during the 10-day registration period set on July 9-18. 

Last month, Senate and Congress approved Joint Resolution No. 3 that provides for the annulment of all books of voters in the cities and municipalities in the ARMM and consequently directed the poll body to immediate conduct a general registration in the said region. 

In line with the gun ban, the Philippine National Police (PNP) was also directed to suspend the issuance of firearms licenses in the areas covered by the ban. 

Per COMELEC Resolution No. 9479, the processing and approval of new firearm license, including renewal of license, may continue on condition that the new license and firearm shall be kept in deposit with the Firearms and Explosives Division of the PNP. 

The resolution further stated that firearms licenses issued in violation of this are considered null and void, without prejudice to the filing of the appropriate administrative and/or criminal charges against the holder or those responsible for the issuance of the license. 

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Lanao civil society holds Solidarity Walk

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 2 (PIA) -- Civil society organizations led by the Lanao del Sur Peoples’ Council (LDSPC) will be holding a solidarity walk today, July 2. 

Dubbed "Walk for Ranao," the solidarity walk will start at the Sarimanok Station going up to the Provincial Capitol Complex at around 10:00 a.m. where a short program will be held at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall. 

Prior to the solidarity walk, members of the LDSPC will conduct a fish dispersal and tree planting in Puga-an, Ramain town. 

The Solidarity Day will be completed by poster making and essay writing contests at Sangguniang Panlalawigan Hall and Conference Room, respectively. 

The conduct of these activities is the civil society’s support to the provincial government in celebration of its 53rd founding anniversary, according to Hadja Nabihah "Noni" Lao, executive director of the LDSPC. 

Lanao del Sur is the first province in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao that entered into a partnership and social contract with CSOs and POs for reforms in the region. 

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