Army settles ‘rido’ in Lanao del Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 27 (PIA) -- The 103rd Infantry (HARIBON) Brigade of the Philippine Army has managed to settle on December 19 the long standing political feud (rido) between Butig town’s current mayor Ibrahim R. Macadato and former mayor Atty. Dimnatang P. Pansar. 

In a simple ceremony held at the Brigade Social Hall, the two contending parties who are running for mayoralty in the said municipality swore before the Holy Qur’an and signed a peace covenant to end their long standing family and political feud that caused the loss of 13 lives and the wounding of 11 persons from both sides. 

The Macadato – Pansar political rivalry is one of the long standing and most intense feuds in the province especially during elections. Both have maintained a solid number of followers for years which oftentimes created chaos and fear among their constituents. 

The two parties, however, remained calm during the meeting. With only few supporters with them, both came willing to finally put an end to their rift in the interest of giving primacy to the welfare of the people of Butig. 

Meanwhile, Provincial Board Member Ansary P. Maongco expressed gratitude to the 103rd Brigade for initiating the rido settlement. 

Maongco, who witnessed the settlement together with the members of the 103rd Multi-Sectoral Advisory Board, is elated with how the 103rd Brigade is leading the way in attaining true peace in the province especially that 2013 elections is nearing. 

He said the event is worth emulating and should serve as an example to other municipalities and prominent personalities to come forward and end existing feuds. (103rd Brigade,PA/PIA-10) 

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Caretaker gov’t accelerates livelihood dev’t, poverty-reduction in ARMM

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 22 (PIA) -- The caretaker government of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) continues to work towards lifting the economic status of its constituents through the implementation of livelihood projects and other poverty-alleviation programs, ARMM Officer-in-Charge Mujiv Hataman said. 

During his first State of the Region’s Address (SORA) on Tuesday he cited the “Fish for Peace” program of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) where 5.52 million species of tilapia fingerlings and 679,000 pieces of carp fingerlings were distributed to 2,698 beneficiaries throughout the region. 

He said the BFAR was able to provide gillnets, hook and lines, fishpots, motorized and non-motorized bancas, and fish corals to 10,101 fishermen and 105 fisherman-associations under program. 

A total of 1,525 fishermen were also benefitted from the 61 units of Payao distributed by BFAR, he further said. 

Hataman also bared that 70 percent of the ARMM coastlines were placed under the protection of BFAR through the program’s Bantay Dagat component that resulted to the saving of five bundles of black coral, 52 hawksbill turtles, and 600 kilograms of hammerhead fish declared as endangered species. 

More than P214 million capital seed fund were meanwhile given to 2,500 associations in line with the Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 

The Governor said the region was also allotted a total of P625 million Micro Livelihood Enterprise for capacity building of women under the Transition Investment Support Plan or Stimulus Fund. 

"We were able to release P691 million to 18,900 beneficiaries of the Cash for Work Program in addition to the P215 million for the 21,530 Sustainable Livelihood Program beneficiaries," he added.

According to him, the caretaker government has constructed 209 modified shelters for internally-displaced persons in Maguindanao, Sulu and Basilan while the construction of additional 140 units is still on-going. 

Hataman further said the regional recipients of the Indigent Senior Citizens Social Pension reached 8,836 while the Pantawid Pamilya Program has a total of 317,733 family-beneficiaries. (APB/PIA-10)

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Provincial Health Office conducts medical mission for typhoon victims in Lanao Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 22 (PIA) --The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) recently conducted a medical mission in Buadipuso-Buntong to respond to the healthcare needs of residents affected by typhoon Pablo. 

The program dubbed “Medical Mission Handog ni RG Hataman Para Sa Mga Biktima ng Bagyong Pablo” was undertaken in partnership with the Department of Health in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOH-ARMM), the 103rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, and the provincial government who provided logistics support to the medical teams. 

IPHO Chief Dr. Alinader Minalang said at least 1,500 constituents were afforded with various health services during the mission. 

These services included medical consultation and treatment; minor surgery; vaccination for flu and pneumonia; eye examination with free eyeglasses; and health education. 

According to him, the medical mission was graced by ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman and Provincial Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. 

Minalang said Hataman led the distribution of oral hygiene kits to children from the different affected barangays. 

The regional governor also pledged to provide funds for the repair of the Rural Health Unit (RHU) damaged by the typhoon, he further said. (APB/PIA-10)

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ARMM guv cites achievements in health, education programs

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 22 (PIA) -- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) achieved successes in implementation of health and education reforms, an ARMM official said.were cited by the region’s governor in his last Tuesday. 

In his State of the Region Address (SORA), ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said maternal mortality dropped from 245 for every 100,000 live births to 66. 

Data revealed that the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births also went down to 18 from 55 in the previous years. 

Hataman is optimistic the figures will further go down with the recent passage of the region’s Reproductive Health Care Law. 

Moreover, 199 health facilities including 18 ambulances were added throughout the region and additional 80,000 families were covered by PhilHealth. 

In terms of infrastructure, Hataman boasted the passing ARMM Public Works Act. 

He noted that the P1 billion fund given to the region, year after year, under the General Appropriations Act was often used for re-gravellng of farm-to-market roads. 

But with the ARMM Public Works Act, the P1 billion will be used to fund priority infrastructure projects that truly meets the needs of the people like national roads and bridges; strategic infrastructure in support to tourism, agriculture, peace and security, public health and sanitation; and other infrastructure for conflict and calamity-affected areas. 

The Governor also announced that last June the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the region has generated P59.2 million savings. He said such savings were utilized in purchasing new heavy equipment that will be distributed to the different districts in the region. 

We have regained the trust of the national government because of our hardwork, hence, the ARMM is given an additional P510 million for 2013 bringing the region’s infrastructure fund to P1.5 billion, he added. 

Other gains cited by the ARMM Governor were the establishments of Commission on Human Rights Regional Office, the setting-up of violence against women (VAW) hotline, the formation of the ARMM Council Against Human Trafficking (ACAT), and the settlement of “rido” or family feud through the Regional Reconciliation and Unification Commission. 

Meanwhile, Hataman commended the Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) for passing the Muslim Mindanao Autonomy (MMA) Act 231 or the Tax Oversight Committee; MMA 299 or the Public Works Act; MMA 288 or the Commission on Human Rights Act; MMA 290 or the Appropriations Act; and MMA 292 or the Reproductive Health Care Act. 

He further urged the RLA to pass other laws that will pave the way for more reform programs such as amendments to the region’s Basic Education Act of 2010, ARMM Omnibus Investment Act, amendments to the Revenue Code; ARMM Development Corporation Act; and Shari’ah Compliant Micro-enterprise Fund Act. (APB/PIA-10)

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Hataman cites educational gains in ARMM

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 21 (PIA) -- Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Mujiv Hataman bared the concrete gains his administration has achieved to improve the quality of education in the region. 

In his first State of the Region’s Address on Tuesday, Hataman cited the educational reforms his administration has instituted that resulted to the eradication of ghost students and teachers and huge savings for the regional government. 

He said the ARMM Government boldly addressed the problems of teachers regarding the payment of loans and benefits from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) by talking to and forging an agreement with the GSIS management. 

The Department of Education (DepEd)-ARMM, he said, has settled the P5-million debts of the Marawi City Division and the P14-million debts of Basilan Division. 

Hataman said they are now in the process of paying the some P1.9-billion debts of the department to the GSIS. 

The Governor also announced that the DepEd-ARMM, in the implementation of financial reforms, has saved P224,227,269.90 which will be used in paying the salary differentials and backpays of teachers. 

DepEd-ARMM has also generated P135 million that may be utilized for the repair of classrooms and purchase of school chairs, he added. 

Citing statistics from the Enhanced Basic Education Information System, Hataman said the region lacked 5,057 classrooms, 3,479 teachers, and almost half billion of school chairs in 2011. 

He, however, announced that DepEd-ARMM has launched programs and projects dubbed “37 Firsts of DepEd-ARMM” to raise the quality of education in the region. 

Included in these are various support and training assistance from different organizations such as PLDT-SMART Foundation, SEAMEO-INNOTECH, Synergia, AMORE, AAI, UNICEF, GIZed-Fit For School, USAID and Ronald McDonald, as well as the construction of learning centers in remote areas by BRAC. 

Hataman said the Australian government is also actively supporting the region and has provided P3.97 billion through the Basic Education Assistance for Muslim Mindanao Program which includes early childhood and basic education, school health, techvoc training for out-of-school youth. 

The Governor also made mentioned that a total of 6,540 scholars are currently benefiting from the programs of the Technical Educational and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) while 607 are being served by the scholarship program of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). (APB/PIA-10)

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Army holds dialogue with local leaders in Marawi City

SAGUIRAN, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 20 (PIA) -- The 65th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army conducted a pulong-pulong with the councilors, barangay officials and other stakeholders from Marawi City, last week. 

The dialogue, held at the Battalion’s Headquarters here, was aimed to inform the local leaders about the present peace and order situation and other security issues and concerns the entire province is currently facing. 

Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Seigred J. Espina said during the dialogue that the role of the army, particularly his troops, is to promote peace and order. 

He said the army is also mandated to protect the lives of the people from those engaging in criminal practices that impedes peace and progress in the province. 

Espina also reiterated that there are many things each and every community member can do to eradicate criminality. 

These include encouraging the residents to feed information to local authorities and telling others to venture into new legal endeavours, he added. (65th IB/PIA-10) 

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Medical mission benefits more than 700 Lanao Sur residents

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec 12 (PIA) -- More than 700 people in Binidayan town has benefited from the comprehensive and integrated medical mission conducted by the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) in Unayan District Hospital last December 7. 

Services availed by the residents include minor surgery for cyst and other growth, circumcision, medical consultation, dental extraction and prophylaxis, vaccination for flu and rotavirus, cataract surgery and other eye disorders, as well as health education and family planning counselling. 

The medical mission was undertaken in partnership with the District Hospitals in the province, 51st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, local government units and civil society with the support of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Regional government through the Department of Health (DOH)-ARMM. 

This is just one of the many efforts of the new ARMM government to reach out to the underserved communities in terms of health, said IPHO Chief Alinader Minalang. 

He said this intervention is also in line with the IPHO’s Reach Every Barangay (REB) strategy to improve health service delivery and ultimately the health status of its constituents, especially the poor. 

Minalang meantime urged health partners to extend more support to sustain the said undertaking. 

He hopes to bring the medical mission to several strategic areas to accelerate health improvement in the province. 

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Lanao del Sur execs support land survey in ARMM

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 7 (PIA) -- Local chief executives in the province fully support the forest land boundary assessment and delineation (FLBD) project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). 

Provincial Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. expressed his unwavering commitment during the launching of the project held in Xavier Estates, Cagayan de Oro City on Sunday, December 2. 

He is also thankful for the implementation of the project in the region which is set to kick-off in the province. 

A priority project of President Benigno S. Aquino III, the FLBD project aims to map areas to delineate the boundaries between forestland and alienable and disposable lands in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). 

Adiong, however, urged the DENR-ARMM to coordinate with the provincial government and the respective municipal mayors on the schedule of the actual conduct of the land survey to avoid problems in the field. 

League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Lanao del Sur Chapter President and Poona Bayabao Mayor Lampa Pandi also conveyed the same support to the project. 

He said the LMP will provide the necessary assistance to the DENR during the actual survey. 

Earlier, DENR-ARMM Secretary Hadji Kahal Kedtag enjoined municipal mayors and their respective Sangguniang Bayan to support the implementation of the project. 

He said the active participation of the local government units is critical to the success of the FLBD project. 

ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman, on the other hand, said the implementation of the P44 million FLBD project is pursuant to the memorandum of agreement the ARMM government signed with the DENR on June 19, this year. 

He said the project is in compliance with the agenda of the President to complete and perfect the country’s land delineation and land classification before the end of his term.

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DENR-ARMM launches forest land boundary and delineation project

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 6 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DENR-ARMM) launched on Sunday the forest land boundary assessment and delineation (FLBD) project in the region. 

The project aims to map areas that can be potential for agroforestry development, delineate our agricultural lands with that of forest lands, and protect our established protected area systems, said DENR-ARMM Secretary Hadji Kahal Q. Kedtag. 

He said the FLBD project is in compliance to the constitutional mandate of the DENR to mark on the ground the boundaries between forestland and alienable and disposable lands. 

In this way, we can be able to determine the appropriate management interventions and protect our remaining forest cover, Kedtag added. 

According to him, the implementation of the project will officially start in Lanao del Sur and will continue in Maguindanao and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. 

He said the project will be anchored on the theme “Unang Tanda para sa Kagubatan, Simbolo nang Handa, Matatag, Makabago at Makakalikasang Bangsamoro,” highlighting the importance of forest lands in laying down the development roadmap for the upcoming Bangsamoro government. 

The ARMM government, through Governor Mujiv Hataman, forged a memorandum of agreement with DENR Secretary Ramon Paje last June 19 for the conduct of forest boundary delineation in the region. 

Under the agreement, the DENR committed a financial assistance of P44 million for the project which the ARMM government hopes to complete by mid of 2013

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Local disaster councils conducts damage and needs assessment

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 5 (PIA) -- The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is currently undertaking damage and needs assessment (DANA) after typhoon Pablo hit some parts of the region yesterday. 

Three teams were dispatched in the province and one in Maguindanao to determine the extent of effect of the typhoon in the areas. 

Initial reports from the RDRRMC said typhoon Pablo brought heavy rains and strong winds in the province, causing electricity shutdown and flooding in Bubong, Ramain, Mulondo, and Taraka. 

Two bridges located in the towns of Malabang and Kapai were also destroyed by the floods. 

The Narciso Ramos Highway (Kapatagan-Balabagan-Malabang road) and the road network going to Butig town were not passable due to flooding. 

Provincial Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. with the members of the provincial DRRMC is also conducting an on-site inspection in the affected municipalities. 

The provincial government likewise dispatched trucks to help in the evacuation. 

Adiong also issued an order for doctors and mobile clinic to go around the municipalities and check on the affected families. 

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