BFAR-ARMM project to assist 400 seaweed farmers

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan. 30 (PIA) -- The P1.9 million project rolled out by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BFAR-ARMM) on Monday targets to assist up to 400 seaweed farmers in the coastal town of Parang, Maguindanao. 

The project is intended to provide these fishers a more sustainable livelihood as well as boost the region’s seaweed production, said BFAR-ARMM Director Janice Musali. 

She said the project includes the provision of seaweed farm inputs to support 200 to 400 farmers, which will expand the 120 hectares of seaweed farm area off the coast of Parang. 

The project is expected to open up an additional 50 hectares of farm area, according to Musali. 

ARMM ranks first in the country in terms of seaweed production with a bulk coming from the region’s island provinces especially Tawi-Tawi. 

BFAR officials estimate that the region still has around 20, 017 hectares of potential seaweed farm area. 

BFAR-ARMM signed a contract with the Kilusang Magkaibigan Multi-Purpose Cooperative (KMMPC) for the procurement, supply, and delivery of seaweed input materials after a bidding process. 

Musali said it was the first time for their office to fully observe government procurement procedure based on Republic Act 9184 otherwise known as “An Act Providing for the Modernization, Standardization and Regulation of the Procurement Activities of the Government and for Other Purposes.” 

Lawyer Mimbalawag Mangutara, finance director of ARMM governor’s office, commended BFAR-ARMM for conforming to the standing policy of the present ARMM reform government of transparency and accountability. (ARMMCommGroup/APB-PIA10

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All systems go for the PhilHealth 2013 run in Marawi City

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan 29 (PIA) -- It’s all systems go for the conduct of the PhilHealth Run 2013 here in the city. 

According to Dr. Sainuddin Moti, chairman of the PhilHealth Run 2013 here, the run will kick off on February 17 at Lanao People’s Park in Amai Pakpak Avenue. 

The event, dubbed as “PhilHealth Run 2013: Nationwide Run for Mother and Child Protection,” will be held simultaneously in more than 18 sites nationwide to mark PhilHealth’s 18th year anniversary. 

This run aims to raise funds for the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC), a national referral hospital that admits patients with illnesses requiring subspecialty care such as childhood cancer. 

Moti said proceeds of the run will also be given to a local beneficiary and will support other programs and activities on mother and child protection. 

He revealed that they are eyeing the Philippine National Red Cross-Lanao del Sur/Marawi City Chapter to be the local beneficiary of this year's Philhealth run. 

Those interested to join can register at PhilHealth Regional Office ARMM located at Noramis Building, O.M. Dianalan Blvd., this city. 

The run will have five categories: three-kilometer (3K), five-kilometer (5K), 10-kilometer (10K), 18-kilometer (18K), and 3K kiddie run. 

Registration fees range from P250 for the Kiddie and 3K run, P300 for the 5K, P350 for the 10K, up to P450 for the 18K. 

These fees are inclusive of the official singlet, race bib, timing chip, finisher’s certificate, and a raffle coupon, as well as finisher’s medal for the 18K.

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Comelec successful in cleansing voters list in Lanao del Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan 28 (PIA) -- The efforts of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to cleanse the list of registered voters in the province has met with success.

The number of registered voters in Lanao del Sur went down by 33 percent to 350,268 after the voters registration held last July in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said Provincial Election Supervisor Nasib Yasin.

Of this new record, 201,589 are registered in the first district of the province while 148,679 are in the second district.

The 10-day general registration was part of the national government’s effort to reform electoral system in the region.

According to Yasin, a total of 521,969 voters were registered in the province prior to the re-registration.

He said the poll body was satisfied with the process as the voters’ registration records were now cleansed.

Meanwhile, Yasin said Comelec will ensure that it will do all it can to attain clean, honest, and peaceful elections in the province.

He also urged his counterpart in the Provincial Joint Security Control Center, particularly the Provincial Police and the 103rd Infantry Brigade, to strictly implement the ban on the carrying of firearms.

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Comelec reiterates campaign guidelines for 2013 polls

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan. 27 (PIA) -- An official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reiterated some of the campaign guidelines for the coming midterm elections. 

The poll body has limited the air time of each candidates in campaigning through television and radio stations, said Comelec Commissioner Elias Yusoph during the election 2013 summit held last week, here. 

Accordingly, each candidate for national positions is entitled to 120 minutes to advertise and campaign through television and 180 minutes through radio. 

Candidates running for local positions, on the other hand, are only allowed 60 minutes of television advertising and 90 minutes for radio advertising. 

Yusoph clarified that appearance of a candidate in a news interview or documentary shall not be considered a broadcast election propaganda if it is incidental to the presentation of the subject covered by the news interview or documentary. 

He, however, emphasized that television or radio stations inviting candidates as guests to a broadcast program has to notify the Commission before they can start the program. 

The poll body also requires candidates to post or display propaganda materials in designated common poster areas only. 

Election Officers can remove the propaganda materials and file a case against a candidate violating this rule, he added. 

With regards to the campaign finance, Yusoph said candidates are required to submit their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures to the Commission. 

He said a winning candidate cannot take his oath if he failed to submit such statement. 

Failure to comply will also perpetually disqualify a candidate to hold public office, he added.

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Lawmakers, governors allowed police, military escorts

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan. 26 (PIA) -- Incumbent lawmakers and governors are allowed to have police and military escorts during the election period. 

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 9608 provides that incumbent lawmakers and provincial governors, whether or not running for re-election or for another elective office and whose regular security complement have been provided by police, military and officers and members of other government law enforcement agencies are allowed to retain the services of such security officers and members. 

They are however entitled to a maximum of two detailed police or military escorts only. 

Comelec Commissioner Elias R. Yusoph said other local chief executives such as mayors can avail of detailed escorts from duly licensed and accredited protective agencies. 

He said application for security detail can be filed with the Provincial Election Supervisor and the Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC). 

According to him, the PSCC will evaluate the application and will forward it to the Regional Joint Security Control Center (RJSCC). 

Yusoph, who heads the 2013 Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Personnel (CBFSP), is in charge of implementing the gun ban which took effect on January 13. 

The gun ban prohibits the carrying and transporting of firearms unless authorized by the Comelec. It also restricts the hiring of security personnel of public officials without the approval of the Commission. 

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Lanao Sur stakeholders air commitment for clean and honest polls

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan. 24 (PIA) -- Various stakeholders coming from the different sectors here including political candidates have expressed their commitment for honest, orderly and peaceful 2013 elections this coming May. 

They gave their support and commitment for clean and honest elections, Wednesday, during the “Kasalimbago sa Election 2013 Summit,” an electoral reform advocacy conference which believes that participation of the different sectors is vital in promoting good governance. 

Among those who attended were Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Acting Governor Mujiv S. Hataman, Lanao del Sur Assemblymen, ARMM Cabinet Secretaries, Provincial Governor Mamintal A. Adiong Jr., Provincial Board Members, municipal mayors, municipal treasurers, elections officers and officials from the regional and provincial Commission on Elections (Comelec), city and provincial schools division superintendents and teachers, security forces, and representatives from civil society groups. 

Comelec Commissioner Elias R. Yusoph also graced the summit and challenged political aspirants to become Muslim leaders not just political leaders. 

A symbolic burning of bad practices also highlighted the election summit to manifest the commitment to get rid of malpractices allegedly done during the past political exercises in the province. 

The event, with the theme “Strengthening People’s Voice through Electoral Reform and Transparency in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City” was organized by the Kasalimbago Task Force. 

The task force chaired by Provincial Election Supervisor Nasib Yasin and vice-chaired by Assemblywoman Samira Gutoc-Tomawis and BGen Daniel A. Lucero of the 103rd Infantry Brigade was formed following the success of the general voter’s registration in the ARMM. 

Other members of the Kasalimbago Task Force included Provincial Police Director Senior Supt. Alfredo Modestano, schools division superintendents, and representatives from the local chapters of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and League of Treasurers of the Philippines, as well as from the Lanao del Sur People’s Council and other civil society groups. 

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ARMM to review P1.51-B infrastructure program

MARAWI CITY, Jan 22 (PIA) -- The Regional Economic and Planning Development Board 
of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Monday deferred 
discussion on the region’s P1.51 billion infrastructure program for 
2013 during its first regular session this year, pending 
result of a motion to have some scheduled road projects realigned.

 

The motion calls for the endorsement of a board resolution urging the 
central office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 
and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to allow ARMM to 
concentrate on local road projects after it found out that most 
national roads in the region are already included in the national road 
network development plan.    

 

A similar request will also be endorsed to the Regional Legislative Assembly 
(RLA), the region's legislative counterpart. 

The P1.51-billion 2013 infrastructure plan of the region consists mostly of road 
projects. At least 21 of the scheduled road projects in the region for 2012 had to be realigned 
by DPWH-ARMM due to double funding and to coincide with the region’s convergence plan.

 

The realignment plan awaits the approval of the RLA.

 ARMM OIC-Governor Mujiv Hataman said DPWH national had included most 
of the national roads found in ARMM in its annual road program, thus the double funding.
 

He said the region would be able to optimize the annual infrastructure fund by focusing 
on local roads.

 

Hataman said that it is crucial for the region to sort out its road map immediately to 
present a clear-cut data on road development gaps.

 

“We need to be able pinpoint exactly which roads are unpaved and in need of development,” 
he said.

 

RedPB is ARRM's highest policy-making body chaired by the regional governor and consists of the governors of ARMM's five component provinces, mayors of its two cities, head of some of the region's planning office and a representative from civil society. (armmcommgroup/PIA10)

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Summit in Lanao del Sur to push for clean 2013 elections

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan 21 (PIA) – A one-day electoral reform advocacy summit is set to be held here on Wednesday, January 23.. 

The “Kasalimbago sa Election 2013 Summit” aims to forge alliances among stakeholders in the city and the province to push for common strategies for clean synchronized national and local elections this coming May. 

Conceptualized after the success of the general voter’s registration in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the summit hopes to broaden people’s participation and representation in democratic governance and enhance free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections. 

It is anchored on the belief that the participation of the different sectors is vital in promoting good governance and in the realization of an election which could be affirmed as a reflection of the people’s will. 

The holding of the summit is a collaborative undertaking of the Commission on Elections Provincial Office, 103rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, Department of Education’s Division Offices, Lanao del Sur People’s Council and other civil society organizations

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New ARMM law requires barangay registration system

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan 20 (PIA) -- The newly approved Free Birth Registration Act of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) calls for the establishment of a registration system in all of the barangays in the region. 

The National Statistics Office (NSO) in the region and the Local Civil Registry Offices shall provide the implementation mechanism, training of personnel, and other activities with allocated funds for the establishment of the barangay registration system. 

In addition, the municipal or city Local Civil Registrar (LCR) shall deputize the barangay chairpersons of remote and far-flung barangays to disseminate information on the importance and significance of on-time free birth registration. 

The deputized barangay chairpersons, on the other hand, shall receive and hold accountable birth registration forms, cause and undertake the documentation process of free live birth registration for each new-born infant in their community, and facilitate the monthly regular transmittal of the birth registries to the municipal or city (LCR) for approval and issuance of the birth certificates. 

The barangay registration system will be implemented within 30 days upon the enactment of the law. 

RLA Bill No. 24 otherwise known as "An Act Establishing Free Birth Registration in the ARMM and Providing Funds thereof,” was approved and adopted by the ARMM seventh Regional Legislative Assembly on January 17. (APB/PIA-10) 

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ARMM Legislative Assembly approves free birth registration bill

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan. 20 (PIA) --- The seventh Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has approved the free birth registration bill on third and final reading last Thursday, January 17. 

RLA Bill No. 24, otherwise known as "An Act Establishing Free Birth Registration in the ARMM and Providing Funds thereof,” aims to ensure that every individual born in the region is registered and is issued a birth registration document. 

It seeks to inculcate the importance of birth registration as well as overcome practical impediments that hinder the issuance of birth registration documents such as lack of understanding on the value of birth certificates, costs to obtain birth certificates, administrative procedures that are difficult for some communities to fulfil, and lack of appropriation support from local government units. 

The free birth registration bill also targets to reduce the cases of delayed birth registration in the autonomous region. 

Meanwhile, the ARMM Civil Registration Committee is re-activated to strengthen the implementation of the free birth registration. 

The ARMM Civil Registration Committee shall serve as the support team in carrying-out and implementing the provisions of the Act. 

The Committee shall be composed of the Regional Secretaries of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and National Statistics Office (NSO), as well as the Executive Director of the Regional Planning and Development Office (RPDO), the Director of the Technical Management Service (TMS) of the Office of the Regional Governor, and such other representative(s) or official(s) of agencies in the ARMM which the Committee may appropriately designate. (APB/PIA-10) 

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DepEd-ARMM holds first-ever Strategic Budgeting Workshop

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan. 18 (PIA) -- The Department of Education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) is holding a Strategic Budgeting Workshop from January 17-18. 

The workshop serves as a refresher for budget and planning officers and eye opener for new managers and key personnel to bridge resource gaps and education outcomes and impacts in budgeting. 

It is divided into four themes, namely, current budget situation, budget framework, policy dialogue, and strategic budget preparation. 

The two-day strategic budgeting workshop is in line with the Public Expenditure and Institutional Review (PEIR) partnership with World Bank (WB) and Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). 

The workshop is participated by senior managers and key personnel at the regional and division offices. Influential education stakeholders in the region are also present. 

Resource persons from the DepEd Central Office, Department of Budget and Management, regional Legislative Assembly, and Regional Planning and Development Office were invited to provide critical inputs on different budget concepts, frameworks and patterns. (DepEd-ARMM/PIA-10) 

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New healthy lifestyle program kicks-off in Lanao del Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan. 17 (PIA) -- The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) has launched a new program for the year 2013 in line with its continuing advocacy for a healthy lifestyle.

The program dubbed “Search for the Biggest Loser” kicked-off last January 10 at the municipal gymnasium of Saguiaran with the theme “Katawan Mo, Yaman ng Bayan”. 

IPHO Chief Dr. Alinader Minalang said the biggest loser search is a ten-week contest that challenges everyone to get fit this year by living a healthy lifestyle. 

Individuals, ages 30 and above who had all the qualifications, such an obese body mass index (BMI), a blood pressure (BP) of more than 140/90, and blood sugar of more than 105 will be asked to sign a certificate of commitment signifying their willingness to attend continuous activities that included Hataw sessions, retaking of body weights every Thursday, and fun run at start of each month until the end of the program. 

Minalang said prizes and recognition will be awarded to whoever gets the biggest reduction in weight at end of contest on March 14. 

The launching of the program was attended by a large crowd including town mayor Macmod Muti who gamely joined the contest along with other municipal officials and policemen as well. (APB/PIA-10) 

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