ADM project of BEAM-ARMM helps improve access to quality education in ARMM

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 27 (PIA) -- The Alternative Delivery Model (ADM) Project of the Basic Education Assistance in Mindanao (BEAM) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is set to celebrate its first year anniversary today. 

The ADM is one of the key components of the BEAM-ARMM program of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) in partnership with the Bangladesh Rural Achievement Committee (BRAC) Philippines and the Department of Education (DepEd) in ARMM to improve access to quality basic education in the region.

The project continues to help the ARMM government raise the educational standard in the region. It has already established 410 learning centers  in several towns in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and Tawi-Tawi.

ADM Project Director Mohammad Nazrul Islam, also BRAC Philippines country representative, said the project aims to provide catch-up education opportunities to poor and out-of-school children especially in remote areas of the region. 

To be held in Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in Cotabato City, the BEAM-ARMM ADM-BRAC anniversary celebration will be graced by officials from AusAID, BRAC personnel and Bangladesh Ambassador to the Philippines John Gomes. 

Meanwhile, BEAM ARMM also plans to put 400 additional learning centers in the provinces of Basilan and Sulu by June of this year. 

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Army helps settle family feud in Lanao del Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 21 --- The 51st Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army facilitated a rido (feud) settlement between warring families in Malabang town, this province.

Lt Col Ceasar Marlon M Yadao, commanding officer of the 51st IB, said the Battalion was able to convince the clans of Kadir Bilao, Sanal Torayas and Asraf Montaner Taog to put an end to their dispute and settle their personal differences.

He said both parties agreed to settle their dispute at the 51st IB headquarters in Barangay Matling, Malabang town last February 10.

The parties signed a covenant and took oath before the Holy Qur’an as a gesture that they have already settled all their misunderstanding, Yadao added.

The reason for their dispute was about a tenant failing to remit payment that resulted to heated discussion and a gun fight. 

Yadao said the settlement was attended by the families and relatives of both parties and witnessed by traditional and religious leaders, non-government organizations (NGOs), and other stakeholders from Malabang.

Also present were some personnel from 4th Maneuver Platoon of the Lanao del Sur Provincial Police Office (LSPPO) stationed at Camp JAS in the said town.

According to him, the rido settlement was made possible in partnership with the Mindanao Dynamic Culture of Peace (MIDCOP) Inc., a non-government organization committed in promoting peace-building in conflict-affected areas.

The occurence of rido has been one of the major peace and order problems that hampered development in the province. It has caused unnecessary loss of lives, destruction of properties, and displacement of innocent civilians.(51st IB)

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ARMM brings HELPS convergence program to Lanao del Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 20 (PIA) -- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) regional government has brought its convergence program on health, education, livelihood, peace and governance, here, in a bid to bring regional government services closer to constituents. 

The program called ARMM Health, Education, Livelihood, Peace and Governance, and Synergy or ARMM HELPS is the banner program of the present regional government that aims to reach out to the region’s constituents by bringing basic services to the ground. 

The program was launched in the city on February 13 followed by a similar launching in three other towns of Lanao del Sur, namely, Ditsaan-Ramain, Ganassi, and Taraka, on February 14,15 and 16, respectively. 

Among the services provided during the convergence program included free medical and dental services, pneumococcal and tetanus toxoid vaccination, diabetes screening, pre-natal screening, eye examination and surgery, and supplemental feeding for pre-school kids. 

Social pension for indigent senior citizens and PhilHealth cards were also distributed to identified beneficiaries in the province. 

The region’s Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) likewise turned-over a warehouse and a solar dryer to the officials of Barangay Cabingan here and Barangay Rantian in Ditsaan Ramain under the Community Development Assistance (CDA) component of the ARMM Social Fund Project (ASFP). 

Moreover, some 1,100 seedlings of jackfruit, durian, rambutan and mangosteen; 450 packs of palay starter seeds; 10 bags of corn seeds; 1200 pockets of assorted vegetables; 45 bags of OPV corn seed; and 2400 pieces of technoguide amounting to P320,000 were distributed by the region’s Agriculture and Fisheries department to four barangays in the province. 

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the region, on the other hand, handed out 20 sets of gill net; 100,000 pieces of tilapia fingerlings; and 20 units of fish pots in each of the municipality. 

The region’s Education department also conducted a proper hand washing drill among the students from each barangay and distributed thousands of hygiene kits containing a toothbrush, toothpaste and soap. 

The launching of the ARMM HELPS convergence program in the province was highlighted by the ground-breaking of the national road concreting for the Tubod-Ganassi road section and Masiu-Ganassi road section. The road concreting is under Contract Package 1 for the province of Lanao del Sur amounting to P24 million. 

The ARMM HELPS Convergence Plan was first launched in Al-Barka and Lamitan City in Basilan last February 6 and 7. 

The same program was also launched in the island province of Tawi-Tawi on February 18, and will be launched in Sulu on February 20 and some other parts of Maguindanao on February 25 and 26.

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ARMM passes free birth registration law

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 19 (PIA) -- A law allowing for easier birth registration has been passed in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. 

ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman signed into law last week the Muslim Mindanao Autonomy (MMA) Act 293 otherwise known as the “Free Birth Registration Act of ARMM.” 

The new law enhances the usual process of birth registration in the region, including late registrations, removing the accompanying fees that often discourage parents from securing birth certificates for their child. 

It also calls for the promotion of the importance of registering births among ARMM residents. 

The law was authored by Assemblywoman Rahima Datumanong Alba of the 2nd district of Maguindanao, who said MMA Act 293 is part of the commitment of the ARMM government to the country’s millennium development goals (MDG). 

“We want this law to be instrumental in securing some of the principal rights of every child in the ARMM,” she said. 

It is also expected to help address problems that resulted from lack of authentic birth certificates among a considerable number of residents in the ARMM to allow the regional government to get a good evaluation of its population. 

Governor Hataman said in the past, a previous policy allowed a number of employees in the regional government who are believed to have reached or are beyond retirement age to continue in the service. 

“We hope the law will address problems like this in the coming years,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the United Nations Higher Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) supports the free birth registration in the region. 

Trevor Clark, chief of Unicef’s Cotabato City Field Office, said they have provided and will continue to provide technical assistance to the ARMM government on the free birth registration. 

He said they will support the agenda being championed by the ARMM government that gives more rights to children. 

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IPHO Lanao orients newly-hired nurses under RN Heals project

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 19 (PIA) -- The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) here recently oriented new nurses hired under the Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement and Local Service (RN Heals) project. 

Dr. Amanollah Bantuas, chief of the Training Division of the Department of Health in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOH-ARMM), facilitated the training. 

A background on the RN Heals project, family planning program, and maternal health programs were among the topics discussed during the orientation. 

IPHO said 50 registered nurses in the province qualified for the project. 

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said RN Heals aims to improve access of the country’s poor to quality healthcare with social services by creating a pool of registered nurses with enhanced clinical and preventive health management competencies that will increase the nurses’ employability. 

The nurses, whether assigned in a hospital or health center, will receive a monthly allowance of P8,000 from the national government. 

Hospital or rural health units where the nurses will be assigned are also encouraged to provide additional monetary or non-monetary incentives to nurses such as meal allowance, transportation allowance, communication allowance, and modest board and lodging allowance.

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Women's rights champion to lead ARMM’s human rights body

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb 15 (PIA) -- Human rights lawyer Laisa Masuhud Alamia has formally assumed Tuesday as chairperson of the newly-established Regional Human Rights Commission (RHRC) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) after being sworn in by acting ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman. 

Hataman said Alamia’s appointment was signed by President Benigno Aquino III on February 7. 

The RHRC was established last year following the enactment of Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act 288 otherwise known as the “ARMM Human Rights Commission Charter of 2012.” 

The acting ARMM chief said the subtleties of human rights in an area like the region can be best tackled by someone with Alamia’s competence and background. 

“Her track record on human rights work in different parts of Mindanao is commendable,” he said. 

Alamia is the former program manager and one of the founders of Nisa Ul-Haqq Fi Bangsamoro (Women for Justice in the Bangsamoro), a human rights group based in Mindanao who actively engage in women issues and rights advocacy with particular reference on Islamic views. 

She was also a program coordinator and board secretary of the Bangsamoro Lawyer’s Network (BLN), a member of the Mindanao Human Rights Action Center (MinHRAC). 

Human rights cases in ARMM spring mainly from the on and off armed conflicts and prevalence of several armed groups in the region. 

Alamia said women empowerment and gender issues will be among the RHRC’s top agenda. 

She is joined in the RHRC by fellow lawyer Alikhan Abuat, who took oath on the same day as a commissioner. (ARMMCommGroup/PIA10) 

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Poll spending of candidates are subject to 5% withholding tax

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb 8 (PIA) -- Election campaign spending of candidates are subject to five percent withholding tax, according to a Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) regulation. 

Thus, the BIR is monitoring campaign expenses of candidates. 

"We are closely coordinating with the regional and local election officers for the effective implementation of Revenue Regulation No. 8-2009," said Revenue District Officer Aminoding Macarampat. 

The tax covers political parties and candidates in local and national levels. 

The Commission on Elections earlier issued Resolution 9616 officially deputizing the Commission on Audit, BIR, law enforcement agencies, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council to help make sure that the figures given by the candidates in their Statements of Election Contributions and Expenditures are true and correct.

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BIR-Marawi confident of achieving 2013 collection goal

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 7 (PIA) -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Marawi City is confident that it can achieve its collection target for the year 2013. 

Revenue District Officer Aminoding Macarampat said they will work hard to meet this year’s goal of P483,066,000, an increase of P121,169,000 or 33.48 percent from the P361,897,000 target last year. 

According to him, the implementation of previous programs that were proven effective such as the intensified tax information campaign and tax compliance verification drive will still be continued until such time that residents, business establishments, and institutions in the entire province become tax-compliant. 

He said tax seminars and info drives via radio, television and print media will be conducted to educate taxpayers on the new BIR issuances as well as to remind them of their tax obligation. 

We will tap the assistance of the 103rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army to ensure the peaceful conduct of tax mapping operations on business establishments, hospitals and clinics, and private education institutions within the jurisdiction of the Revenue District Office, he added. 

Macarampat said strict monitoring of withholding tax compliance will also be undertaken. 

We already wrote a letter to the Department of Education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) asking help for the updating of personnel records, he further said. 

A personal appeal will also be made to the ARMM regional accountants, departments and agencies devolved to the ARMM, the Mindanao State University (MSU) main campus, and local government units (LGUs) for the proper withholding tax compliance, he added. 

In addition, coordination with the local counterparts of the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines will be continued with respect to the compliance of LGUs. 

A close monitoring of withholding tax remittances on infrastructure projects undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways, National Irrigation Authority, LGUs, and all implementing line agencies under the umbrella of the ARMM will likewise be carried-out by the BIR. 

Macarampat said BIR personnel will be mobilized to man the filing centers in the MSU campus, city hall, and provincial capitol to cater to the needs of tax-paying public this coming filing season. 

For January alone, BIR Marawi collected P50,906,108.18, up by P1,804,108.18 or 3.67 percent from the P49,102,000 goal for the month. 

The actual collection for the month is also higher by P12,840,188.95 compared the P38,065,919.23 collections it posted in the same month of last year. 

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Marawi collects P388M in taxes, surpasses target by 7.41%

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 4 (PIA) -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Marawi Revenue District Office (RDO 102) surpassed its revenue goal for 2012 by 7.41 percent after it collected P388.73 million during the year. 

The RDO 102 posted a P26.83 million jump in its collections against the P361.90 collection target for the year.

Year-on-year, RDO 102 tax revenues went by 14.43 percent or P45.10 million compared to the P312.55 million it collected in the same period in 2011. 

Collections from income tax made up 77 percent of the RDO’s total revenues reaching P298.22 million, up by 11.47 percent or P30.68 million than the P267.54-million goal for the year. 

This amount is also higher by 27.21 percent or P63.78 million against the P234.44 million income tax collections in 2011. 

Collections from value-added tax (VAT) which comprised 21 percent of the total tax revenues was posted at P83.07 million, higher by 16.68 percent compared to the P71.19 million VAT collections a year ago. 

Collections from percentage tax and other taxes, on the other hand, were recorded at P1.34 million and P6.09 million, respectively. 

Revenue District Officer Aminoding Macarampat attributed the positive performance to the conduct of extensive tax information and education campaign down to the barangay level. 

He said tax-mapping operations was also continuously undertaken to educate the business community of their registration and bookkeeping requirements. 

Meanwhile, Macarampat underscored the support of local banks such as the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines in helping the RDO in disseminating tax information at the municipal and barangay levels. 

He also lauded the provincial government and the Mindanao State University in the city for the correct implementation of withholding tax. (APB-PIA 10)

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DepEd-ARMM embarks on a new program

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 2 (PIA) -- The Bureau of Madrasah Education (BME) under the Department of Education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) launched a new program on spiritual development and moral transformation. 

The program dubbed Da’wah and Transformation was developed to support the moral recovery thrust of the current ARMM leadership as a critical aspect of sustaining the reforms. 

ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said this latest program will provide leadership in spiritual development and moral transformation of the ARMM bureaucracy as well as translate the precepts of peace building among Muslims in the region. 

DepEd-ARMM Regional Secretary Atty. Jamar Kulayan said that among the more than 400 Arabic teachers employed by DepEd-ARMM are prominent Ulama who can be tapped to lead in spiritual development and moral transformation. 

Under the program, BME is considering Spiritual Development and Renewal through Ihtikaf (Group Retreat), Ikram (Service), Ijtima’ (Annual Congregation); media-based advocacy (radio Da’wah); and Islamic values integration across the K to 12 curriculum with Arabic teachers serving as mentors to subject teachers, said Madrasah Education Undersecretary Prof. Alzad Sattar. (DepEd-ARMM)

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288 Davaoeños receive medical care from IPHO-Lanao

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 2 (PIA) -- More than 200 residents in Boston, Davao Oriental have received medical attention and care from the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) here. 

IPHO Chief Dr. Alinader Minalang said around 137 residents in Barangay Poblacion and 151 in Barangay Nicolas were provided with free medical services during the IPHO solidarity medical mission in the said municipality last January 29 and 30. 

These services include free consultations, tetanus toxoid injections, free medicines and wound dressing, among others. 

He said the two-day medical mission was conducted in cooperation with the Department of Health in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOH-ARMM). 

According to him, the activity was the second solidarity medical mission conducted by the IPHO-Lanao to respond to the healthcare needs of typhoon-affected communities in Davao Oriental.

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