DSWD, TESDA hold C4TP induction and orientation in Lanao Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 29 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in the province conducted a training induction and orientation program (TIOP) on the Cash for Training Project (C4TP).

The TIOP, held on August 22 at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall, was attended by the beneficiaries of the C4TP in the municipalities of Balindong, Buadipuso-Buntong, Bumbaran, Kapai, Lumba-Bayabao, Poona Bayabao, Ditsaan-Ramain, Mulondo, Tamparan, Taraka, Tagoloan, Wao, Masiu, Maguing, Saguiaran, Piagapo, Tugaya, Marantao and this city.

During the TIOP, TESDA Provincial Director Tarhata Mapandi and DSWD C4TP Focal Person Abdul Jalil Magad explained to the beneficiaries the purpose, components and training protocol and arrangements for the project.

Mapandi said the C4TP aims to assist disadvantaged youth by providing them with skills training and assistance towards gainful employment and entrepreneurial activities.

She said the project which will benefit 657 youth in the province will be implemented in two independent components, the training for wage employment (Trabaho) and the training for self-employment (Hanapbuhay).

The DSWD will be responsible for the identification of project beneficiaries while TESDA will be in-charge for the delivery of training.

Magad said the C4TP beneficiaries will be allocated P20,000 each during the duration of their training.

He said beneficiaries for the Trabaho component will be afforded with free training, tuition, allowance and assessment.

In addition to the free entrepreneurial training, tuition, allowance and assessment, Magad said beneficiaries of the Hanapbuhay component will also receive toolkits.

Mapandi, however, clarified that the toolkits will be released during the mass graduation and closing ceremony tentatively scheduled on December 15, this year.

She also announced that TESDA will also conduct a tracer study on all the C4TP beneficiaries three to six months after the end of the training to determine if the training has indeed helped improve their lives.

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Lanao del Sur needs more accredited maternal care providers

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 21 (PIA) -- There is still a need for more PhilHealth-accredited Maternal Care Package (MCP) providers in order to give mothers in the province better care.

The province has 40 functional rural health units (RHUs) but only 19 are MCP-accredited, Dr. Ruby Minalang, Medical Specialist IV of PhilHealth in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) said during the recently-held Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Local Summit.

These accredited-MCP providers are Lumbatan Health Center and RHUs of Bubong, Wao, Kapatagan, Balindong, Madalum, Buadipuso-Buntong, Ditsaan- Ramain, Marantao, Piagapo, Picong, Tamparan, Saguiaran, Poona Bayabao, Bayabao-Butig, Ganassi, Taraka, Lumba-Bayabao, and Malabang,

She said six RHUs, namely, Maguing, Kapai, Bacolod-Kalawi, Bayang, Pualas and Binidayan, have applied for accreditation of which their application are now on-process at the PhilHealth central office.

On the other hand, MCP engagement of lying-in or birthing clinics in the province totalled six, five are located in the city while one in the municipality of Wao.

Minalang said the reasons for non-engagement of health units include lack of facility and space to provide MCP services, lack of MCP equipment and instruments such as delivery table and oxygen, no electricity and water supply in the area, or the health unit was not able to comply with the requirements such as non-PhilHealth accreditation of rural health physician.

MCP engagement according to PhilHealth will give mothers and newborns financial access to health care services.

PhilHealth members and qualified dependents can avail of prenatal care, delivery, post natal care, as well as health education and counselling services in MCP-engaged non-hospital facilities, maternity and lying-in clinics.

Moreover, newborn of PhilHealth members are also assured of the newborn care package (NCP) of accredited hospitals, non-hospital facilities and lying-in clinics. NCP services include newborn care, screening and hearing tests, vaccination for hepatitis B and BCG, and EINC protocol.

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ARMM moves to strengthen personnel selection board

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 17 (PIA) --- Selected employees of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) have undergone a two-day competency building and training workshop in a bid to strengthen the regional personnel selection board (PSB).

Amihilda Sangcopan, Office of the Regional Governor Chief-of-Staff, said that the training which commenced on August 15 is a step towards professionalizing the regional civil servants.

"We want to let the constituents know that we are really bent on standardizing the selection and promotion of ARMM personnel, said Sangcopan.

During the training, Civil Service Commission (CSC) ARMM Director IV Resureccion Pueyo discussed the basic policies on merit selection and promotion plan and the roles and responsibilities of PSB.

"Appointment is essentially discretionary power but the appointing authority should appoint persons possessing the minimum qualifications required by law, he said.

For his part, CSC-ARMM Director Dominador Gonzales Jr. emphasized the importance of conducting background investigation and pre-evaluation of applicants.

He said transcripts and other important documents submitted by the applicants must be thoroughly checked if authentic or not.

The two-day competency building and training workshop was spearheaded by the Office of the Regional Governor (ORG) and PSPB-ARMM in cooperation with CSC-ARMM. (BPI-ARMM/PIA10) 

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ARMM govt continues to give assistance to Maguindanao flood victims

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 17 --- Various government agencies of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) converged on Friday, August 16, to give assistance to 826 families in the towns of Datu Saudi Ampatuan and Datu Abdullah Sangki in Maguindanao who were affected by the flooding caused by heavy torrential rains.

The regional Social Welfare department distributed relief goods composed of three kilos of rice and canned goods to the 609 affected families in Datu Abdullah Sangki and 217 in Datu Saudi Ampatuan.

ARMM’s Health department also gave treated 200 mosquito nets for each municipality, 100 packs of hydrosols and assorted medicines.

On the visit to Datu Abdullah Sangki Municipal Hall, Mayor Bai Mariam S. Mangudadatu addressed the needs, issues and concerns of their community to the different agencies present during the relief operation.

"Thank you to the ARMM government for the support they gave us,” Mangudadatu said.

She said that they are very elated to feel and see the support of the regional government under the leadership of Mujiv Hataman.

"We are keen to work with you as it will help in the fast recuperation of our community,” she added.

Eddris D. Sangki, Chairman of Barangay Kaya-Kaya, one of the most affected barangay in Datu Abdullah Sangki, said that their village hopes for continued relief.

"Sa loob ng anim na taon dalawang beses lang kami nakatanggap ng tulong galing sa gobyerno kaya labis kaming nagpapasalamat sa ARMM” (For six years, we were only able to receive assistance from the government twice, hence, we are grateful to ARMM), Sangki added. (BPI-ARMM/PIA10) 

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TESDA Lanao del Sur re-aligns training courses to match industry demand

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 23 (PIA) --- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Provincial Office is re-aligning its regular training courses to match the demand in the construction sector in the province.

"There is plenty of construction projects being done in the province so we have to anchor our training courses to the demand and needs of the industry," said TESDA Provincial Director Tarhata Mapandi.

Mapandi also told Philippine Information Agency (PIA) that there is already an initial agreement between the TESDA and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to engage together through training and assessment as well as employment of graduates for masonry, carpentry, shielded metal arc welding and heavy equipment operators.

This tie-up with DPWH-ARMM is one of the best ways to generate employability of our graduates, she said.

From August to December this year, Mapandi said they are targeting a total of 290 trained graduates for the said qualifications and courses.

"We have to train 116 of them for masonry and 58 each for carpentry, shielded metal arc welding and heavy equipment operators," she said.

Mapandi also disclosed that they have coordinated with the Engineering District Offices in the province and they have initially agreed to hold a Contractor’s Forum any time soon to encourage the different contractors in the province to support the new engagement.

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IPHO Lanao Sur chief reminds pregnant women to seek prenatal care

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 21 (PIA) --- Dr. Alinader Minalang, chief of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) reminded pregnant women to have regular prenatal care to keep them and their babies healthy.

Pregnant moms should have regular prenatal check-up, at least four visits to health centers during the duration of their pregnancy so that doctors can detect and treat health problems early, Minalang said during the "Health Fair and Buntis Party" held on August 19 in Ditsaan-Ramain, this province.

He said 110 mothers die of pregnancy-related complications everyday and one of the major causes of this is hypertension during pregnancy.

Minalang said problems with blood pressure during pregnancy can be controlled with regular prenatal check-up.

In addition to prenatal care, he said maternal mortality can also be prevented if pregnant women will give birth in health facilities attended by skilled birth attendant.

Minalang also emphasized the importance of family planning in addressing maternal mortality.

He said 40 percent of maternal deaths can be prevented with a good family planning program.

“The reproductive organ of mothers can have time to recover for every pregnancy with proper family planning because of the birth spacing,” he said.

He said this can also lessen the possibility of post partum hemorrhage, a condition of excessive bleeding following child birth.

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IPHO Lanao Sur joins Family Planning Month celebration

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 22 (PIA) -- The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) here joins the whole nation in promoting the importance of family planning to advance the health and welfare of mothers and children.

As part of the Family Planning Month celebration, the IPHO in partnership with Ditsaan-Ramain municipal government conducted a 'Health Fair and Buntis Party'on August 19 with the theme "Planuhin ang Pamilya Para sa Magandang Kinabukasan".

The whole-day event began early with a motorcade from the IPHO grounds in the city to Ditsaan-Ramain Municipal grounds where a short program and lecture on family planning in the medical and Islamic context was shared to the locals.

Dr. Alinader Minalang, chief of the IPHO, said the event was aimed to raise public awareness on the importance of family planning and how it can improve the quality of their lives.

"Family planning is not about population control, it is about planning for the right size, timing, and birth spacing to promote the health of mothers and children," he said.

He said the event also seeks to dispel the misconception that family planning is against Islam.

According to him, the religious sector even supported it by passing a Fatwa (Islamic religious decree) on Family Planning.

“Family planning is pro-Islamic because it protects the rights of mothers and children and provides a way for families to have better lives,” he added.

After the program, pregnant women and participating couples proceeded to the municipal covered court for the "Buntis" party where they played parlor games, danced the “Sayaw ni Ina Para Hataw sa Saya”, and availed of the different free maternal services, dental services and mother’s and nutrition classes.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in the province also joined the health fair by offering free massage and haircut to the guests to complete the wellness services during the celebration.

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Gov. Adiong denies presence of jihadist group in Lanao del Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 14 (PIA) – Provincial Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. denied reports on alleged presence of a jihadist group called Khalifah Islamiah in the province. 

"I have not heard of Khalifah Islamiah before and this group is not from Lanao del Sur," said Adiong in a press conference on August 12. 

The group, believed to have links with the Jemaah Islamiah, is allegedly behind the spate of bombings in Mindanao. 

“Ang grupo lang dito sa Lanao del Sur ay ang Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) at ang Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) at hindi naman sisirain ng MILF ang kanilang mga pag-uusap sa gobyerno,” Adiong said. 

(Only two groups exist in the province, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the MILF will not derail the on-going peace talks with the government.) 

When asked on the extent of support of Lanao del Sur on the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and MILF peace talks, Adiong said he is confident that his constituents is fully supportive to the peace process. 

“Gusto naming matuloy ang peace agreement at Bangsamoro at walang Muslim dito ang humaharang nito (We want the peace agreement between government and the Bangsamoro to succeed and no Muslim opposes this)," he said. 

Adiong also disclosed that the five governors and nine representatives in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) had an initial talk with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) that they will lead the campaign on the plebiscite for the Bangsamoro entity if it will push through. 

The Framework Agreement was signed last October 2012 while the Annex on Transitional Arrangements and Modalities and the Annex on Revenue Generation and Wealth Sharing was signed February and July of this year, respectively. 

The GPH-MILF peace panels are in the process of negotiation on the two remaining annexes on normalization and power sharing. 

These four annexes together with the Framework Agreement will complete the comprehensive peace agreement. 

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GPH Peace Panel visits Marawi, presents Framework Agreement’s annex on wealth sharing

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OPAPP, MSU hold dialogue on GPH-MILF peace talks

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 7 -- The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) in partnership with the Mindanao State University (MSU) conducted a dialogue on the updates of the peace talks between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). 

The first leg of the dialogue was held Monday, August 5, in Institute for Peace and Development in Mindanao (IPDM) Convergence Hall in MSU main campus, this city. 

It was participated in by faculty, staff and students from the Public Administration, History, Sociology and Anthropology, Islamic Studies, International Relations, and Political Science departments of the university. 

MSU President Macapado Muslim said the dialogue aims to discuss some of the important points, highlights and updates on the on-going peace process. 

"It is in this process that we hope everybody will be with us in every step of the way," said GPH Peace Panel Chair Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, who gave a brief background on the talks. 

She said the President’s instructions were very clear that the process should be transparent and inclusive, that is, to keep the people informed on the developments and to make sure that the outcome of the peace agreement will benefit everyone. 

Coronel-Ferrer said the President also instructed that the agreement should be framed within the bounds and flexibility of the Constitution. 

She emphasized that the Constitution already gives a lot of answers to the problems of the country, the most important thing is, to look into all kinds of mechanisms that will be put in place to make sure that the principle of removing cultural inequities by equitably diffusing wealth and political power for the common good will be operationalized. 

"The challenge is not so much on acknowledging the uniqueness of this part of the country and on the desire of the people for political and fiscal autonomy but exactly on how to be able to take that in practice to make it work and find the lasting solution to peace," she added. 

Meanwhile, GPH Peace Panel Member Undersecretary Yasmin Busran-Lao said they hope to put in place three transitional bodies for the period 2012-2013, the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, the Third-Party Monitoring Team, and the Joint Normalization Committee. 

The Bangsamoro Transition Commission which was created after the signing of the Framework Agreement will draft the Basic Law, propose Constitutional amendments, assist in development projects, and get inputs from the people through consultations and dialogues. 

The recently convened Third-Party Monitoring Team is an external body to monitor the implementation of the agreement. 

She said they hope to convene the Joint Normalization Committee soon to look into the annex on normalization to address the reconciliation and justice component of the negotiation and the issue on what to do with the combatants and their weapons. 

She explained that the Framework Agreement and the four annexes, namely, Transitional Modalities and Arrangements, Revenue Generation and Wealth Sharing, Power Sharing, and Normalization will make up the Comprehensive Agreement. 

The Framework Agreement was signed last October 2012 while the Annex on Transitional Modalities and Arrangements was finished in February. The Annex on Revenue Generation and Wealth Sharing, on the other hand, was signed by the GPH-MILF panels last month. 

The second leg of the dialogue was held, August 6, in MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology campus. 

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ARMM dad condemns Cotabato blast incident

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 6 (PIA) --- Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Mujiv Hataman condemned the bombing incident that happened in Cotabato City yesterday afternoon, August 5. 

“”We denounce the bomb attack in the city of Cotabato which has already claimed the lives of six and injured dozens others," Hataman said in a statement. 

He said the ARMM government is saddened that such atrocious act happened during the month of Ramadan. 

Hataman also urges authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation and bring to the bar of justice the criminals behind this ruthless act. 

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and victims of the bomb blast. The leadership of the ARMM stands with the good people of Cotabato City,” he added. 

The seat of the ARMM regional government is located in Cotabato City. 

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TESDA Lanao Sur holds entrepreneurship dev't training

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug 1 (PIA) -- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) here is conducting a six-day training to capacitate existing technical-vocational (tecvoc) trainers on entrepreneurship development. 

Trainers from 23 technical institutions in the province participated in the training which started July 28 and will culminate tomorrow, August 2, said TESDA Provincial Director Tarhata Mapandi. 

She said the training aims to strengthen the capacity of technical institutions in the delivery of entrepreneurship-related competencies and in providing training for their clients, especially the youth. 

According to Mapandi, the conduct of entrepreneurship development training is in relation to the implementation of the cash for training program or C4TP. 

Early in June, TESDA in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the province launched the C4TP to offer sustainable intervention to empower and improve the plight of poor youth. 

Aside from skills training opportunities, the C4TP also provides job facilitation and entrepreneurial support to identified beneficiaries. 

It is being implemented in two independent components, namely, training for wage employment (trabaho) and training for self employment (hanapbuhay). 

The C4TP benefits 657 youth in the province. Of this number, 185 beneficiaries are allocated for wage employment while 492 are for self-employment. 

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ARMM govt sends aid to thousands of flood victims in Maguindanao

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 1 -- The newly formed Humanitarian Emergency Assistance and Response Team (HEART) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) kicks into action this week as days of torrential rains bring flood and displace thousands of residents in several communities in 20 of the 36 towns in Maguindanao province. 

According to data released by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region, flood-affected families reached around 48,870 in more than 158 communities in the province. 

ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman and Haroun Al-Rashid Lucman, vice-governor and concurrent DSWD-ARMM secretary, headed a team that set out Monday, July 29, to bring aid to hundreds of families in the towns of Sultan Kudarat and Mother Kabuntalan. 

Hataman said the relief is intended to help residents hurdle effect of the flood and prevent any casualty. 

A second round of relief efforts pushed ahead Tuesday in Paglat and Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun despite the outbreak of a clash between government forces and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) along the main road leading to the two towns. 

“We decided to take a different route and proceed with the relief in the two towns considering the conditions of affected residents,” the region’s executive secretary, said ARMM Executive Secretary Atty. Laisa Alamia. 

Relief packs included food items, mosquito nets, hygiene kits and drugs used to treat potable water. 

Alamia said agencies that comprise the ARMM HEART are already accustomed to emergency response despite the early stage of its formation. 

The ARMM government is working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to capacitate the ARMM HEART. 

Meanwhile, an initial assessment of the ongoing relief was held Wednesday, July 31, to evaluate the extent of the flooding, the number of affected residents and assistance needed. 

Rahima Datumanong Alba, DSWD-ARMM assistant secretary, said most of the affected families have sought shelter in the house of their kin and are considered house-based, while a few occupy classrooms or makeshift tents. 

Department of Health (DOH)-ARMM will also be watching out for diseases that can proliferate during floods, according to its assistant secretary, Dayang Carlsum Jumaide. (BPI-ARMM)

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