ARMM officials declare support to the creation of Bangsamoro government

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 16 (PIA) --- Government leaders in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) have adopted a resolution declaring their support to the establishment of the Bangsamoro government.

The resolution was signed on February 12, the second day of the ARMM Local Government Unit (LGU) Summit on Governance and Development in Davao City.

The resolution states that the ARMM – “its people, the Regional Government, the Provincial, and Municipal Local Government Units – is ready and fully supportive to transition to the Bangsamoro Government.”

The five governors, 116 town mayors and 2 city mayors in the ARMM including regional officials and national legislators from the region convened at the two-day summit to discuss means to fast-tack government programs and projects and disaster-related issues in the ARMM.

The ARMM officials present recognized President Beningno Aquino III's commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Mindanao and that peace in the region will benefit not only the Moro people and Mindanao, but the entire country. 

The proposed Bangsamoro government is set to replace ARMM in 2016.

Speaking at the event, President Aquino appealed to the group to support the present peace process.

“Kaya naman, nananawagan po ako sa sambayanang Pilipino, lalo na sa mga kapatid nating nandito: nawa’y bigyang-daan po ninyo ang mga hakbang nating ito. Makakaasa po kayong sa bawat kasunduang ating nilalagdaan ay nakataya ang aming dangal at pangalan,” he said.

The President also thanked and praised ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman for reforming ARMM and introducing good governance in the region.

“Tunay at kongkretong reporma ang isinagawa mo sa inyong rehiyon; hindi mga proyektong aparisyon. Mula sa mga serbisyong panlipunan, hanggang sa pagtutuwid ng sistema sa lokal na pamahalaan—ipinamalas mo ang lideratong nakatutok sa kapakanan ng mamamayan,” the President said. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10)

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ARMM provides financial aid to towns with no revenue allotment

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 15 (PIA) --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) government will be providing P500,000 monthly financial aid this year to each of the 12 municipalities in the region that do not have internal revenue allotment (IRA).

ARMM executive secretary Laisa Alamia said the financial aid is intended to help the local government units (LGUs) improve their performance and fast-track government programs and projects in the region.

A total of P72 million has been included by the present ARMM administration in its budget for this year to support the 12 towns.

These towns include Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Datu Hoffer, Datu Salibo, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Mangudadatu, Pandag, and Northern Kabuntalan in the province of Maguindanao as well as Akbar, Al-Barka, Hadji Muhtamad, and Hadji Mohammad Ajul in the province of Basilan.

These towns have been established by virtue of regional legislations but failed to meet the criteria set for municipalities under Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991.

The discrepancy has disqualified these regionally -created towns from receiving IRA. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10)

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ARMM-HEART provides P1.9M worth of aid to evacuees in Maguindanao

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 15 (PIA) --- A total of P1.9 million worth of relief supplies have been provided by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao-Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team (ARMM-HEART) to the 6,627 families affected by recent clashes between government troops and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in areas of Maguindanao.

A series of validation and assessment of affected individuals was carried out by the ARMM HEART before conducting relief operations at identified communities, said Ramil Masukat, ARMM’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer (RDRRMO).

Masukat said the assessment revealed that 31 barangays are affected by the conflict with the most number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at 1,394 families or 6,970 individuals, coming from the town of Shariff Saidona Mustapha.

The assessment and validation, according to Masukat, is needed to determine the total number of IDPs including those who are home-based or staying outside of evacuation centers, their needs and health condition and the location and number of evacuation centers that have been put up.

Masukat headed the two weeks operation of the ARMM HEART in the area including the actual relief distribution.

ARMM HEART has already served a total of 6,627 families or 28,875 persons, including the 758 families who have sought refuge in the village of Macasendeg in Midsayap,North Cotabato.

Masukat said the families staying there are from the village of Dasawao in Shariff Saidona Mustapha.

The food parcels given to each IDP family contained 5 kilos of rice, 5 cans of sardines, 5 packs of noodles, coffee and sugar.

The relief operation also included free medical services provided by the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, Maguindanao’s provincial health office and the Center for Health and Development 12.

Masukat said evacuees still need additional shelter and hygiene kits at the moment.

The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) has also provided 1,500 packs of assorted non-food items to evacuees staying in the towns of Datu Salibo and Mamasapano.

The ARMM’s health department and its provincial counterpart also provided assorted medicines. 

ARMM executive secretary Laisa Alamia said the ARMM government will closely monitor the condition of affected families and extend all necessary assistance it can. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10)

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President Aquino to meet with local government officials in ARMM

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 8 (PIA) --- President Benigno Aquino III will meet with local chief executives in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) at a local government summit scheduled Tuesday, February 11, in Davao City.

The governors of ARMM’s five provinces and mayors of its two cities and 116 municipalities including regional officials and legislators from the region are expected to be in attendance to discuss, among others, crisis management issues at every government level in the region.

Lawyer Laisa Alamia, ARMM executive secretary, said it’s going to be the second local government unit summit for the ARMM.

Alamia said the summit will highlight the role of ARMM government units in the Mindanao peace process and issues on disaster management, mitigation and response.

The regional government, she said, is hoping to capacitate local government units and “cascade” what it has done in terms of disaster risk management down to the local level.  

In a meeting with members of the ARMM Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team (HEART) and non-government organizations operating in ARMM,  Alamia said ARMM’s unique setup calls for a “temporary special measure to respond to an abnormal situation” in the region.

Alamia said the local counterparts of most agencies that are supposed to be at the forefront of emergency response have still not been devolved to the ARMM government and there are 12 municipalities that don’t have internal revenue allotment (IRA), meaning they can’t source the five percent calamity fund provided by law.

Displacement has also become the norm in some of the region’s unstable communities.  

Alamia said the regional government has to take a proactive stance and provide immediately intervention in times of emergencies, although the law does not provide for it.

The ARMM HEART is one of the regional government’s response to the prevalence of displacement and emergencies in the region due to man-made and natural calamities. (Bureau of Public Information/PIA-10)

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ARMM approves P18 wage hike

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb 8 (PIA) --- The wage board of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has approved an P18-a-day increase in the minimum wage of workers in the region.

The new wage hike brings the minimum wage in ARMM to P250.

Muslimin Jakilan, ARMM labor secretary, said the new wage rate will take effect this month pending the endorsement of its implementing rules from the regional leadership.

He said the new wage hike was approved by ARMM’s Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in December of last year after a series of public consultation across the autonomous region.

Jakilan said consideration may be given to companies or establishments that are on the risk of closure; those that regularly employ not more than 10 workers, new business enterprise and those affected by natural calamities.   

“Private companies and establishment who cannot comply with the new wage order may file application for wage exemption within 75 days if they qualify on our provided criteria,” he said.

Jakilan, who also chairs the RTWPB, said the wage board took various criteria into consideration such as the capacity of employers, comparative wages from other regions and the current wage fixing system under R.A. 6727 otherwise known as the Wage Rationalization Act.

“We know this will be a big help to workers in ARMM,” he said. (BPI-ARMM/PIA-10)

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Submission of nominations for Pamanang Lingkod Bayani until Feb. 21--CSC-ARMM

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 7 (PIA) --- The Civil Service Commission in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (CSC-ARMM) is still accepting nominations to this year’s search for Pamanang Lingkod Bayani.

The Pamanang Lingkod Bayani award is a program of CSC that gives tribute to public servants who were killed while in the performance of their functions and have displayed the characters of a hero (bayani) in the name of public service.

CSC-ARMM Acting Director Leopoldo Roberto Valderoza, Jr. said the program is based on CSC Resolution Number 1302553 or Implementing Guidelines on Pamanang Lingkod Bayani approved on November 29, 2013.

The bereaved family will receive the citation or plaque of the winning nominee

Three of his/her children can also avail of a scholarship either in baccalaureate, masteral or doctoral degree in any of the member state universities or colleges of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) under the Pamanang Lingkod Bayan Iskolarsyip component of the program.

The bereaved family will also receive financial assistance of P100,000 under the Pondong Pamanang Lingkod Bayan component.

Nominations to the Pamanang Lingkod Bayani award must be submitted to the CSC-ARMM regional office or field offices or to the Honor Awards Program (HAP) Secretariat not later than February 21, 2014.

For details on the qualifications and documents that will be submitted, the CSC-ARMM said they can be contacted at telephone numbers (064) 552-1855 or at textline 0917-839-8272. (With reports from BPI-ARMM/APB/PIA-10)

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DA holds series of trainings for Lanao Sur farmers

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 7 (PIA) --- The Provincial Office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) conducted series of trainings to capacitate farmer technicians in the province.

DA Provincial Information Officer and Chief of Operations Naga M. Tucalo disclosed that the training on good agricultural practices (GAP) for cassava production and coconut production were held simultaneously last January 21-23 in Marawi City and Malabang town, respectively.

Training on rubber tapping and management was also held on January 28-29 in Ditsaan Ramain town.

While on February 4-6, training courses on rice production in upland areas and on coffee roasting, packing and rehabilitation were simultaneously held here in the city.

Tucalo said these capability building activities are found effective and efficient in the transfer of technical know-how down to the farmers in order to make them productive and competitive. (APB/PIA-10)

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Upland farmer technicians in Lanao Sur train on rice technology

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 7 (PIA) --- Thirty-five (35) local farmer technicians (LFTs) in the province have undergone a specialized training course on rice production in upland areas on February 4-6, this year.

The training was conducted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Provincial Office with the support of Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DAF-ARMM).

It aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of LFTs regarding technology in upland areas, said Lumna Macabangon, Training Specialist III of ATI.

The three-day training included lectures on Agri-Pinoy program, upland rice technology and organic technology by experts from PhilRice and DAF-ARMM.

Macabangon said the participants came from the municipalities of Pualas, Poona Piagapo, Balindong, Pagayawan, Picong, Ganassi, Calanogas, Marantao, Sultan Dumalondong, Saguiaran, Lumbayanague, Lumbaca-Unayan, Lumbatan, Tubaran, Madamba, and this city. (APB/PIA-10)

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2014 Palarong ARMMAA kicks off on Feb. 10

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 5 (PIA) --- A colorful parade of athletes and officials from the nine school divisions in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will mark the opening of this year’s ARMM Athletic Association meet on February 10.

Key education officials of the region as well as officials from the province of Lanao del Sur and the city of Marawi will join the delegates in the parade, Monday morning, from Banggolo to the Mindanao State University (MSU) Oval, this city, where the opening ceremonies for the regional sports meet will be held.

Marawi Schools Division Superintendent Mona Macatanong said city mayor Fahad Salic, provincial governor Mamintal Adiong Jr, and MSU president Macapado Muslim will welcome the different delegations during the opening ceremonies.

Tawi-Tawi Governor Nurbert Sahali and Tawi-Tawi Schools Division Superintendent Nuhailah Amirulhadj will also turnover the ARMMAA sports banner to Mayor Salic and Superintendent Macatanong, hosts for this year’s Palarong ARMMAA.

The opening ceremonies of the tournament will be highlighted by the hoisting of the ARMMAA sports banner and delegation banners, sounding of agong and kulintang, and symbolic releasing of doves and balloons.

Macatanong said ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman will also grace the historic event in the city.

To make the event memorable, special night programs will also be held from February 9 to February 14 to be sponsored by city market superintendent Samer Salic and Marawi Traders Association president Moh’d Batabor, city mayor Salic, Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (LASURECO) general manager Ashary Maongco, Sanggunian Panglunsod, Marawi City Private Schools Association, and Marawi United Barangay Association, respectively. (APB/PIA-10)

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Marawi City to host 2014 ARMM reg’l sports meet

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 4 (PIA) --- Marawi City, the lone Islamic city in the country, will play host to this year’s Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Athletic Association (ARMMAA) meet, popularly known as Palarong ARMMAA.

The regional sports meet will run from February 10 to February 15 with the theme “Bridging Gaps: Towards Unity, Through Sports”, said Marawi City School Division Superintendent Mona Macatanong during the airing of Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Ozor ka, Ranao! radio program Monday, February 3.

She said they are expecting some 7,000 athletes, coaches and education officials coming from the nine schools division in the autonomous region to gather for the Palarong ARMMAA.

ARMM comprises of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi including the cities of Lamitan and Marawi.

Macatanong said the holding of the weeklong sports event here will not only showcase the athletic skills of ARMM students but also the tourism potential of the city.

“It will also boost or create economic opportunities in the city as well as show that Marawi is indeed a peaceful city,” she further said. (APB/PIA-10)


#ARMMAA

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ARMM joins the World Hijab Day celebration

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 3 (PIA) --- Government workers in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) including officials gathered Saturday morning, February 1, at the region’s seat to join people from across the globe in celebrating the World Hijab Day.  

The women, regardless their religious affiliation, wore hijab in show of support to Muslim women who, by choice, don the hijab or any other prescribed dress for them.

Now on its second year, the World Hijab Day is observed in more than 50 countries worldwide to help end discrimination against Muslim women who wear hijab. It was espoused by Nazma Khan, a Bangladeshi-American woman who thought of encouraging women from all over, especially the non-Muslims, to wear hijab for a day to foster religious understanding and tolerance.

The ARMM government organized a fun run and a seminar to highlight the celebration. All women participants were encouraged to wear hijab.

Delsa Culango, a non-Muslim employee, said she supports Muslim women who wear the hijab particularly those who do it by choice.

“We should respect, and not discriminate, people for what they believe,” she said.

Sitti Djalia Hataman, Anak-Mindanao Partylist representative, is one of the advocates of the World Hijab Day in the country.

Hataman, herself a hijabi, said she knows by experience what it’s like to be discriminated for wearing hijab and for being a Muslim.  

At a seminar on hijab and discrimination arranged by the ARMM’s Department of Tourism, Hataman brought the audience to tears as she narrated some of her personal experience and told them “marami mang diskriminasyon ang dumating, magsusuot ako ng hijab at hindi ko ikakahiyang Muslim ako.” (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/PIA-10)

#WorldHijabDay

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