625 aspiring teachers in ARMM undergo competency exam

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 29 --- Some 625 licensed teachers applying for teaching vacancies in the province took the three-day Teachers Assessment and Competency Examination (TACE) given by the Department of Education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) which started Tuesday, August 26.

John Magno, DepEd-ARMM’s assistant secretary for operations, said ARMM will hire 2,000 additional teachers this year to fill the vacancies and improve teacher-student ratio in schools in the region.

He said the TACE involves three phases: the written exam, panel interview and a teaching demonstration.

Aside from allowing them to gauge the competence of aspiring teachers, TACE will also give DepEd-ARMM the chance to tests the psychological fitness of the applicants.    

“We come up with this kind of system to ensure that only qualified and competent teachers will be hired in our schools to address, among other things, the unsatisfactory performance of the region in the National Achievement Test (NAT),” he said.

ARMM still falls behind other regions despite a significant increase in its performance in the NAT this year.  

One of the applicants, Sitti Naima Banaga, 24, of Lumbabayabao town in Lanao del Sur expressed optimism after completing the TACE.

“The hiring process today is more transparent, unlike before when it was tarnished by issues of bribery and connections,” she said. 

Banaga recently resigned as a private school teacher.  She said she believes it is her calling to help mold the minds of school children in ARMM through dynamic and effective teaching methods.

ARMM recently hired more than 1,000 additional teachers this year in an open and competitive process that sidelined influence peddling and padrino system. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10 Lanao del Sur)

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Religious scholars in Lanao unify to support peace process

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 26 (PIA) --- Muslim scholars and members of the religious sector in the province gathered here on Sunday, August 24, to unify themselves in backing the peace initiatives for Mindanao.

Alim Abdul Hannan M. Tago, one of the speakers during 2nd Ulama Summit Conference, said that “the religious scholars have to be united first before they can unify all the Muslims in the region.”

Thus, the Muslim religious scholars who attended the summit unanimously agreed to reject disagreement, disunity and create appropriate solutions to any problem that may occur.

They also expressed optimism that the Bangsamoro cause will effect a just and lasting peace not just in the region but in the whole country as well.

“Once there is peace and order in the region, it will also give peace not just to the adjoining regions but in the country as a whole because whether we like it or not, when there is no peace in Mindanao, there is no peace in the Philippines as well,” said Dr. Saffrullah Dipatuan, chairman of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) and 2nd Chief of Staff of the Office of the 2nd Vice-Chairman MILF Central Committee.

Accordingly, the success of the peace process is not only the success of the MILF and the national government but also the Bangsamoro people in general.

Alim Tago thus inspired everyone to be sincere in supporting the peace process in order to have a lasting peace in the country.

He said the cooperation of the Bangsamoro people is highly significant in making the peace process a success.

Meanwhile, Dr. Dipatuan emphasized that sustainable peace will spur economic development in the region as this will more attract investors. (Johaniah N. Yusoph/APB/PIA-10 Lanao del Sur)

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Maternal, child health care in ARMM improve

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug 21 (PIA) --- The Department of Health in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOH-ARMM) have gathered government and private health workers engaged in maternal and child health care in the region to evaluate two of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targets of the ARMM government.

MDGs are eight international development goals set by the United Nations to be attained in 2015 following a summit of UN member states in 2000. It includes the reduction of child mortality and improvement of maternal health.

Dayang Jumaide, DOH-ARMM assistant secretary, said maternal and child health care have greatly improved in the ARMM with the reduction of the maternal and infant mortality rate.

In 2008, maternal mortality rate (MMR) in the region was at 245 per 100,000 live births. This was brought down to 66 per 100,000 live births in 2013, far lower than the national rate of 152 per 100,000 live births.

Further, the infant mortality rate (IMR) of 55 per 1,000 live births in 2008 in the region was reduced to 16 per 1,000 live births in 2013.

ARMM Health Secretary Dr. Kadil Sinolinding Jr. attributes the improvement to the wide use techniques such as Active Management of Third Stage Labor (AMTFL) and Essential Intra-partum Newborn Care (EINC) and on the deployment of additional health personnel, rehabilitation and construction of health infrastructures, delivery of equipment and enhancement of skills through training. 

“The ARMM pioneered techniques which greatly reduced the IMR and MMR without the use of very sophisticated machines.”

Jumaide said the two-day workshop, held August 19-20, was meant to assess maternal and child health care in the region in preparation for the MDGs evaluation survey set in 2015.

 “We would like gauge how far have we gone in achieving our commitment to the attainment of MDGs for ARMM. We want to pool together stakeholders from the government and our partners in private institutions to strategize convergence efforts and set priority areas for mutual support and program implementation.” (Bureau of Public Information/PIA-10)

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ARMM to work with new NIA chief to address irrigation gaps

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 16 (PIA) ---  To address irrigation gaps in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), newly-installed National Irrigation Administration (NIA) head Florencio Padernal met with his regional counterparts Thursday, August 14, at the region’s seat.

Just five weeks in service, Padernal said he came to ARMM to reach out to Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman and work directly with him for irrigation system development in the region.

Hataman and Padernal both agreed that ARMM has a vast irrigation potential that, if properly developed, will answer food security and rice sufficiency in the region.

During the meeting, irrigation heads of regions 9, 10 and 12 presented their status of irrigation development and project proposals before Hataman, Padernal and members of the media.

“I am very satisfied with your presentation,” said Padernal to the NIA provincial heads.

Provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi are lodged in the said irrigation management offices because of the absence of a NIA regional office in ARMM.

Padernal said he will study the feasibility of creating a NIA regional office in ARMM.

For the meantime, a focal person to coordinate with the Irrigation Management Offices of the ARMM component provinces will be designated.

“I will designate a focal person or a coordinator in ARMM to help address the gaps,” he said.

Padernal said that in the roadmap that NIA created, they want to solve all irrigation problems in the country in the next ten years. He added that he will even seek legislation help to achieve this.

“ARMM should also have a roadmap if we want to develop our irrigation systems,” said Hataman.

Padernal then proposed that a memorandum of agreement be signed between NIA and the autonomous regional government to spell out the level of coordination of the two offices in planning, programming and monitoring of irrigation projects in the region. (Bureau of Public Information)

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ARMM posts surge in economic growth

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 15 (PIA) --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has registered a remarkable economic growth of 3.6 percent in 2013 from its 2010 mark of negative 0.3 percent.

According to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the total value of final goods and services produced in the ARMM grew from 1.1 percent in 2012 to 3.6 percent in 2013. The growth is driven by strong performance of the region’s service sector and agriculture.

Agriculture, which included hunting, fishing and forestry, accounted for 61.3 percent of ARMM’s economy followed by services with 33.6 percent and the industry sector with 5.1 percent.

ARMM Governor Mujiv S. Hataman cited the improved confidence of the people in the regional government. Good governance meant that development aid that was meant for the sectors are actually reaching them and are being used for improvement and growth.

“The growth is attributed to the ongoing reform initiatives, the renewed confidence of investors to the region. Also we believe that the sectors have seen with their own eyes the resources that are being poured into their areas. When they realized this was for real, they continued their efforts with renewed energy and trust that the gains to be had will be theirs,” Hataman said.

The regional economy only managed a dismal recovery of 1.1 percent growth from an all-time low of negative 0.3 percent when Hataman took office in 2011. In a period of over a year, the region was brought back on track after series of bureaucratic and leadership reforms introduced by his administration.

In 2013, the region’s agriculture rebounded from negative 1.1 percent a year before to 2.5 percent, buoyed by increased production of major crops like palay, coconut, cassava and other crops and in the production of tilapia, milkfish, tiger prawn, skipjack and yellow fin tuna. 

Service sector in ARMM accelerated to 6.6 percent in 2013 from 5.9 percent in 2012 as three of its subsectors posted faster growths. Financial Intermediation grew from 10.7 percent to 18.5 percent while Trade and Repair expanded from 4.0 percent to 5.7 percent. Public Administration and Defense also grew from 5.5 percent in 2012 to 5.9 percent in 2013. 

Accelerated growths were observed in Mining and Quarrying as it grew from 2.3 percent to 2.6 percent, Manufacturing from 3.0 percent to 3.9 percent. Meanwhile, Construction rebounded from negative 3.1 percent in 2012 to 1.2 percent in 2013.

Hataman said they expect better economic performance this year given the record breaking investments that have come into the region. Investments in the ARMM soared at 72 percent this year compared to the first half of 2013. The renewable energy sector posted the largest gains.

In the province of Maguindanao, three biomass projects were pledged, with a total worth of P1.773 billion. Mindanao will benefit from the 18-plus megawatts these projects will contribute to the grid.

“We target to hit the P5-billion mark in investments by year end,” he said.

The regional government has also invested heavily on infrastructure projects that included the construction of concrete roads, ports and other public facilities. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/PIA-10)

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ARMM, WFP, FAO ink multi-million agri deal

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug 15 (PIA) --- Representatives of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and the United Nation’s World Food Programme (UN-WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) inked a tripartite partnership on food security and climate change mitigation projects in Maguindanao province.

ARMM Gov. Mujiv S. Hataman along with Cesar V. Galvan, UN-FAO project team leader, and Praveen Agrawal, UN-WFP representative and country director, signed a memorandum of understanding setting the implementation of a P26.6-million-worth project.

The multi-million deal is set to benefit thousands of farmers in the province who were affected by recurring floods and those with uncultivated land due to armed conflicts.

UN-WFP pledged P21.9M for the project while P4.7M will come from the UN-FAO.

ARMM’s Agriculture Secretary Makmod Mending, Jr. said the region’s Department of Agriculture will provide technical assistance and various farm inputs to the farmer beneficiaries.

Agrawal said the issue on food and nutrition is a cross-cutting matter that is interlinked with health, economy, peace and development in the region. That is why, according to him, food security is very vital in rebuilding conflict-ridden communities in Maguindanao.

“It is a great privilege to work with ARMM,” said Agrawal.

He added the UN-WFP has worked with their most important partners -- men and women of Mindanao to ensure their brighter future.

Maguindanao, one of the five provinces of ARMM, experiences perennial flooding. So farmers who are also flood victims have no chance of recovery, said Galvan.

Aside from training the farmers, UN-FAO will also give each of the farmers with rice and vegetable seeds packaged with fertilizers.

Mending said the newly-signed project also addresses climate change mitigation as distribution of agro-forestry inputs and building of dikes are included in it.

Meanwhile, Hataman gave assurance beneficial programs such as this will be sustained in his administration. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/PIA-10)

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ARMM rolls out focal convergence strategy in Lanao del Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 14 (PIA) --- Regional and local officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and this province met Tuesday, August 12, here to roll out the focal convergence system approach in Lanao del Sur province.

Laisa Masuhud Alamia, ARMM executive secretary, presided the meeting that was attended by the provincial heads of different ARMM agencies and the newly appointed ARMM convergence focal person for Lanao del Sur - Assistant Secretary Amenodin Cali.

ARMM’s focal convergence system is designed to bring the ARMM government closer to people in the grassroots and optimize inter-agency collaboration in the implementation of government programs and projects in the region.

Alamia said the meeting included discussions of the status of cluster approach strategy in the province and challenges that can be worked out with the introduction of the focal convergence system.

She said the regional government wants to harmonize development interventions on the ground. “The focal convergence strategy allows us to focus on high impact projects that are doable.”

For his part, Amenodin Cali said the system has put together ARMM agencies and establishes a process for better delivery of services.

“Under the bandwagon of reform, we duty bearers are bound to put things together, this is one big challenge for all of us,” he said.

The focal convergence system clusters regional line agencies along the following development areas: good governance and anti-corruption, peace, justice and transition, economic, human development and anti-poverty, and the Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team (ARMM-HEART).

A focal person with a designation of regional assistant secretary has been assigned in each ARMM province, which includes Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, to coordinate the implementation of ARMM programs and projects in the area. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/PIA-10)

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ARMM undertakes additional road projects

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, August 14 (PIA) --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will concrete a 7-kilometer farm-to-market road in the town of Talayan in Maguindanao to improve the flow of goods and produce in the area.

ARMM governor Mujiv Hataman, along with Makmod Mending and Emil Sadain, the region’s agriculture and public works secretary, respectively, signed a memorandum of agreement on Tuesday, August 12, with Talayan Mayor Tungkang Midtimbang on the implementation of the project.

The seven-km., P70-million-worth road will link the barangays of Poblacion and Marader in the town. The project will be funded by ARMM’s Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program and will be undertaken by the region’s Department of Public Works and Highways.

The PAMANA program is the national government’s flagship program that extends development interventions to the isolated, hard-to-reach and conflict-affected communities.

Hataman said once completed, the road will enhance the transport of farm products and help spur growth in the area.

The ARMM governor also spearheaded the inauguration of a P1.4 million, 1.4-kilometer road in the town that links Barangay Tamar to the main highway in Barangay Poblacion and the groundbreaking of a P12-million, 1.3-kilometer road project in Barangay Calaan in Buldon town.

Hataman said the farm-to-market roads are expected to improve trade and commerce in remote areas of Maguindanao. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/PIA-10)

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DPWH ARMM ranks as the top performing agency in ARMM

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 12 --- The Governor’s Initiative on System Assessment (GISA) panel headed by ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman declared the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as the Number 1 top performing agency in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) out of the 26 departments and offices.

ARMM Executive Secretary Laisa Alamia has confirmed that DPWH-ARMM led by Engineer Emil K. Sadain is the top one performing agency based on the results of GISA.

According to Alamia, GISA is a strategy of ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman which started June, this year.

She said Hataman and the members of the panel personally visit the offices to know how they perform and carry out their mandates as well as  to check and assess the status of implementation of the programs and projects of a department, their absorptive capacity on disbursements and their transparency on governance all base on their performance and targets.

Alamia heads the GISA on DPWH-ARMM on July 16, 2014.

She said DPWH-ARMM made a big difference on their performance results during the GISA. “They almost got perfect. Nagawa nila ang mga targets nila,” Alamia added.

The lady executive secretary affirms that the establishment of the E-ARMM or the Expanded Roads Mapping and Management System is one of the contributing factors for DPWH to be the top performer aside from its productive utilization of their savings and their 100 percent compliance in their good governance condition in the department.

Since 2012 to June 30, 2014, the department has a total savings of P250,494,795.61.

In 2013, the Department of Budget and Management lauded DPWH-ARMM for their prudent used of its 2012 budget.

Sadain said the generated savings were utilized on procurement of heavy equipment, repair of roads and renovation of buildings and structures of regional offices.

He further said that they developed the E-ARMM which aims to establish a database containing information on roads in the region, including their connectivity conditions, and to create a network system involving the Regional Office DPWH ARMM and its eight District Engineering Offices (DEOs) that will serve as data repository.

Sadain also said since 2012 to 2014 DPWH-ARMM with P7.525 billion budget constructed and rehabilitated 524.409 kilometers of national and local roads; constructed/rehabilitated and expanded 33 sea ports; constructed and rehabilitated 21 bridges and 46 water supply projects and 14 drainage structures.

Sadain has recognized team work for this achievement. “The reforms we are initiating are team efforts towards building a concrete infrastructure facility accessible and responsive to the infra needs of our ARMM constituents.”

He cited significant gains of reforms in his department under the Daang Matuwid policy Agenda of President Aquino and implemented by the Hataman Administration that for the first time in 23 years of DPWH-ARMM and in the ARMM Bureaucracy.

He said they have initiated amendment/revision of the previous Public Works Act, that under this no more lump sum appropriation, no more regravelling on road projects and no more MOA implemented by Local Government Units (LGUs) on major infrastructure.

He added that they ensure clean and honest competitive public bidding which they have generated savings; procurement of 48 new sets of construction heavy equipment, 16 units of project monitoring vehicles and nine units of survey instruments with budget all from their savings; and empowering and enhancing the capability of the Regional DPWH, its eight DEOs and five Area Equipment Office and creating new offices for Basilan DEO with approved plantilla of 45 positions, Lanao del Sur 2nd DEO and Maguindanao 1st DEO with approved plantilla of 54 positions each respectively.  

In their Good governance conditions they have complied 100 percent the submission of SALN of their 620 regular employees and approved by Civil Service Commission on 2012 their ARTA or Citizen’s Charter; Complied since July 2012 the PhilGEPS Registration; and complied in 2012 and approved by DBM their Seal of Transparency.

Sadain said DPWH ARMM has an approved National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2015 Infra budget of 10.103 billion pesos intended for 502 projects for the whole region to include rehab/construction of 505.312 kms of national and local roads; construction/rehab of 35 bridges; construction and expansion of 45 seaports and 91 water supply projects; construction of eight (8) shore protection; and construction of 37 flood control and drainage structures.

Sadain is positive that completion of all 2012 projects will have its completion by the end of 3rd quarter of 2014;  2013 projects will be completed by the end of 4th quarter of 2014 and all 2014 projects will attain 70 percent  completion by end of 4th quarter this year.

ARMM Cabinet Secretary Norkhalila Mae B. Mambuay-Campong, also a member of the GISA panel, said GISA criteria include 50 percent completeness and consistency on data; 20 percent readiness; 15 percent attendance and participation during the actual GISA and 15 percent response during the question and answer or during the “gisa” proper.

“We adopted color coding on the results of GISA. And the top three are DPWH, RBOI and DOST,” Campong said.

The other members of GISA are Deputy Executive Secretary Rasol Mitmug Jr., RPDO Executive Director Baintan Ampatuan, Chief of Staff Amy Sangcopan, RBMO Head Mylene Macusang and Cabinet Assistant Secretary Gaddi Alawi. (Bureau of Public Information ARMM/PIA-10)

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ARMM unveils Islamic ruling on TB

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 11 --- The Department of Health in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOH-ARMM) has enlisted the help of Muslim religious leaders and scholars in the fight against tuberculosis (TB).

The agency formally unveiled a religious edict or Fatwa (Islamic ruling) on TB that was crafted in partnership with the Darul Iftah (House of Opinion), the association of Ulamas (Islamic scholars) in the country.

ARMM Health Secretary Kadil Sinolinding Jr., said the Fatwa is their “coordinative strategy to hasten the bringing of right information, diagnosis and attitude towards tuberculosis.”

The Fatwa encourages people suffering from symptoms of TB and those diagnosed with it to consult a doctor or any qualified health professionals and observe proper medication, citing certain Islamic injunctions and examples of Prophet Mohammad himself.

It is intended to be propagated with the help of the Ulamas and other Muslim religious leaders in their khutbah (sermons) especially during congregational prayer on Fridays.

He said the Fatwa and the keen support of the Ulamas would be very helpful in combating TB in the region.

Sinolinding said they recognize the strong influence of the Ulamas and other religious leaders. “Our people look up to them and tapping them in this campaign will merit trust among our Muslim constituents.”

Based on its data, ARMM’s health department has managed to bring down TB cases in the region by as much as 60 percent from 4,275 in 2011 to 1,700 in 2012.

Sinolinding said the fight against TB requires the support and active collaboration of stakeholders. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/PIA-10)

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Govt creates special task force to oversee Lanao Sur coop

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug 10 (PIA) --- The government has created a special task force to oversee the management of the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (LASURECO).

Secretary Jericho Petilla of the Department of Energy (DOE) said the Task Force LASURECO was organized based on Memorandum Circular No. 65 issued by the Office of the President creating an inter-agency committee (IAC) to oversee electrification programs and projects involving distribution utilities in the country.

The task force, chaired by Energy Assistant Secretary Matanog Mapandi with 103rd Brigade Commander Col. Glen Macasero and Police Chief Supt. Edgardo Inking as co-chairs, will take over the management of LASURECO to solve the power problem in the province.

Petilla said the power problem in Lanao del Sur has been lingering for so many years already and the government have not forgotten it. “It may have taken some time, but we want to come here with a solution for all of you,” he said during the task force meeting with local chief executives and other stakeholders in the province Thursday, August 7.

He said the government is neutral in solving the power problem in Lanao. “We are not trying to undermine anyone here. We are not trying to undermine LASURECO and we are not also trying to undermine the local government units. Kung merun man pong problema ang dalawa, ang pagpasok namin dito ay hindi papanig sa isang side kundi dahil gusto namin ng solusyon,” stressed Petilla.

The energy secretary said the task force will focus on manpower and materials acquisition from August 8 to 21 and implement metering from August 22 to November 30.

According to him, the President has committed P69 million for the metering in every household with existing lines provided they have applied for it.

They also plan to stabilize meter reading and bill system starting December to January next year and to finally normalize LASURECO by February 2015 through member-consumers’ election of board of directors who will elect among themselves the coop’s general manager.

Petilla however clarified that the move does not mean that the P8 billion debts of LASURECO will be wiped-out. (Johaniah N. Yusoph/APB/PIA-10)

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Muslim youth affirm support to Bangsamoro

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug 9 (PIA) --- A group of Muslim youth will spearhead on Monday, August 11, a post-Eid’l Fitr celebration as a platform to promote understanding on the Bangsamoro people’s culture and aspiration for peace.

“We at the Young Moro Professionals Network (YMPN) want to bolster support for the peace process on Bangsamoro to succeed, even in creative ways to help raise public understanding,” YMPN Chair Bai Rohaniza Sumndad Usman said.

YMPN is a civil society organization of Muslim yuppies in the country that conducts annual Eid’l Fitr celebration in malls in Manila dubbed “Moro Youth (MY) Hariraya.” 

MY Hariraya is scheduled on August 11 and 12 in Trinoma Mall in Quezon City. With a theme “Makisaya: Kilalanin ang Ummah, Kilalanin ang Bangsamoro”, this year’s fair aims to bring understanding on the religion of Islam and Moro cultural heritage.

“As Muslims, we at YMPN work together voluntarily to celebrate this important annual event of believers of Islam. But with MY Hariraya, we want to be able to share this celebration to all Filipinos and be an avenue for peace-building efforts for Bangsamoro,” Sumndad-Usman further said.

According to her, the activities for MY Hariraya is centered on teaching of Islamic faith (called Da’wah), showcase of Moro’s rich cultural heritage and talents, and calling for support for the successful implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

The Moro youth group is also staunch supporter for peace-building and it supports the peace agenda pushed by the Aquino administration to establish a Bangsamoro region that respects the rights of all peoples.

YMPN Secretary-General Alamira Alonto said MY Hariraya is a platform for Moro youth to promote understanding to the ongoing peace process for the creation of the Bangsamoro.

 “We at YMPN promote the value of unity, peace, and respect to and religious cultural diversity. Our efforts in MY Hariraya hopefully will help in upholding these values and understanding to the importance of the peace process,” said Alonto.

Thus, photo exhibits on the history and culture of the Bangsamoro socio-political identity will also be displayed at Trinoma Mall during the event.

Other activities lined up include fashion show, singing of nasheeds which are songs that convey Islam values, food exhibits, and photo booth where people can try out portraying to be a sultan and queen.

Everyone is invited to come and visit MY Hariraya on August 11 and 12. It is not only for Muslims, but everyone who are interested and curious to know and see what Eid’l Fitr and Bangsamoro means,” Alonto added.

Meanwhile, YMPN will also launch a project called “Moro Youth (MY) Zakat.” The latter is anArabic term which means charity.  Proceeds will be for the benefit of the children of Gaza and for jumpstarting “Moro Youth (MY) Salam Community” which is about developing Muslim community's madrasah institutions, mosques, and Islamic values formation for Muslim children. (YMPN/PIA-10)

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ARMM’s first semester port revenue collections reach P4.9M

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug. 7 (PIA) -- Total collections of the Regional Ports and Management Authority in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has reached a record-high of P4.9 million for the first semester of this year, its highest revenue ever for the same period and more than double of last year’s P2.4 million.

Hanie Bud, RPMA general manager, said the increase can be attributed to improved implementation of port dues and the cooperation of port users and other clientele, and reflects their overall management. 

“We will likely exceed our target collection for this year by as much as 100 percent based on the present trend,” he said.

RPMA had earlier projected a total collection of P6 million for this year. In 2013, the agency generated a P5.4 million-collection from the three base ports and five sub-ports it oversees. Established in 2002, RPMA is the sole Government Owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC) in the ARMM and contributes largely to the region’s coffers. 

“We are mandated to effect reforms so in two years’ time, we generated a P10M trust fund apart from our regular remittance to the Office of the Regional Treasury,” said Bud.

Bud said aside from increased revenue generation, they have enhanced port facilities and passenger terminals in the region that included the installation of improved security and data information system management.

   

“Major base ports and sub-ports were provided with computers for technical enhancement,” he added.

  

RPMA operates the base ports in Jolo, Sulu, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi and Lamitan city, Basilan, and sub-ports in Siasi in Sulu, Maluso in Basilan,and Mapun, Sitangkai and Sibutu in Tawi-Tawi. It also exercises regulatory powers in six private ports/wharves in the region. (Bureau of Public Information/PIA-10)

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Hataman advances evidence-based policy formulation in ARMM

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug 7 (PIA) --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is working to establish evidence-based policy formulation in the region with the help of technologies like database management systems and geotagging.

ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said getting clear information on areas like education, health and agriculture in the region has remained a challenge throughout ARMM’s almost 25-year existence.

He said there are not enough baseline data to fully measure the present socio-economic condition in the region and evaluate the progress that are being made through the interventions of the regional government. 

Hataman and members of his Cabinet held a three-day mid-year meeting, which wrapped up Wednesday, to assess the present administration’s performance for the first six months of the year. Regional cabinet secretaries and heads of other offices also reported on their agency’s compliance to good governance conditions and on the establishment of reliable database.

Some civil society groups from different parts of the region were present to comment on the agencies’ reports and raise concerns directly to regional officials including the ARMM governor himself.

ARMM agencies have earlier been required to put up database management systems that will primarily contain reliable baseline data on the ARMM, which is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Lamitan and Marawi.

Hataman said the region will collaborate with the World Bank to improve the database for ARMM that harnesses geotagging technology.

“For the past years, ARMM has been presenting reports that almost no one believes due to the lack of credible data. It was among the concerns we have to deal with when we assumed office – the lack of baseline data,” he said.   

Hataman said they’re almost halfway with the database. “We target to complete it by end of the year and include it among the things we will turn over to the new autonomous political entity as part of our commitment to provide a smooth transition.”     

The present ARMM administration also enforced good governance policy as part of its bureaucratic reforms. In keeping with Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, all agencies and offices that provide frontline service have been required to make a citizen’s charter, which outlines the flow and intervals of frontline services.

Laisa Masuhud Alamia, ARMM executive secretary, said the citizen’s charter, will not only help curb graft and corruption but also increase the efficiency of regional agencies.    

She said ARMM also complies with the transparency seal, a national provision requiring government entities to publish relevant information on their website for public scrutiny. (Bureau of Public Information/PIA-10)

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Marawi City Health Office urges moms to breastfeed babies

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, August 4 (PIA) --- The City Health Office (CHO) is encouraging all mothers to breastfeed their babies from birth up to two years citing the numerous benefits that can be derived from breastfeeding.

The mother’s milk is rich in Vitamin A and antibodies that help protect babies against allergies and illnesses, said Fatima Macapodi, nutrition coordinator of Marawi CHO, in today’s airing of Ozor ka, Ranao! radio program.

Macapodi said breastmilk is always safe and nutritionally superior to other alternatives as it provides the baby protection against infections.

She said it also has growth factor that enhances baby’s cognitive and mental development.

Macapodi stressed that breastfeeding is also good for the mothers.

According to her, breastfeeding decreases the risk of postpartum hemorrhage, ovarian cancer and breast cancer among mothers.

She said it also delays ovulation, thus, mothers can also practice natural child spacing.

Above all, breastfeeding promotes attachment between the mother and the baby and helps them bond for life, added Macapodi.

Ozor ka, Ranao! is an hour radio program of Philippine Information Agency and Philippine Braodcasting Service that aims to provide information and updates on various efforts to bring development and prosperity in the province. It is being aired over DxSO Radyo ng Bayan Marawi from 8:a.m. to 9:00 a.m. every first and third Monday of the month. (APB/PIA-10)

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First time moms need not worry of low milk production

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, August 4 (PIA) --- Breastfeeding mothers, especially first time moms, shoud not worry if they produce less milk, according to the City Health Office.

In today’s airing of Ozor ka, Ranao! program of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), City Nutrition Coordinator Fatima Macapodi clarified that moms can still produce enough milk as long as they breastfeed their babies because frequent suckling of the baby stimulates the production of breastmilk.

To further stimulate milk production, she advised breastfeeding mothers to eat nutritious and balanced diet and make sure that the attachment or positioning of the baby during breastfeeding is proper.

Macapodi also explained that a mother can still breastfeed even if she is tired from work or even after doing household chores.

She said there is no truth in the belief that the baby will suckle the mother’s tiredness during breastfeeding.

She also said that mothers produce milk from their own body stores so even hungry mothers can breastfeed and make plenty of milk for their babies.

Ozor ka, Ranao! is an hour radio program conducted in partnership with Philippine Braodcasting Service to provide information and updates on various efforts to bring development and prosperity in the province. It is being aired over DxSO Radyo ng Bayan Marawi from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. every first and third Monday of the month. (APB/PIA-10)

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Young Muslim professionals join calls for peace in Gaza

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Aug 4 (PIA) -- The Young Moro Professionals Network (YMPN) has joined the calls for a peaceful resolution of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

In a statement emailed to the Philippine Information Agency, the YMPN urged both Israelis and Paletinians to resume peace talks on an acceptable, fair and democratic resolution creating a genuine and far-reaching solution towards an end to the sectarian violence and sporadic armed confrontation.

It said that the recognition of the Palestinians’ quest for the right of self-determination leading to a “two-states” resolution or a Federal system is seen as a viable resolve.

“We support them as we the Bangsamoro people in southern Philippines share the same aspiration for right to self-governance, justice, and peace through a genuine autonomous government,” the YMPN said.

The group also commended the efforts of various organizations, government institutions and individuals who have given humanitarian aid and have called for a peaceful resolution in Gaza.

YMPN also called on fellow youth, civil-society and faith-based organizations to engage in dialogue and to lobby the international community to take serious and bold steps to resolve the centuries-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"It is a blunder to world peace if other nations play blind and deaf on the sufferings and anguish for peace and justice in Israel-Gaza conflict," the group further said. (APB/PIA-10)

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