MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec.
19 (PIA) --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has passed the
Muslim Mindanao Autonomy (MMA) Act No. 325, or the Regional Public Works Act of
2016, on December 17.
ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman and
Datu Roonie Sinsuat, Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) speaker, signed the
law with regional legislators witnessing the event.
MMA Act No. 325 authorizes the
appropriation of a P10.1 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2016 for the region’s
Public Works and Highways Department (DPWH-ARMM).
It is stated in the Act that
consistent with the 2016 National Expenditure Program, the public works budget
shall be used in the construction, development, upgrading, and operation or
maintenance of roads, highways, bridges, water supplies, flood controls, ports,
airports and other infrastructure projects excluding buildings.
The appropriation will be
effective even beyond Fiscal Year 2016, or until fully released, obligated and
disbursed for the purpose.
Governor Hataman said the
DPWH-ARMM regional office will implement the projects, or these may be
decentralized to district engineering offices.
Status of project implementation,
based on the approved program of work, project specifications, and time frame
of completion will be validated by the Regional Project Monitoring Committee
that would include RLA members or representatives.
It also allows the release of
mobilization fund of at least 15% for a project implemented by contract, and
also with a memorandum of agreement, and 50% for a project implemented by
administration.
Engr. Don Mustapha Loong,
DPWH-ARMM Secretary, said the projects are designed for the region’s
constituents to improve their lives. “The DPWH-ARMM infrastructure fund for
next year is in support of peace and development of the Hataman
administration,” he added.
Sec. Loong said the bigger
budgetary allocation allows DPWH-ARMM to construct new roads and other
infrastructure facilities. He also said the massive infrastructure program for
the region is expected to generate a significant number of
jobs. (BPI/PIA-10)
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