Completion of Dream Road 2 in Lanao del Sur pushed

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, May 29 (PIA) --- The completion of the Dream Road 2 which aims to connect Marawi City and the municipalities of Kapai and Tagoloan, Lanao del Sur to Talakag, Bukidnon is continuously being pushed by the provincial government.

Incumbent Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal "Bombit" Alonto Adiong, Jr. visited on May 27, the upper area Tagoloan, to check the site where the 32-kilometre Upper Tagoloan section of the 65-kilometre Marawi-Kapai-Tagoloan-Talakag, Bukidnon Road shall be constructed.

Adiong said the Department of Public Works and Highways in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DPWH ARMM) has already allotted P250 million for the construction of the Upper Tagoloan section which shall begin next month.

Adiong said the road, dubbed Dream Road 2 is an alternate route to Cagayan de Oro City. When fully paved, travel time from Marawi  to Cagayan de Oro will only be an hour and a half. Currently, the route taken by Marawi residents in going to Cagayan de Oro is the 3-hour Marawi-Iligan-CDO national road.

Adiong also said that investors, farmers and businessmen from Region 10 can easily transport their goods and products to the province and vice versa given the shorter travel time and lesser traffic.

A total of P111 million from the DPWH ARMM was already spent on the road rehabilitation and construction of the Kapai section. Another P75 million from the 2016 budget of DPWH Region 10 has been allotted for the ongoing construction of the Lower Tagoloan section.

The office of ARMM Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the provincial government of Lanao del Sur wherein additional funds of P230 million is allotted for the ongoing construction of the Dream Road 2.

According to Engr. Mickey Macabantog of DPWH Region 10, they have also requested an additional P250 million  from the 2017 national budget for the full completion of the road.

Mayor Misangcad Capal of Tagoloan said he looks forward to the full completion of the Dream Road 2 as this shall benefit his constituents.

Association of Baranggay Chairpersons (ABC) President of Tagoloan town and vocal youth leader Dulce Capal said the road shall make it easier for the children of Upper Tagoloan to go to school in Lower Tagoloan and Kapai. As of the present, they have to climb steep mountains by foot just to go to school. (APB/PIO-Lanao del Sur/PIA-10)

0

ARMM pushes for sustainable agribusiness devt approach

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, May 28 (PIA) --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is pushing for sustainable agribusiness development through an environment-friendly land use planning approach.

The ARMM, together with the International Finance Corp. of the World Bank and the Hineleban Foundation, launched the High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA) for the region’s major agribusiness projects on May 25, 2016.

Lawyer Ishak Mastura, chairman of the ARMM's Regional Board of Investment (RBOI) and head of the Regional Cabinet Cluster on Economic Growth, said the HCSA is an approach that would “protect the environment” in large-scale agricultural investments that use vast agricultural lands.

“The High Carbon Stock Approach is about protecting the environment when you invest. You see to it that the environment is not destroyed when you put in big investments like banana plantation, palm oil, cacao plantation, all kinds of agricultural investments,” Mastura said.

The HCSA is part of the Bangsamoro Sustainable Framework that aims at promoting sustainable agricultural investments in ARMM.

In the first quarter of 2016, RBOI-ARMM registered a P1.3-billion project of Gintong Agri Corp., a company engaged in oil palm plantation development. The region already exceeded its target of P900-million worth of investments for that period. In 2015, the agency registered a total of P6.5 billion, the biggest in the history of the ARMM.

The RBOI-ARMM approved eight major investment projects in 2015 led by Al-Sahar Agri Ventures Inc., a Cavendish banana plantation in Maguindanao with a P3.7 billion project. It was the largest single investment in the history of the ARMM.

Investors, Mastura said, continue to put money in the region because of their trust in the good governance initiatives of the present ARMM administration.

Dr. Urooj Malik, Hineleban Foundation chair, said his group is keen in partnering with ARMM’s agencies, the Philippine Business for Social Progress, and other local and international nongovernmental organizations, among others, in the implementation of the HCSA at ‘landscape scale’ for the Bangsamoro region.

“This landscape level strategy will be implemented via use of the HCSA, a methodology that distinguishes forest areas for protection from degraded lands with low carbon and biodiversity values that may be developed,” Malik said.

“The methodology aims at ensuring a practical, transparent, robust, and scientifically credible approach that is widely accepted to implement commitments to halt deforestation while securing the rights and livelihood of the Bangsamoro people,” Malik added.

Mastura said investors will have clearly defined guidelines for sustainable and responsible agribusiness investment.

Re-elected ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman is supportive of the project noting it is a welcome development making sure that agribusiness investments in the region will help propel economic growth as well as ensure that there will be enough resources and opportunities for the Bangsamoro people now and in the future. (BPI/PIA-10)

0

ARMM celebrates Farmers and Fisherfolks’ Month

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, May 23 (PIA) --- Recognition of events across the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) highlighted this year’s celebration of Farmers and Fisherfolks’ Month as well as the 25th Devolution Anniversary of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF-ARMM).

Alexander Alonto, DAF-ARMM secretary, said the celebration was aimed at recognizing and honoring farmers and fisherfolks for their valuable contribution to the economy.

ARMM’s economic output is anchored on resource-based activities such as agriculture, aquaculture, fishery and forestry. These comprise roughly two-thirds of the region’s gross regional domestic product.

Eighteen rice producers in ARMM were recognized as Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers for 2015. The award is given to farmers with the highest rice production during the year and is largely based on a selection process conducted by the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council.

Among the achievers was Rahib Mamaluba, 36, a farming technician in Mamasapano, Maguindanao who helps farmers improve rice production by giving them training on land preparation and planting techniques, among others. 
 

Mamaluba received a unit of rice transplanter that makes crop planting easier. For example, two hectares of farm could be planted in one day with help from two farmers. In traditional planting, 20 farmers are needed to cover a two-hectare land.

“Masela ged e pakadtabang na niyaba ka malemu endu malangkas e kapegkumpay nami (This helps a lot because it makes planting easier and faster),” Mamaluba said.

Distribution of farming inputs, machineries and fishing paraphernalia worth P14.05 million to pre-identified farmers and fisherfolks was also part of this year’s celebration, Sec. Alonto added.

The items distributed were 400 bags of certified palay seeds; 1,500 bags of open-pollinated corn seeds; 5,000 sachets of rodenticides; 11,200 liters of fungicides; 12,096 liters of bactericides; 8,720 liters of pesticide; 680 gallons of foliar spray; and 30 boxes of foliar fertilizer.

Farm machineries were also distributed, which include nine units of rice transplanter, eight units of hand tractor, and two units of floating tiller. These were all funded by the Agri-Pinoy rice and corn programs.

During this year’s celebration, 15 fisherfolks from Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao were also given non-motorized banca and gillnet.

More than 200 farmers from Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, meanwhile, graduated from the School-On-the-Air (SOA) course on Rice Pests and Diseases on Thursday, May 19, in Cotabato City.

The SOA is a radio program of DAF-ARMM aimed at educating farmers in the region through lectures and courses such as Palay Check System, Organic Vegetable Production, and High-Value Crops Development. More than 40 SOA programs had been conducted since 1975.

The month of May was declared Farmers and Fisherfolks’ Month by the late President Corazon Aquino in 1989 by virtue of Proclamation No. 33. The DAF was devolved to the ARMM regional government in 1991 through Executive Order 460.(BPI/PIA-10)

0

PNP investigates five election-related violent incidents in Lanao del Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, May 9 (PIA) – The conduct of elections in the province was generally peaceful and orderly except for some cases of isolated untoward incidents.

PSupt Ghazzali Mamacotao, coordinator of the Provincial Election Monitoring Action Center (PEMAC), the Philippine National Police (PNP) is currently investigating the five untoward incidents in various parts of the province today.

One of these was the shooting incident that transpired around 3:00 a.m. in Barangay Cabingan in Mindanao State University Main Campus in Marawi City that resulted to the death of poll watchers Al Hafiz Usman and Jallaloden Usman.

Two were also reported dead in a shooting incident in Barangay Poblacion, Mantapoli in Marantao town namely Saidamen Ampay and Malik Ampay.

In the town of Poona Bayabao, three school building of Ragayan Elementary School that will be used as voting center for seven barangays was razed down. But voting pushed through when the polling center was transferred to the Municipal Hall.

In Barangay Tubaran Proper in Tubaran town, the roads were blocked to delay the distribution of vote counting machines (VCMs) and election paraphernalia to the respective polling centers. However, the convoy bringing the VCMs was able to pass through and voting began at around twelve noon.

There were also reports on fist fighting incidents in various precincts as well as gun firing to create fear among the voting public but the PNP is still gathering official details about these incidents.

Mamacotao said everything is still under control and manageable by the PNP until as of this time. (APB/PIA-10

0

200 policemen deployed as special BEIs in Lanao del Sur

MARAWI, Lanao del Sur , May 9 (PIA) -- About 200 police personnel were deployed as Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEIs) in five towns in Lanao del Sur.

According to Senior Inspector Barlowe Espiga of Philippine National Police (PNP) Lanao del Sur Provincial Office, who spearheaded the deployment, the 200 SBEIs came from the PNP Police Regional Office-Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (PRO-ARMM).

He added that the SBEIs were deployed in Butig, Maguing, Lumbaca Unayan, Sultan Dumalondong and Bacolod Kalawi which are known as hotspots in the area.

Meanwhile, the Election Officer of Tugaya also requested for SBEIs who will replace the teachers who are still not visible in the area due to political tension.

EO Subair Randang said that 50 out of 75 BEIs in Tugaya have filed inhibitions because of conflict of interest and fear.(APB/PIA10)

0

ARMM kicks off 2016 Lanao del Sur cooperatives summit

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, May 6 (PIA) --- The Cooperative Development Authority of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (CDA-ARMM) hosted the 2016 provincial cooperatives summit in Lanao del Sur held in Marawi city, May 3, as part of the regional agency’s comprehensive plans and programs.
 

With the theme: “Economic Sustainability and Good Governance Through Cooperativism,” the event was attended by over a thousand leaders of cooperatives in the province. The summit was hosted by CDA-ARMM headed by regional administrator Dimnatang M. Radia.
 

ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman who spoke before the summit’s participants said cooperativism is a priority initiative under the regional government’s poverty alleviation agenda.
 

Aside from Gov. Hataman, other officials who graced the event include: Orlando Ravanera, CDA chairman; Amenodin Elias, Central Mindanao CDA director; Pama Dimapanat, ARMM secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications; Jehanne Mutin, chairperson of the Regional Commission of Bangsamoro Women (RCBW); and Mocammad Rakiin, Lanao del Sur provincial administrator who represented provincial Governor Mamintal Adiong, Jr.
 

Rakiin said cooperativism is a program fully supported by Gov. Adiong. For his part, CDA chairman Ravanera said people can be empowered to craft their own destiny as they come together through the cooperative.
 

“Cooperativism is about empowering the poor and invulnerable especially in taking full control of available resources of Mindanao,” Ravanera said. “We believe cooperativism is the only effective approach in achieving true peace in the region,” he said.
 

RCBW chairperson Mutin, meanwhile, said the women’s sector understands the concept of the cooperative, specifically the collaborative efforts of its members.

The summit, said CDA-ARMM administrator Radia, is one of the initiatives of CDA-ARMM in accordance with its mandate to promote the viability, growth and sustainability of cooperatives as instruments for equity, economic development and social justice.
 

Among CDA-ARMM’s accomplishments are the Computerized Registration System and Kapit-Bisig Program as a one-stop shop converging three major programs of CDA-ARMM, namely registration, regulation and development of cooperatives.

Such convergence is aimed at convening cooperatives in every municipality as well as in harmonizing programs and projects supporting cooperatives in various national line agencies. (BPI/APB/PIA-10)

0

PNP, AFP ready for May 9 election in Lanao del Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, May 5 (PIA) --- The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) here are now ready in carrying-out security measures this coming May 9, 2016 election.

Police Senior Superintendent, Rustom C Duran, PNP provincial director, gave the assurance during the Provincial Coordinating Conference of the PNP, AFP, Department of Education, and Commission on Elections recently.

PSSupt Duran said they will deploy more than 1,100 PNP personnel in the all voting centers in the province during elections.

He said PNP has also created 14 quick reaction forces (QRF) to respond quickly to security problems and augment the security forces in identified areas of concerns.

Director Duran also said that they have standby personnel, who can act as Special Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs), in case the assigned BEIs will not report to duty.

Meanwhile, three battalion of military personnel will also be deployed in the entire province.

Col Roseller Murillo, commanding officer of the 103rd Infantry Brigade, for his part, said the deployment is part of the security plan that will implemented in the province to prevent election-related violent incidents and ensure that there will be no failure of elections in the province this 2016. (APB/PIA-10)

0

ARMM tops 2nd round of national de-worming campaign

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, May 5 (PIA) --- The Department of Health’s (DOH) central office awarded the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as the most improved region in terms of coverage of the national de-worming campaign’s second round held in January this year.

The ARMM de-wormed 98% of its target, or over one million school and community-based children, elevating the region on top of the government’s drive that focuses on children’s health. De-worming is done twice a year, the first round in July of every year.

Soraida Amilil, regional program coordinator and deputy infectious disease cluster head, said “this is the first time that the DOH central office recognized the region in a de-worming period, and it is because of the continuous effort of the DOH-ARMM.”

Amilil underscored the importance of the drive, which is aimed at combating the nutritional impact of soil-transmitted helminthiasis, a type of helminth infection caused by roundworms, whipworms, and hookworms.

During the de-worming drive, children aged one to four and five to 12 are given a single dose of chewable 400-milligram albendazole anti-worm tablets by school nurses and community health workers.

DOH-ARMM’s report showed a total of 343,885 children aged one to four and 135,716 aged five to 12 in communities received de-worming tablets. It further noted 568,076 children enrolled in public elementary schools were also served during the campaign period.

The DOH assured that, just like other medication, de-worming drugs may lead to nominal side effects such as dizziness, nausea, headache and vomiting. These effects are transient, minor, self-limiting and would disappear after some time and can easily be managed with remedies like resting for a few hours and drinking water mixed with sugar.

Seeking to bring down the prevalence rate of worm infestation among children to less than 20% in 2014, the region’s Health department conducted parasite prevalence survey in the provinces of Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Lanao del Sur.

The result of the survey showed 36.7% of school children aged six to12 in the region are suffering from this problem. “Hopefully, with the efforts of our department (DOH-ARMM), we can lower the number of children suffering from worm infestation,” she said.

She further said that de-worming can substantially improve the health and school participation of children and can reduce absenteeism. The campaign will also help address other health problems among children such as anaemia, malnutrition and impaired mental and physical development.

Prior to giving the prescribed dosage, school nurses and health workers informed the parents on the importance of the campaign specifically in improving the general health of the children. (BPI/APB/PIA-10)

0

Malaria cases in ARMM down in 1st quarter of 2016

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, May 4 (PIA) --- Malaria cases in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) went down significantly in the first quarter of 2016, according to the region’s health department.

Only 33 malaria cases were reported region-wide in the first quarter compared with a quarterly average of roughly 68 cases last year. Twenty-one of the reported cases monitored from January to March this year are from Sulu province while Tawi-Tawi and Maguindanao have nine and three cases, respectively.

Earlier, officials from the regional Department of Health (DOH-ARMM) said the number of malaria cases in the region went down to 274 cases last year from 3,539, or a quarterly average of close to 900 cases, in 2012.

Dr. Kadil Sinolinding, regional health secretary, described the consistent decline in malaria cases in ARMM as a major accomplishment for the agency and the regional government. He noted that “malaria is a disease that has a big chance of eradication with the help of various stakeholders.”

DOH-ARMM conducted on May 2, a forum aimed at strengthening its partnership with various stakeholders including regional line agencies and DOH-ARMM employees. It also sought the renewal of commitments in totally eliminating malaria in the region.

The regional health department said no death from the disease was recorded in ARMM in the first quarter of 2016. Malaria mortality rate in the region decreased to four deaths in 2015 from six deaths in 2010.

The region was earlier allotted P8 million for its malaria control efforts. The amount was distributed to the region’s different provinces with priority to areas that suffered most from malaria in the past.

The malaria control budget was downloaded to the region from the regular funds of the National Government and from other funding institutions such as Global Fund, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., Movement Against Malaria, and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Dr. Sinolinding said that the “best weapon in combating malaria is right knowledge and right attitude.” He advised residents to observe preventive measures such as wearing pyjamas and long-sleeve shirts and using mosquito nets when sleeping.

He also said that DOH-ARMM conducts on-site diagnostic tests and provides free treatment for malaria patients, which extends from three days to a month depending on the severity of the case. The department also distributes chemically treated mosquito nets to endemic areas in the region.

Malaria is a disease of the blood caused by the Plasmodium parasite. It is transmitted from person to person by the female Anopheles mosquito. This type of mosquito primarily bites between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. The disease can also be transmitted through blood transfusion and needle sharing.

Malaria symptoms include fever, headache and vomiting. It begins 10 days to four weeks after infection, although a person infected may feel ill as early as seven days after the mosquito bite.

Malaria infection can develop into anemia, hypoglycaemia, or cerebral malaria in which capillaries carrying blood to the brain are blocked. Cerebral malaria can cause coma, life-long learning disabilities, and even death. (BPI/APB/PIA-10)

0