Local government officials in the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) vowed full commitment to the
region’s development programs.
Comprising of 116 municipal mayors, two
city mayors, planning officers, five provincial governors and members of
the ARMM legislative assembly, the region’s officials were at the SM Lanang
Premier's SMX Convention Center in Davao City for a two-day Local
Government Unit (LGU) Summit.
Carrying the theme “Pagkamulat, Pagbabago
at Pag-unlad,” the event is aimed at up scaling local government
performance and determining the state of the region’s local development and
governance.
Davao City councilor Halila
Sudagar, representing city mayor Sarah Duterte-Carpio, encouraged the
participants to create a positive change in the development of communities in
the region.
ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman opened the
summit by speaking of the changes in the region during the past four
years. Gov. Hataman reiterated that ARMM, for more than two decades, has
been left behind by progress.
“Binago
natin sa loob ng apat na taon ang negatibong imahe ng ARMM,” Gov.
Hataman said.
This year alone, there are already six
Seal of Good Local Governance awardees in the region.
“Patunayan
natin na ang ARMM sa nakaraang dalawang dekada ay iba na ngayon,”
the governor said as he challenged the local government units to also pass the
Seal of Good Housekeeping.
Over 50 percent of the towns in the
region have earned the Seal of Good Housekeeping.
During his speech, Secretary Ismael Sueno
of the Department of the Interior Local Government described the summit as a
gathering of ARMM LGU heads to discuss solutions to challenges facing the
region. “Let us all erase those negative perceptions in the region, ipakita natin na kaya din mamuno ng ARMM,”
Sec. Sueno said.
President Rodrigo Duterte, when he
visited the ARMM’s seat recently, said he will personally attend to the needs
of the region and that he will improve the Moro land.
“Matindi
ang passion ni President Duterte sa ARMM,” Secretary Sueno said.
Meanwhile, Atty. Laisa Alamia, ARMM
executive secretary, discussed the region’s development framework. She also
told the participants that the programs should go down to the grassroots level.
“Before 2012, the ARMM faced many
difficulties. The region was tagged as the election cheating capital of the
country, no monitoring of projects, no program funds, and palakasan system in the
hiring of employees,” Atty. Alamia said.
The participants held a dialogue with
national government agencies. “I hope this summit will be a successful one
and after we fully implement the projects and programs for the people in the
region, ARMM will (no longer be) the poorest region,” Secretary Sueno said.
(BPI/PIA-10)
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