DA opens more sites for Marawi IDPs veggie production project

The Department of Agriculture in Lanao del Sur  has opened four more vegetable production project sites for internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Marawi City.

The project is part of the early recovery interventions of the Department to ease the lives of displaced Marawi residents by giving them opportunities to generate income and address their need for nutritious foods.

It is being implemented in coordination with Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the municipal government of Saguiaran.

The additional sites are located in Barangay Sunggod (1.5 ha.), Barangay Bubong Punud (2.0 ha.), Barangay Panggao (1.0 ha.), and Barangay Bubong (.75 ha.), all in Saguiaran town.

Assorted lowland vegetable and Mungbean seeds were also distributed during the site inspection and briefing on nursery managament.

DA has earlier opened vegetable production sites in Brgy. Bito Buadi Itowa and Barangay Pantaon/Pantao Raya with 126 enlisted cooperators working over a communal 1.8 ha. area. (DA Lanao del Sur / PIA-10)

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Lanao del Sur remains bird-flu free

The Department of Agriculture (DA) here has assured that Lanao del Sur remains free of Avian Influenza virus.

DA Lanao del Sur said quarantine stations in both the entry and exit points of the province – particularly Misamis Oriental and Maguindanao province, are instituting strict measures to restrict movements of infected birds and fowls. 

Apart from this, DA has instructed all Municipal Agricultural Officers (MAOs) to monitor their respective areas for early signs of the disease. 

The Livestock Extension force of the agency is also undertaking massive campaign on its prevention through farm sanitation and health management practices. (DA Lanao del Sur / PIA-10)

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Clearing operations vs Maute to continue, says Task Force Marawi spox

Fighting has remained intense here yesterday, Aug. 14, as the government troops are still clearing a remaining square-kilometer area in the main business district here according to Capt. Joan Petinglay, spokesperson of Task Force Marawi.

In a press briefing, Petinglay said, “our soldiers are doing their best to neutralize every member of the ISIS-inspired Maute terror group, and to rescue as many hostages as they can.”

Petinglay also reported that 562 terrorists were killed and 619 firearms were recovered since the clashes between the Maute group and the government soldiers erupted last May 23.

The terrorists have killed 45 civilians and 128 soldiers and policemen.

In the same press briefing, Assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) also revealed that the local chief executives of Lanao del Sur had met in Iligan City to discuss and find ways to counter extremism in the area.

The local government officials and security officials have forged to work for long-term solutions to the security threats in Lanao del Sur.

Presently, a total of 104,832 families with 467, 377 individuals got displaced by the Marawi crisis.

Government agencies have continued to provide the affected families with relief goods while the Department of Health (DOH) continues to extend free health care services for the evacuees.

Transitional shelters will also be built to relocate the evacuees from cramped evacuation centers. (FPGumapon/PIA-10)

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25 LGUs in ARMM to undergo validation for 2017 SGLG award

A total of 25 local government units (LGUs) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) passed the region-wide assessment for the 2017 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG).

Secretary Noor Hafizullah Abdullah of the ARMM's Interior and Local Government said that the 25 LGUs are potential passers for this year’s SGLG award.

“The 25 LGUs will still undergo a more strict assessment and national validation next week before the final list of passers (will be released),” Sec. Abdullah said. “It’s (a confirmation) that the LGUs in ARMM are really providing better services to their constituents,” he added.

The SGLG is among the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s flagship programs as it symbolizes integrity and good performance of LGUs through continuing governance reform and sustained local development.

SGLG is guided by the provisions of Republic Act 716 or the Local Government Code of 1991, the General Appropriations Act of 201 and Administrative Order No. 267 of 1992.

It is a progressive assessment system adopted by the department to give recognition and distinction to remarkable local government performance across several areas.

For SGLG 2017, a ‘4+1’ assessment criteria were applied. LGUs must pass four core areas namely Financial Administration, Disaster Preparedness, Social Protection, and the new additional area Peace and Order.

They must also pass at least one essential area, either, Business Friendliness and Competitiveness; Tourism, Culture and the Arts; or Environmental Protection.

In 2016, six LGUs in the region were awarded with the Seal of Good Local Governance. ARMM was a zero passer in the previous year. The 2016 awardees were the province of Maguindanao, the city of Lamitan in Basilan, and the towns of North Upi and Parang in Maguindanao, Wao in Lanao del Sur, and Jolo in Sulu.

The national government has cited the ARMM as the most improved region in terms of peace and order as well as financial administration during that year.

ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said good governance practices should be emulated by all LGUs in the region. All qualified LGUs will be conferred with a 2017 SGLG marker, a national recognition, and a cash incentive through the Performance Challenge Fund to finance their local development projects.

A special distinction will be given to LGUs, which have consistently passed all the assessment areas since 2015. Conferment of the Seal will be held in October. (Bureau of Public Information/PIA-10)

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ARMM surveys lands in Marawi

As part of Task Force Bangon Marawi’s (TFBM) recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation program, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, through its Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-ARMM), will survey the lands in Marawi City in line with the establishment of additional temporary and permanent shelters.

During TFBM’s meeting with regional, provincial and national government officials in Marawi on August 2, ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman  committed to help the task force in conducting a comprehensive survey of lands in Marawi City to determine the political boundaries of local government units and the properties of private owners.

“We assure help in the land surveys in Marawi for the fast set up of the shelters,” Gov. Hataman said. “This is also the ARMM’s counterpart for the rehabilitation program in the sub-cluster on housing,” he added.

Following the creation of Task Force Bangon Marawi by President Rodrigo Duterte, Governor Hataman established an internal task force to ensure proper coordination and implementation of programs and projects in Marawi City when the current crisis is over. Official data from the DENR-ARMM showed Marawi has a total land area of 8,407 hectares.

TFBM executive director and concurrent National Defense undersecretary Cesar Yano said the local government of Marawi City must submit immediately the list of families who want to stay in permanent homes and those who prefer to stay in temporary shelters while the recovery and rehabilitation of the city are ongoing.

“As soon as possible, we need to have a location for temporary and permanent shelters for displaced residents in Marawi City,” USec. Yano added.

Chairperson Eduardo del Rosario of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council said the government will provide shelter units that are culturally and socially acceptable.

“Para po sa temporary at permanent shelters, uunahin po natin yung mga residenteng walang bahay, walang lupa, yung wala talagang mauuwian,” Chairman del Rosario said. “We will develop a township with social services, schools, health centers, and mosques,” he added.

After the TFBM meeting, the national, regional and local officials visited the 11-hectare temporary transitional shelters in Barangay Sagonsongan that will serve as a temporary resettlement for displaced residents of Marawi. The shelter units, to be completed within a month, would accommodate at least 1,200 families.

“The main purpose of building transition shelters is to decongest evacuation centers and to provide them with more conducive areas,” Gov. Hataman said.

The township will have a madrasah, kitchen area and wash room in houses, market, mosque, water supply, and a multi-purpose hall.

The construction of the temporary shelters is part of the task force’s recovery, reconstruction, and rehabilitation program for the city. (Bureau of Public Information/PIA-10)

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ARMM tops fisheries production in 2016

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is the top fish-producing region in the country in 2016, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

Based on the 2016 Fisheries Situationer released by the PSA, the region produced 824,314.52 metric tons of fisheries products in 2016. The region’s production accounts for 18.93% of the country’s total production at 4,354,472.61 metric tons in 2016. Zamboanga Peninsula followed with 554,769.71 metric tons, and MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Tomblon and Palawan) with 482,790.71 metric tons.

The situationer report presents the data on volume and value of production of fisheries during the period. It contains information on the current situation by major species of the three fisheries subsector, namely: commercial fisheries, municipal fisheries, and aquaculture.

The region is the top producer of roundscad (galunggong) with 24,264.33 metric tons, frigate tuna (tulingan) with 24,815.91 metric tons, Indian mackerel with 10,737.33 metric tons, eastern little tuna (bonito) with 12,994.80 metric tons, and seaweeds with 613,174.28 metric tons.

Janice Desamito-Musali, director of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-ARMM, said the high fisheries production of the region could be attributed to different factors.

The region also produces the biggest seaweeds volume in the country. The ARMM’s seaweeds production accounts for 43.66% of the country's total with 1,404,519.23 metric tons. “The coastlines of the islands in the region have wider stretch, which is very suitable for seaweeds farming,” Dir Musali said.

“Good weather conditions, lesser occurrences of ‘ice-ice’ diseases, good quality planting materials and favorable water conditions enhance the growth of seaweeds in our region,” added Dir. Musali.

A total of 159,123 fishermen are operating in the 18,426,613 hectares of territorial water area under the region’s administrative jurisdiction. The fishing grounds in the region include Illana Bay, Moro Gulf, Basilan Strait, Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea.

In 2015 and 2016, the region was also the country’s highest producer of fishery products. The region produced 867,272 metric tons in 2015, and 856,957.27 metric tons in 2014 – a contribution equivalent to 18.65% and 18.27% of national production, respectively.

The region also posted the highest inland fisheries production with 243,134.78 metric tons, followed by Zamboanga Peninsula with 126,575.07 metric tons, and Central Luzon with 92,609.51 metric tons.

The Fisheries situationer serves as an output of the four fisheries surveys regularly conducted by the PSA. The surveys are Quarterly Commercial Fisheries Survey, Quarterly Municipal Fisheries Survey, Quarterly Inland Fisheries Survey and Quarterly Aquaculture Survey. (Bureau of Public Information/PIA-10)

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ARMM to participate in Budayaw fest of culture and the arts

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will participate in various activities in the upcoming international Budayaw Festival from September 20 to 24 in General Santos City.

Dubbed ‘Budayaw: 2017 Brunei Indonesia Malaysia Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Festival of Culture and the Arts’, the event will showcase the diversity of creative expressions of cultural masters and artists from the BIMP-EAGA.

Engr. Maritess Maguindra, director of the Bureau on Cultural Heritage-ARMM, said the region will take part in different activities that include a presentation on culture during the Colloquium, presentation of masterpieces of cultural artists, and an exhibit that will feature Muslim Filipino’s rich history and culture.

“Budayaw is a platform and mechanism to bring about cultural appreciation,” Engr. Maguindra said.

Budayaw came from two words 'Budaya,' a Malay term that means culture, and 'Dayaw,' a Filipino word that expresses bounty, beauty, and grace.

“Twenty years of economic cooperation in the BIMP-EAGA led to the realization that culture is an element in the sustainable development of the four countries,” Nestor Horfilla, head of the festival organizing committee, said.

The festival bears the theme ‘Taking Pride in the Creative Diversity of the BIMP-EAGA Region.’ The events in the festival include Photo Exhibit and Colloquium, Visual Arts Exhibit and Workshops, Choral Special Concerts, Country Performance Showcase, Ikat Pavilion and Traditional Virtuosos, BIMP EAGA Tourism Pavilion, Mindanao History and Culture, Community Outreach Showcase, and Special Events and Outdoors Concert.

Engr. Manguindra added that the festival is not only aimed at fostering strong partnership, but also integration among its member countries.

The activity also commemorates the 50th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. It will be attended by more than 300 contemporary artists and indigenous cultural masters in a celebration of 'harmony in diversity.' The creative works from the four countries will be showcased in different venues in General Santos City.

Other agency partners in the holding of the Budayaw Festival include the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Department of Tourism, Mindanao Development Authority, Mindanao State University-General Santos, City Government of General Santos, Provincial Government of Sarangani, and the Philippine Information Agency.

The Budayaw is conducted every two years, with hosting rotated among the member countries of the sub-regional grouping. The Budayaw is conducted under the Socio-Cultural and Education Pillar, the newest pillar of the BIMP-EAGA. (Bureau of Public Information/PIA-10)

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DepEd-ARMM continues to assist schools affected by Marawi crisis

The Department of Education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) continues to exert to ensure the welfare of the school children and teachers affected by the Marawi crisis.

Alfhadar Pajiji, DepEd-ARMM assistant secretary, said the department will be providing e-learning assistance, psychosocial first aid, and a feeding program for affected school children.

Based on initial damage assessment, schools with buildings partly or totally destroyed due to the armed conflict in Marawi  are Ibango Elementary School, Marawi Pilot Central School, Dangcal Elementary School, Lower Dansalan Elementary School, Dansalan National High School, Raya Madaya Elementary School, Disomangcop Elementary School, Marinaut Central Elementary School, Banggolo Central Elementary School, and Madaya Lilod Elementary School. Damages in these schools were initially estimated at P120 million.

Asec. Pajiji said DepEd-ARMM and the region’s Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-ARMM) signed a Memorandum of Agreement where the design and construction of school buildings was assigned to DPWH-ARMM.

As of July 27, DepEd-ARMM has been operating 11 Temporary Learning Spaces as alternative schools in six municipalities with 3,289 school children and 122 teachers. Around 132 schools with 22,714 students and 2,933 teachers are estimated to have been affected by the Marawi crisis.

The e-learning assistance is a regular project of DepEd-ARMM under its computerization program intended for Geographically Isolated and Disadvantage Areas (GIDA). Secondary schools under GIDA have also been included in the current response to the crisis.

Other assistance to affected schools also includes solar panels with batteries to store power, seven tablets, and a laptop, said Assistant Secretary Pajiji. Distribution of hygiene kits, relief goods, food items and medicine are also part of the initiative.

The department, in coordination with Gawad Kalinga, has also dispensed hot meals to 1,000 school children last July 5. As of the same day, 2,800 have benefited from the program.

Aside from students, 1,400 teachers are also being provided with psychosocial first aid.(Bureau of Public Information/PIA-10)

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Domestic industrial demand pushed cassava production in ARMM up

The Department of Agriculture and Food in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DAF-ARMM) said cassava production in the region continues to grow due to domestic industrial demand.

Dr. Albert Usman, DAFF-ARMM cassava coordinator, said the provinces of Lanao Del Sur and Maguindanao are the top cassava producers in the region.

Cassava harvested in the two provinces are  sold mainly for industrial consumption while production in Basilan and Tawi-Tawi are generally used for food.

Usman said cassava is considered a crop with high economic potential that can have a significant contribution to the region’s agricultural output.

Cassava is regarded as the third most important food crop in the tropics, after rice and corn. Valued by small-scale farmers for its tolerance to drought and infertile soil, the crop is essentially eco-efficient.

Usman also said that DAF-ARMM, through its Gender and Development (GAD) unit, has conducted a series of training sessions on cassava food processing in Talayan, Guindulungan and Sultan Mastura, towns in Maguindanao.

Such training could expand the livelihood opportunities for residents in rural communities and at the same time boost the production of the crop in the region. The training focused on improving the lives of less-favored sectors of the rural population by means of utilizing available farm crops, like cassava, which is abundant in the region’s agricultural areas.

Participants of the training were taught how to make cassava cake, cassava jelly, cassava puto taktak, and other cassava-based products and delicacies. The program also catered to the needs of the farmers such as giving machinery and cassava graters.

GAD focal person Ramla R. Macatabang said the training was also geared at empowering women and youth to gain basic skills in cassava food processing for entrepreneurial activities, increase their productivity, and to improve family income.

Based on DAF-ARMM data, the training program attracted 148 active participants in the towns of Talayan, Guindulungan, as well as in Sultan Mastura. The training program is currently implemented in the provinces of Maguindanao, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan. (Bureau of Public Information/PIA-10)

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