ARMM 20th Foundation Anniversary

ARMM Executive Secretary Oscar Sampulna lead ARMM Officials (inset) in lighting the torch signaling the start of the 5-day celebration of the 20th Foundation Anniversary of ARMM which will culminate on NOvember 19, 2009. ARMM employees participate in the opening ceremony of the inter-agency sports festival as part of the anniversary celebration inside the ARMM Regional Complex, Cotabato City.

ARMM celebrates 20th anniversary

COTABATO CITY – The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) kicks off today the five-day celebration of its 20th founding anniversary spearheaded by the Office of the Regional Governor, Regional Sports Coordinating Office (RSCO-ARMM) and Bureau on Cultural Heritage (BCH-ARMM) held here.

ARMM was first created on August 1, 1989 through Republic Act No. 6734, also known as “Organic Act for the ARMM” in pursuance with a constitutional mandate to provide for an autonomous area in Muslim Mindanao. Of the areas where the plebiscites were held, only Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi voted favorably for inclusion in the new autonomous region. The region was officially inaugurated on November 6, 1990 here, which was designated as its provisional capital.

In 2001, a new law, Republic Act No. 9054, was passed for the expansion of the ARMM to include the areas which initially rejected inclusion and the provinces which were carved from them. Only Marawi City and Basilan with the exception of Isabela City opted to be integrated in the region.

Themed “Tulay ng Kapayapaan – Pagkakaisa at Kaunlaran Tungo sa Larangan ng Palakasan, Yamang Kultura ng ating Rehiyon, Pangalagaan, Linangin at Ipagmalaki,” various sports activities and cultural shows are lined up aimed to strengthen the mind and body skills beneficial for the effective public service of officials and employees of the ARMM. Sports activities include basketball, volleyball, table tennis, dart, bowling, lawn tennis, chess and scrabble.

RSCO officer-in-charge Ibrahim Biruar Jr. stressed, “Let us extend our heartfelt thanks to the unrelenting support of Regional Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan who calls for the celebration of ARMM and the entire Bangsamoro people.”

In his recent State of the Region Address (SORA), Governor Ampatuan is optimistic that the Autonomous Regional Government will continue to live up to the interest of the Bangsamoro people and will effort to cater the pressing needs of its people.
Highlight of the opening salvo are the performances of BCH-trained Angat-Kultura Class from Datu Piang, Maguindanao, Maguindanaon Band and Kalatong Musical Class which composed of Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs).

Moreover, BCH-ARMM Executive Director Bai Badria Kamaong-Andamen emphasized the vital role of culture in the development of ARMM.

“The unique culture as well as the exceptional tradition of the people in the region made ARMM unique in its own way. Nevertheless of diverse tribes of Moro and Lumad people, unity is evident. This event will further acquaint the people and will continue to strengthen camaraderie especially in the ranks of ARMM officials and employees,” Andamen said.

Governor Ampatuan, in his message read by Executive Secretary Oscar Sampulna, while commends the support and active participation of secretaries, heads of offices and employees, vows to reinforce programs and activities that would further brace the significance of culture and sports to man’s well-being.
ARMM is presently composed of five provinces and one city namely Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and Marawi City.

DSWD-ARMM and IPHO-Maguindanao

DSWD-ARMM and IPHO-Maguindanao team up to conduct a one-day outreach program to residents of Barangay DM Biruar in Bongo Island, Parang, Maguindanao last Nov. 14, 2009. (Clockwise) a. DSWD-ARMM Sec. Bai Soraida Biruar (fourth from R) assisted by Datu Ali Biruar (left) former DM Biruar Barangay Chairman, and other officials of DSWD and DOH-ARMM hands over a cash loan assistance worth P5,000 to one of the 25 beneficiaries of the Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K); b. Sec. Biruar(center) with Tagudtungan Barangay Chairman Adnan Biruar(right) and DSWD-ARMM Maguindanao provincial Officer Ms. Elsie Amil (left) distribute assorted relief goods; c. OPERATION TULI. Boys from the barangay get free circumcision courtesy of doctors from IPHO-Maguindanao and the AFP; d. LIBRENG CHECK UP. Residents get free medical check-up and consultation.

DSWD, DOH conduct outreach programs

16 November 2009

Bongo Island, Parang, Maguindanao – Various agencies of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development of the (DSWD-ARMM) and the Department of Health (DOH-ARMM) have been conducting series of outreach programs here for the underprivileged people in the far-flung villages of the province.
The outreach programs include medical mission like “operation tuli” or circumcision, free medical check-up and consultation and awarding of cash loan assistance of P5,000 each for the Self-Employment Assistance – Kaunlaran program or SEA-K to twenty-five (25)individuals from Barangay Tagudtungan in the island of Bongo on Saturday, November 14, 2009.
ARMM social welfare Secretary Bai Soraida Biruar said the SEA-K is a livelihood program of DSWD in a form of loan that intends to help provide financial assistance as capital seed fund to the marginalized communities in the entire region in order for them to start a business as source of their income.
The SEA-K is part of the Comprehensive Livelihood Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) of the national government to help mitigate hunger in the country, Biruar added.
Dra. Elizabeth Samama, the Provincial Health Officer (IPHO) of Maguindanao province who led the team of medical doctors and nurses, disclosed that about seven-hundred (700) individuals had been given medical attention and free medicines including operation tuli.
Samama said that aside from the Internally Displaced Persons in the different evacuations centers in the province, Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) Maguindanao has been engaging in various medical outreach programs to serve the poor and depressed communities especially in the remotest areas of the province.
ARMM Regional Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan stressed during his State of the Region Address (SORA) recently that basic social services such as Health, nutrition, education, infrastructure and other significant development projects are among the major program thrusts of his administration.

Matanog residents receive 4Ps conditional cash grant

13 November 2009

Matanaog, Maguindanao – The Autonomous Regional Government under the initiative of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-ARMM) has been continuously improving the interest and wellbeing of the marginalized and underprivileged constituents of the region through various economic and health programs, one of which is the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps

On Thursday, November 12, 2009, DSWD-ARMM spearheaded by its secretary Bai Soraida Biruar has distributed “Conditional Cash Grant” to identified beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program from the different barangays of Matanog town in the province of Maguindanao, along with Matanog Mayor Nasser Imam at the Matanog Municipal Gymnasium.

Sec. Biruar said that the program is a poverty reduction strategy that provides small grants to identified extremely poor families with the condition that the money will be spent for health and education of their children particularly from zero-fourteen (0-14) years of age.

Every household will receive monthly cash grants of P1,400 for five years for health services and education of maximum of three (3) children. Each child will have P300 intended for his/her education with the total amount of P900 for the 3 children while the P500 will be used for the family’s basic health service, stressed Biruar.

Mayor Imam was very grateful that Matanog has been included as one of the chosen towns in the region to benefit the 4Ps program.

“We are so thankful to the leadership of the Autonomous Regional Government under the administration of able Governor Datu Zaldy Ampatuan for the enduring support and assistance to our constituents here in Matanog”, added Imam.

He said that the whole town of Matanog has been extremely damaged and most affected during the 2000 all-out war between the government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) where thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) stayed in the evacuation centers for more than one year.

Matanog has Three Thousand Eight Hundred Sixty Nine (3,869) beneficiaries, the highest number of qualified beneficiaries among the ten (10) identified target municipalities in the province of Maguindanao.

ARMM Governor Datu Zaldy Ampatuan in his 5th State of the Region Address (SORA) recently emphasized that the regional government has concentrated the efforts to respond to major development challenges and issues confronting its people and their communities and pursued high impact socio-economic development programs.

The 4Ps is a five year program of the national government which was conceived and started in 2008 in response to the global economic meltdown.

It also intends to alleviate poverty incidence that provides cash grants to extremely poor families not only in the ARMM but also in the entire country.

The national government has identified ten (10) municipalities for the Maguindanao province as target beneficiaries of the 4Ps program, sixteen (16) for Lanao del Sur; seventeen (17) for Sulu; three (3) for Tawi-Tawi and three (3) for Basilan. (bpi-armm)

Ampatuan’s program of government earns him praise from known opposition figure

Cotabato City - Opposition senator and vice presidential hopeful Senator Loren Legarda lauded Monday the socio-economic programs and highlights of accomplishments presented by Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan in his 5th State of the Region Address (SORA).

Legarda, a staunch advocate of environment protection and climate change, said she was impressed by the ARMM chief’s focus on the environment, peace and order, health and education, including the settlement of the problem of teachers in the region with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

ARMM’s outstanding arrears of more than P1 billion with the GSIS about six years ago has been brought down to around P300 million as of lately through the interventions of Ampatuan and support of the Office of the President. Ampatuan said negotiations are currently ongoing to “finally write-off the remaining balance.”

“Hangang-hanga ako sa kanyang mga socio-economic programs (I’m really impressed with his [Ampatuan] socio-economic programs),“ Legarda told reporters during a press conference shortly after the SORA.

The lady-senator also approved of the efforts of the regional government to address climate change and protect the environment.

Ampatuan said the region will make sustainable management and protection of the environment among its top priorities in response to the challenge of climate change and other emerging environmental threats.

Although a known critic of the administration, Legarda assured that ARMM constituents can count on her as an ally in the Senate in the fight against poverty and hunger. She said she would help the region, in her current capacity as Senator and if she ever succeeds in getting elected to higher office, get sufficient fundings to support programs and projects on education and health and sanitation.
She also vowed to help advance the Mindanao River Basin Development Plan.

Legarda was chair of the senate sub-committee which heard and approved the ARMM’s 2010 proposed budget in September of this year.

While Ampatuan is a keen supporter of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Regional Chairman of the Lakas-KAMPI-CMD, his SORA drew personalities both from the administration and the opposition bloc.

Aside from Legarda, another prominent opposition figure, Akbayan Party List Representative Risa Honiveros, also graced the 5th SORA.

In an interview with a local radio station here right after the SORA, Hontiveros praised Ampatuan’s program of government and expressed approval of the ARMM Governor’s support to the cause of women.

Both Legarda and Hontiveros, who have been openly critisizing the administration on a number of issues, are believed to be building up their chances to get elected to higher positions come 2010.

Ampatuan, however, stressed that he remains loyal to the administration and to the Lakas-KAMPI-CMD coalition.

“I will adhere to the consensus of the party and will strongly support its candidates in the upcoming 2010 elections. But any candidate, regardless of political affiliations, is free to campaign in the ARMM,” Ampatuan stressed. (bpi-armm)

Ampatuan presents economic gains and ARMM’s future direction in his 5th SORA

Cotabato City - Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan vows to take ARMM to its full economic might and contribute to the country’s overall economic development in his 5th State of the Region Address (SORA) before the 6th Regional Assembly.

Ampatuan delivered his 5th SORA before the members of the Regional Assembly at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex inside the ARMM Regional Government Center here on November 9, 2009.

According to Ampatuan, ARMM’s overall economic performance remained resilient during the past years despite the uncertainties. The region registered a growth rate of 5.3% in its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) in 2007 with the agri-fishery sector contributing a bulk to the total output.

The agri-fishery sector experienced a growth of 8.1 % and comprised 58.4% of the region’s total economic output.

Moreover, ARMM managed to attract a total of P2.4 billion in a period spanning 3 years, from 2006-2008, that generated the employment of 32,772 workers.

“Our economic strategies will continue, not just to make ARMM grow to its full potential but also to help boost the country’s overall economic growth,” Ampatuan said.

Ampatuan has also placed second among his three priority development plans the region’s target to take a lead in the “production, processing and marketing of halal products and services in the country.”

The global halal market is estimated to be around $US632 billion and Thailand, the leading exporter of certified halal products and a country which also has a Muslim minority, makes about US$6.3 billion annually from its halal industry.

ARMM is already taking steps to get a slice of the lucractive halal market. The region has come up with a Halal developmment plan, identifying mechanisms to stimulate and establish the region’s halal industry, on orders from Ampatuan.

The region is also investing heavily on the contruction and improvement key infrastructures with 227 projects amounting to P1 billion for 2009. Other infrastructure projects are also being undertaken in partnership with foreign donors such as the Sanga-Sanga airport in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi and the Jolo airport in Sulu, which are being funded by the USAID.

Ampatuan affirmed that the ARMM will continue to carry forward the interests and aspirations of the Bangsamoro people even as he called for the support of other Muslim leaders on his program of government.

He said that it his duty as Regional Governor “to protect this institution [ARMM] and to make it work better under the present set-up.”

He said the regional government will work to “strengthen the institutional structure of regional autonomy to make it more responsive to our [Bangsamoro people] needs, ideals and aspirations as Bangsamoro people.”

The 5th SORA according to him, with the number of accomplishments highlighted therein, manifests the regional government’s “resolve and dedication to continue serving the people with better services they deserve.”

Ampatuan took time in thanking the national leadership under the administration of President Gloria Pacapagal Arroyo for the support and trust the national government has been giving to the ARMM. He also underscored the role of the foreign and local donor institutions in the regional development. (bpi-armm)

Ampatuan underscores peace, education, health, and environment on his 5th SORA

Cotabato City - Regional Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao once again reaffirmed his administration’s full support to the peace process and emphasized the regional government’s recommendations to the Government peace panel to help make the peace consultations succeed.

In his 5th State of the Region Address (SORA) before the members of the Regional Assembly he delivered at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex inside the ARMM Regional Center here, Amapatuan commended the renewed efforts of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for the early resumption of the stalled peace talks.

Ampatuan, who is the first ARMM regional governor reelected ever, has been supporting the government peace initiatives in Mindanao particularly the full implementation of the September 2, 1996 Final Peace Agreement between the Government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the immediate conclusion of the ongoing peace negotiations with the MILF.

“The recent suspension of military operations and actions on both sides was a big step to restore normalcy and there is no doubt we are now enjoying an atmosphere of peace and stability that must be sustained on the ground,” he said.

Ampatuan said that a total of 230,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were served by the regional government and that 24,000 families have already returned to their respective places and assisted by the regional government and donor agencies with livelihood and financial support.

The regional government will continue to provide a package of early recovery and rehabilitation assistance for the remaining IDPs for their eventual return to their places of origin through the Cluster Approach Cum Early Recovery Plan drafted to provide mechanism for relief and rehab support for IDPs, according to Ampatuan.

Ampatuan’s administration is also addressing the P1 billion Government Service Insurance Service premium arrears of ARMM incurred during the previous administrations and is currently negotiating with the Department of Budget andf Management and the National Government to write-off the remaining balance of 300 million pesos.

The regional government is continuously upgrading the capacity of human resources and strengthens the implementation of the Anti-Red Tape Act to further promote the regional government’s policy for transparency and accountability and the effective delivery of public service in ARMM.

Ampatuan also underscored in his 5th SORA his administration’s efforts to enhance delivery of basic social services especially to the less fortunate, disadvantaged sectors including women and children.

He said that the Regional Basic Education Development Plan and the recently concluded ARMM Basic Education Donors’ Forum is a solid step for a focused intervention for better quality of education in ARMM.

He also announced ten thousand scholarship slots given to deserving beneficiaries and another 113 grantees for One Town One Scholar Program under Commission I Higher Education-ARMM.

He also announced that the Autonomous Regional Government had recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DepED national office for the implementation of 2008-2009 school building Program.

He said as of 2008, 153 school buildings were completed and more are still under construction and another 285 additional classrooms and 507 teaching and non-teaching positions have been recently approved by DBM for DepEd-ARMM.

He also announced the distribution of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and laboratory equipment to different elementary schools to further enhance their skills and knowledge in Science and Technology.

The ARMM-wide Investment Plan for Health (AIPH) with the Department of Health National Office which includes funding and technical assistance will be a big boost to the delivery of health services in the region, according to him.

“Construction and renovation of our hospitals, health facilities, and the continuous allocation of medicines and supplies to local health stations especially in IDP-host areas are one of my priorities,” he said.

The regional governor also affirmed the region’s preparations to take on climate change and environmental concerns.

“The continuing protection and management of our watersheds, lakes, rivers, forests, and marshes for a long term requirements of the next generations is on top of our priorities,” he said.

He also announced that the Presidnetial Task Force on Mindanao River Basin which he co-chairs is now in the process of crafting the Mindanao River Basin Master Development Plan. (bpi-armm)