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Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

ARMM bares P1B savings for the year

By John Unson

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Residents of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao saw this year, for the first time since the entity’s inception in 1990, the accumulation of more than P1 billion worth of savings in the ARMM’s coffer.

Various communities were also suprised that the savings were generated by the ARMM’s education, and public works departments, once deemed the region’s most corrupt agencies.

ARMM folks also witnessed this year how the present administration made open to representatives of various civil society organizations and the media the bidding processes for the procurement of equipment and supplies, and service provision contracts amounting more than P1 billion, in keeping with its transparency policy in handling of peace and development funds.

Residents of ARMM, which covers Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, which are both in mainland Mindanao, and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, have been used to corrupt practices in the regional bureaucracy.

President Benigno Aquino III had earlier labelled as “failed experiment” the now 23-year ARMM owing to its failure to foster peace and sustainable development in its territory, despite the huge grants and infrastructure subsidies the national government had poured into the region.

The ARMM, which originally covered only Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, and Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, was created through a plebiscite in 1990 as an answer to the quest of Southern Moro communities for self-governance under the international right to self determination (RSD) doctrine.

The autonomous region was subsequently expanded through another referendum in 2001, which resulted in the amendment of its charter, from Republic Act 6743 to R.A. 9054, and the fusion of Basilan and the cities of Lamitan and Marawi into its territory.

ARMM officials believe that the graft-ridden regional bureaucracy could still be reformed, even if the region faces possible replacement with a new Bangsamoro political entity if the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front strike a final peace compact by 2014.

ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman, who first sat as an appointed caretaker of ARMM in December 2011 and got elected as regional governor during the May polls, said he is keen on turning over fully implemented projects, fund savings, and all assets of the autonomous region to the government and the MILF peace panels before the 2016 elections.

“Hopefully, by then, we can show to the whole nation and the whole world that the ARMM has done something good for its constituents and that the region could have taken off if only managed properly since its onset more than 20 years ago,” Hataman said.

Hataman said he and members of his regional cabinet are ready to vacate their posts if a final GPH-MILF peace accord is required to enable a smooth transition from the present ARMM to the new Bangsamoro political entity, which is also to be established through a plebiscite in its proposed territory.

Part of the funds saved by the Hataman administration the past 11 months had been spent for the procurement of road-building equipment for the region’s eight district engineering offices.

In November, the office of the ARMM’s public works secretary, Hadji Emil Sadain, saved P520,000 more from a public bidding process for P363-million worth of infrastructure projects in Maguindanao and Basilan.

“We are glad with this kind of handling of infrastructure funds by the Hataman administration. There is transparency and accountability,” said Vice-Mayor Roderick Furigay of Lamitan City, the capital of Basilan.

Furigay on Wednesday said Hataman and other regional officials awarded 226 students from Lamitan and surrounding Basilan towns scholarship grants for school year 2014 under the ARMM's “Iskolar Para sa Pagbabago” program, also the region’s first.

“More than 20 of the scholars taken in are from Lamitan City. This is something we have not experienced before,” Furigay said.

The ARMM’s Department of Public Works and Highways, which is being managed jointly by Hataman and Sadain, first generated early this year P136 million savings from unspent project grants and allocations for maintenance and operating expenses.

Residents also lauded the ARMM’s Department of Education saved P900 million worth of unspent operating funds and salaries for its rank-and-file personnel in recent months.

Hataman and his education secretary, Jamar Kulayan, had delisted thousands of ghost teachers from the payrolls of DepEd-ARMM.

The two officials also suspended the release of operation subsidies to dozens of non-existent schools that were used as "conduits" for anomalous grants by past regional officials.

ARMM cops placed on alert ahead of Christmas celebration

(PNA), PDS/NYP/EOF

COTABATO CITY, Dec. 19 (PNA) --Police authorities in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) went on heightened alert starting Thursday to ensure peace and order during this year's holiday celebrations.

Policemen and Philippine Marines assigned in Cotabato City were also placed on heightened alert during the Shariff Kabunsuan celebration Thursday with more policemen deployed in and around the city.

Chief Supt. Noel Delos Reyes, ARMM police regional director, said all police provincial directors in the region have already laid down security plans to ensure no untoward incident that may destroy the solemn celebration of Christmas and New Year will occur.

ARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Delos Reyes said the lowering of alert status depends on the peace and order situation of each province and depending on the assessment of local police directors.

The traditional "Misa de Gallo" is on its fifth day Friday and police Senior Supt. Rolen Balquin, city police director, reminded residents to ensure their homes are properly locked in attending dawn masses.

Delos Reyes on the other hand reminded residents going to provinces and other areas to ask neighbors to keep watch over their homes to ensure burglars are discouraged.

Robbers and other criminals are traditionally taking advantage of the holidays.

Combined police and Philippine Marines are patrolling the city and securing Churches and other holy places since December 16, the start of Misa de Gallo.

Policemen were also deployed in public markets, malls and other populated areas amid intelligence reports of possible terror attacks by lawless elements and terror groups.

Government authorities are also keeping an eye on suspected kidnap for ransom gangs who may take advantage of the holidays and snatch wealth traders.

Kidnap gangs operating in Maguindanao are still holding an Indian national Krishian Singh Arora, 52, an investor who was trying to revive a plywood firm in Barangay Landasan, Parang, Maguindanao.

Arora was taken by gunmen wearing police shirts while inside the Eversun warehouse at past 9:00 p.m. on November 13.

Two weeks earlier, kidnappers seized Indian trader Mike Khemani, owner of a chain of department store here and in North Cotabato. He was freed a week later.

Delos Reyes said search and rescue operations are still on going.

Meanwhile, as part of security plans, police in the ARMM also started sealing the muzzles of their firearms to ensure they are not fired during the Christmas eve and New Year revelries.

Poor, deserving students get scholarship from ARMM governor

(PNA), PDS/NYP/EOF

COTABATO CITY, Dec. 18 (PNA) --Believing on the importance of education as requirement for human development, Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) awarded in Basilan on Wednesday certificates of scholarship to 226 students who will study next school year under the "Iskola para sa Pagbabago program" of ARMM governor.

Hataman was accompanied by Anak Mindanao Congresswoman Sitti Djala Hataman, Lamitan City Mayor Rose Furigay, Vice Mayor Orig Furigay and other local officials.

Hataman said there are now almost 1,000 scholars in the autonomous region coming from five component provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Hataman said the students emerged as the top examinees in a regionwide examination and comprehensive interviews with the applicants.

Since assuming office as the region's top executive, Hataman had been advocating education as requirement for peace and development in the country's poorest yet resource rich region.

Hataman believed that education is a long-term solution to the illiteracy and poverty problem besetting the region.

Rep. Hataman also lauded the scholars saying they deserved the certificates "because they really went through rigid and transparent examinations and top level interviews" with ARMM chief of staff Amihilda Sangcopan and Education Assistant Secretary Jeh Nue Jalani and other representatives of various agencies like Commission on Higher Education and Department of Public Works and Highways.

Police: Misa de Gallo in ARMM peaceful

By John Unson (philstar.com)

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines - Catholic worship sites in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where the traditional 'Misa de Gallo' is being held since Monday, have relatively been calm, the ARMM police said.

Chief Supt. Noel Delos Reyes, director of the ARMM regional police, said churches in the five provinces in the autonomous region are being guarded jointly by policemen and members of different Marine and Army units.

“Local officials and Muslim religious leaders have also been helping secure the churches in keeping with the essence of religious solidarity and fraternalism,” Delos Reyes told reporters covering an event at Camp S.K. Pendatun in Parang town in Maguindanao last Monday.

The ARMM covers Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, which are both in mainland Mindanao, the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Lamitan and Marawi, all known hotbeds of religious extremism.

The surroundings of nearby Cotabato City have also been quite since the nine-day dawn Misa de Gallo started on Monday dawn.

Senior Supt. Rolen Balquin, director of the Cotabato City police, said there has not been any incident that affected the religious daily event.

"No untoward incident related to the conduct of the Misa de Gallo has been reported since Monday," Balquin said.

Delos Reyes said dozens of policemen and uniformed Army and Marine combatants are securing the surroundings of Catholic churches in the autonomous region.

4,000 coffee seedlings awarded to 500 graduate farmers

(arrm.gov.ph)

A total of 14,000 coffee seedlings and certificates were awarded to more than 500 farmers who completed the course on Coffee Production and its Utilization during the Mass Graduation of School-on-the-air last December 16 held in the Shariff Kabunsuan Hall, ARMM Complex, Cotabato City.

Regional Governor Mujiv S. Hataman graced the occasion along with Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Secretary, Atty. Makmod Mending Jr.

In his speech Governor Hataman reiterated the importance of farming, particularly coffee farming, on the economic progress of ARMM. Hataman challenged the farmers to apply the knowledge and technologies that they have acquired in developing the lands that they till. He also stated that he is willing to allocate PhP 700,000 from his Special Purpose Fund (SPF) to provide the farmers capital.

Five farmers received a spot-cash of PhP1000 each from the Regional Governor after they have provided correct answers to the quiz he initiated.

The School-on-the-air on Coffee Production and its Utilization is a program spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF-ARMM) through the leadership of Atty. Mending Jr.

IPHO-Maguindanao conducts medical mission in 2 Samar towns hardly hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda

By Leonilo Lopido (PIA-8)

MARABUT, Samar, December 15 (PIA) – The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) of Maguindanao led by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Tahir Sulaik extends its humanitarian operations as they arrived this municipality Thursday along with more than a hundred health and support workers to extend free health services in this typhoon Yolanda-devastated town.

In an interview with Dr. Sulaik, he said that their medical mission will cover the whole of Marabut in terms of public health until Monday together with a number of health professionals from different hospitals in Magundanao plus equipments ferried in 14 big vehicles and a truckload of medicines.

Services offered include vaccines, comprehensive surgical, medical, obstetrics, gynecological, dental pediatrics, among others, Sulaik said.

With the traumatic effect brought by the typhoon, the team also offered psycho-social counselling for both children and adults as well as reproductive health services among pregnant women in disaster situation.

Asked why they chose Marabut, he said that they requested assistance from the Department of Health in identifying least-served areas affected by the typhoon.

“We are very particular in assisting areas which are actually the least served or underserved,” he said.

Apart from the above-mentioned services, the team also does nutrition works to determine the nutritional status of the residents in communities after Yolanda.

He said that aside from medical services, they are also providing food assistance to all clients specially the underserved.

On Friday, they distributed toothbrush, 1,000 hygiene kits for pregnant women and 1,000 copies of mother and child booklet.

IPHO Mindanao sent also medical professionals to Basey (also in Samar) considering also that said municipality has limited manpower resources.

“We want to maximize our long travel para sulit naman at kasama ninyo kami sa pagbangon,” the health officer said.

Moreover, Dr. Sulaik, who is also fluent in Waray, said that he informed the Mayor of Marabut that they will not bring back the equipments and supplies they brought for Marabut.

Dr. Sulaik, who has 4,000 people under him, cancelled their year-end conference and Christmas Party in favor of the Medical Mission in Marabut and Basey.

Marabut is a coastal town of Samar composed of 24 barangays with a population of 15,115 (2010 census) and is reached in less than an hour land travel from Tacloban City passing through its neighbor town, Basey.

Security in Lamitan, Basilan improving

By John Unson (philstar.com)

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Basilan’s capital Lamitan City has started bouncing back from recent hostilities and bombings that rocked the area and unduly caused underdevelopment in far-flung communities.

Lamitan City is home to mixed Muslim and Christian residents now trying their best to address together domestic peace and security issues through interfaith solidarity and continuing dialogues in support of the Mindanao peace process.

Never has security been felt better by the culturally diverse folks in Lamitan City until local officials, as if 'testing the waters,' opened to the public every night since Thursday the city hall grounds, lit with colourful Christmas lights, adorned with decors.

Lamitan City Mayor Rose Furigay, who led the launching of the night park, said Muslim and Christian folks have peacefully been whiling away time at the city hall compound from dusk to until late at night.

Lamitan City is the capital of the island province of Basilan, a component area of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Furigay said city residents have gradually been reeling off from tension caused by recent bombings, and the September 2013 attempt by rouge Moro rebels to intrude simultaneously into several barangays, while followers of Nur Misuari laid siege in Zamboanga City. Nation ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

The zeal of Furigay and her constituent-community leaders to spruce up the surroundings of the city government compound was not dampened by security issues, such as possible sabotage by extremists and other lawless groups trying to sow terror among the local communities.

City residents have been used to armed conflicts, having witnessed in years past deadly encounters between Moro groups and government security forces.

Local folks, particularly members of the business community, have also been gripped by fear of abductions by kidnap-for-ransom gangs in surrounding towns for many years now.

“But we have been succeeding lately in addressing the peace and security issues besetting our city. We ought to thank the barangay leaders and their constituents for helping the city government address all of these problems squarely,” Furigay said.

Furigay said the city government is grateful to the military and the police for continuously providing protection to barangay folks.

Lamitan City now boasts of infrastructures being built by the office of ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman, through the regional government’s public works department.

“In the meantime, our main concern is how to maintain the momentum of the Muslim-Christian unity in Lamitan,” Furigay said.

Small, medium Muslim weavers boom during ARMM anniversary

By Ayunan Grande Gunting (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines—Unity and culture will take center stage in this year’s celebration of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (ARMM) 24th founding anniversary.

ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman says various cultural shows and trade fairs will be conducted during the monthlong celebration of the ARMM’s 24th founding anniversary to depict the unique cultural identities of the region’s Moro and non-Muslim indigenous groups.

Hataman stresses the importance of these cultural shows during their festivities as they will highlight the peculiarities of the region’s local communities, which, despite having different traditions and cultures, are bound by Islam as a common religion.

“The region’s non-Muslim indigenous groups are also related to us. There is no separation, except for religious identities. We are one because we only have one community before the dawn of Islam in this part of the country. One people, one voice, one direction—unity, peace and prosperity,” Hataman says.

The monthlong celebration has already kicked off last November 7 with a parade of traditional attires made from hand-woven fabrics.

Hand-woven producers are happy during this long-month celebration because the demands go high from the distributors. “Very salable sya during ARMM day. Manila and local tourists buy our stuff like Hijabs, Malongs and other consumer Muslim products,” says Hadja Maumina Tamana, a Maranao businesswoman.

“Hand-woven fabrics are essential in our culture to show the richness and diversity of our country and the artistry of the Moro weavers. Hand-woven fabrics are the products of Moro tradition and the inspiration sought from the cultural ethos by the weavers. Innovative weavers, with their skilful blending of myths, faiths, symbols and imagery, provide the fabric an appealing dynamism,” says Amihilda Sangcopan, Chief of Staff and organizer of the event.

Hataman appeals to use hand-woven cloths—a step was taken to help and preserve the Moro weavers.

“If we want to keep this heritage of our country alive, then it is important to improve the socio-economic status of weavers by updating their skills and providing them with essential inputs.

Various schemes and programs are launched by the government that cater to the needs of the handloom sector both at the micro and macro level,” Anak-Mindanao party-list Rep. Sitti Djalia T. Hataman adds.

Maranao float is one of the most highlighted. It showcases the Maranao tradition and culture.

As an example, no less than ARMM Regional Governor Hataman wore traditional ethnic Yakan fabric. He directed all the government employees to wear Moro attire.

The event served as an initial highlight of the celebration of the region’s 24th founding anniversary which will last until Dec. 19, when local residents commemorate the Shariff Kabunsuan Day.

The Kabunsuan Day is a non-working regional holiday observed yearly to honor Shariff Mohammad Kabunsuan, a Muslim missionary from Johore, now an island state in Malaysia, who arrived in the 14th century in what is now Cotabato City to preach Islam.

The start of the celebration of the ARMM’s 24th founding anniversary, meanwhile, coincided with Thursday’s Sheik Karimul Makdum Day.

The Makdum Day is also a yearly regional holiday being observed throughout the autonomous region in commemoration of the arrival 633 years ago in Simunul, now an island town in Tawi-Tawi, of Arab preacher Makdum from the Middle East.

Biometric registration for students piloted in 2 Maguindanao public schools

(PNA), JBP/NYP/WILNARD L. BACELONIA/

PARANG, Maguindanao, Dec. 12 (PNA) -- The Department of Education - Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) has tested Wednesday the biometrics registration for students in two schools here as pilot area for the nationwide project.

The Lidasan National High School and Regional Science National High School in Barangay Landasan, Parang, Maguindanao, were the first two schools in the country to undergo biometrics registration for its students.

Jamar Kulayan, DepEd-ARMM secretary said, the project is a part of their campaign to rid the region of “ghost students.”

Kulayan explained that without biometric system, there are possibilities that school population are bloated, requiring the government to shell out unnecessary assistance to non-existing students for extra school budgets.

"We are also planning to have a biometrics registration for teachers after the students and we can have surprise visits on different schools in the region," Kulayan added in an effort to also purge the region of “ghost teachers”.

Kulayan said his office is currently eying the application of the new system in Lanao del Sur province that reportedly has the highest number of ghost teachers and students.

Based on a survey conducted by DepEd-ARMM in partnership with World Bank, 163 of more than 2,000 public schools in the region still have questionable personnel.

Kulayan said reforms initiated by the DepEd-ARMM under ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman led to the huge decrease of 800,000 enrollees in the region to 690,000 at present.

ARMM observes Global Human Rights Day

By MOH I. SAADUDDIN

COTABATO CITY: Human rights violation is not just about the killing of innocent people. It is also about depriving people of basic services and socio economic development.

This point was stressed by Engr. Emil Sadain, Public Works Secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao during the celebration yesterday of the International Human Rights Day at ARMM that was attended by thousands of people.

“Depriving society of due basic services and socio-economic development assistance is tantamount to injustice,” he said, hinting at “government ineptitude and negligence.”

Sadain said he does not want this to happen in ARMM. “That’s why we do everything legal and moral to make up for the lapses of government in providing good roads and bridges in ARMM.”

The ARMM celebrated the 10th founding anniversary of the Commission on Human Rights for ARMM and was led by ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman along with his regional cabinet members and other workers.

Lawyer Jamar Kulayan, regional secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), said that his agency reform agenda has brought forth a leap exceeding even an Islamic mandate on human resource management.

Kulayan said Hadith (records of Prophet Mohammad’s deeds and teaching) talks about the Islamic mandate that “workers should receive their wages before their sweats dried up.”

“In our case, we do more than what is mandated. We pay our teachers even before they start sweating,” said Kulayan, referring to the advances and loans privileges of the ARMM teachers, which drawing loud cackles among the audience.

Later, he told The Times that since his administration started, it has resolved the issue of long delays of wages ranging from three-months to one year of 25,000 teachers and administrative workers.

“Since early this year, we release [teachers’] salaries as early as the 15th day of every month,” he said.

In his succeeding speech, Gov. Hataman urged the ARMM’s teachers’ to cooperate and to observe a “high sense of responsibility” to do their mandates as basic source of education.

“You rights are protected and promoted. Please do your responsibility, too,” Hataman said in reference to the regional teaching workforce.

ARMM Archived News

The older news reports are kept here.

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