Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao News November 2016

From Philippines
Revision as of 18:56, 7 December 2016 by Prdims (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
→ → Go back HOME to Zamboanga: the Portal to the Philippines.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Create Name's page

Regions | Philippine Provinces | Philippine Cities | Municipalities | Barangays | High School Reunions

Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao Archived News
ARMM seal.png
Seal of ARMM

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

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 officially starts 27th founding anniversary activities with colorful parade

(PNA), BNB/NYP/EOF

COTABATO CITY, Nov. 20 (PNA) -- History and the struggle of the Bangsamoro people in the region take center stage as the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) today marks its 27th founding anniversary with a month-long celebration.

Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman has given credit to the people the successful 27 long years of regional autonomous government more than the efforts of the government in leading its constituents.

“Ang araw na ito ay hindi lamang pagdiriwang ng ating anibersaryo, kung hindi pag-alala rin sa ating kasaysayan sa loob ng 27 taon (Today, we celebrate not only our anniversary but we remember history that made what is ARMM today),” Hataman said.

Actually, the celebration kicked off last week with the commemoration of the coming of Sheik Makdum in Tawi-Tawi where he planted the seed of Islam in the Philippines.

Today, a cultural parade and dances with the participants in their ethnic attires starts the celebration.

‘Pakaradjaan sa ARMM’ has been the official branding title of the ARMM anniversary since 2013. Since then, the commemoration of the region’s founding has become a colorful and festive celebration of the culture and triumph of the Filipino Muslims.

Hataman said the activities prepared for this year’s anniversary are a celebration of the region’s people, their diversity in culture and the success of the autonomous government.

“Ating ipagdiriwang ang ating mga tagumpay dahil ito ay tagumpay ng ating mga kababayan (We celebrate our successes because these are the victory of our people),” Gov. Hataman said.

In light of the sudden burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos on Friday, Gov. Hataman, during his speech, took the time to ask for a minute of silence to show solidarity with the victims of Martial Law. History, he said, will not be forgotten.

Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez, 6th Infantry Division commander, was the keynote speaker. Galvez challenged the regional government to continue its reforms.

The Hataman administration, he said, has significantly transformed the ARMM from war-torn lands to a world-class region.

He specifically noted that President Rodrigo Duterte, during his visit, was surprised with the regional government’s top-of-the-line facilities and had only good impressions of ARMM employees. President Duterte also mentioned how his visit was gracefully handled.

Through Maj. Gen. Galvez, the Philippine Armed Forces reinforced its commitment in support of the reforms in the region especially in terms of the security challenges in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Also Hataman led the distribution of 13 units of non-motorized bancas to fisherfolk from Maguindanao; 14 passports processed for free, and Moro film festival citations.

Sheron Dayoc, director of Moro independent films 'Halaw,' 'Crescent Rising,' and 'Women of Weeping River,' and the films’ actors were given citations during the opening program. The films were shown during last week's Moro film festival.

The governor also forwarded a message of unity and called for solidarity in the midst of societal challenges and issues that continue to divide the Filipino people.

ARMM launches ‘Functional Barangay Three Months Challenge’ in Basilan

(PNA), NYP/TPGJR/

LAMITAN CITY, Basilan (PNA) – The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has launched a competition to encourage the villages in this province to be functional as the smallest local government unit.

Abou Mohammad Asmawil, Interior and Local Government provincial director, spearheaded on Friday the launching of the competition, dubbed as the “Functional Barangay Three Months Challenge.”

Asmawil said the aim of the competition is to ensure that the barangays are functional, being the frontline of governance.

Asmawil said those involve in the competition are 55 of the 210 villages of this province that have received projects this year from ARMM-HELPS (Health, Education, Livelihood, Peace and Synergy).

Bimbo Epping, ARMM-HELPS coordinator, said the infrastructure projects they provided to the 55 barangays included barangay halls.

“There are many projects being implemented by the regional government, sayang if the barangay is not functional,” Asmawil explained why they launched the competition.

He said the winners of the competition will be receive PhP10 million worth of projects from the Office of the Regional Governor.

The winners will be known on February 18, 2017, exactly three months from the date the competition was launched.

Asmawil said they have tapped the different sectors, including the military and the police, to help them monitor the barangays whether or not they are functional.

He said they will identify another 30 barangays to comprise the participants of the competition for the year 2017.

The Liga ng mga Barangay presidents from this city and 11 municipalities, who graced the launching of the competition, have expressed full support to the Functional Barangay Three Months Challenge.

The launching of the competition is a joint undertaking of the DILG-ARMM, ARMM-HELPS, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries-ARMM (DAF-ARMM), and ARMM-BRIDGE (Bangsamoro Regional Inclusive Development for Growth and Equity).

ARMM to offer free legal counselling on Saturday

(Desk Man, Bureau of Public Information)

COTABATO CITY – The Office of the Attorney General in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (OAG-ARMM) will offer free legal advice to the public on Saturday, November 19, inside the Office of the Regional Governor compound in this city.

The free legal counselling will be one of the highlights of the ARMM’s 27th founding anniversary. Atty. Al-Rashid Balt of the OAG-ARMM said the lawyers will provide free counsel and advice to local residents as well as those from neighboring areas. Residents seeking confidential legal advice can speak with lawyers under the supervision of the OAG-ARMM.

“The lawyers will be on hand to provide information and we will prioritize clients who cannot afford the service of a private counsel,” Atty. Balt said. He pointed out that OAG-ARMM will accommodate as many individuals who need legal advice.

This year’s free legal counselling carries the theme ‘Libreng Serbisyong Legal Handog para sa Bangsamoro’. It will start at 8:00 in the morning and will last until 5:00 in the afternoon.

As part of the anniversary celebration, the regional government has lined up several activities this month and in December.

Among these activities are: a food festival featuring cuisines of the different major Moro tribes in the ARMM; a film showing; cooking showdown; sports festival; search for the ARMM’s Rajah and Ranee; financial literacy forum; cultural presentation; regional governors’ ‘peacetivity’; People’s Day; week of peace; local government unit’s summit; and ‘Gabi ng Parangal’.

TESDA to lead Mindanao consultations on government’s Comprehensive Reform and Development Agenda

By Ma. Cristina C. Arayata [(PNA), SCS/MCCA]

MANILA (PNA) -- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) said on Wednesday it will lead consultations in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other provinces in Regions 9, 10 and 12 about how the government’s Comprehensive Reform and Development Agenda (CRDA) can help bring solutions to their problems.

TESDA Director General Guiling Mamondiong earlier said that the agency has been tasked by President Rodrigo R. Duterte to lead in promoting provincial consultations in Mindanao for the CRDA which will kick off in Maguindanao on Nov. 24.

He said TESDA is expected to complete the provincial consultations in Mindanao in two weeks for Phase 2 (infrastructure development) and Phase 3 (economic development) under the program.

According to TESDA, Phase 1 (basic needs) of the CRDA was launched last Oct. 29 at the ARMM Regional Government Compound.

Other schedules provided by TESDA are in Lanao del Sur, ARMM, Nov. 26; Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Region 10, Nov. 28; Basilan, ARMM, Dec. 3; Tawi-Tawi, ARMM, Dec. 4 and 5; Sulu, ARMM, Dec. 5 and 6; Region 9, Dec. 7; and Region 12, Dec. 9.

Mamondiong noted that during the summit, recommendations will be discussed. This will eventually bring solutions to the concerns of Mindanaoans, he said.

TESDA said provincial consultations also aim to come up with a program for every province based on CRDA.

The TESDA Chief, meanwhile, noted that the agency will also monitor the CRDA implementation in provincial and municipal levels.

CRDA will create more barangay programs for residents of ARMM and Regions 9, 10 and 12, said Mamondiong.

”Through the CRDA, the national government could easily pinpoint the projects of the government which need immediate funding under the General Appropriations Act from 2016 to 2022,” TESDA said.

Expected attendees are local government units’ heads/representatives; provincial/municipal/city planning officers; provincial/municipal engineers; civil society organizations/people’s organizations; ARMM region heads and counterparts; concerned national government agencies/inter-agency; industry groups; TVET association/academe; regional/provincial TESDA committees; TVET (technical-vocational education and training) partners and other stakeholders.

DSWD-ARMM runs exhibit on early childhood care, devt

(BPI/PIA-10)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DSWD-ARMM) is running an exhibit on Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) this week at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex (SKCC) in Marawi in line with the region’s celebration of the 24th National Children’s Month.

The exhibit opened Monday and will run until Friday, November 18. It highlights the four stages or cornerstones of development of young children and is the second in a series of four activities included in the DSWD-ARMM’s ECCD Summit.

The ECCD is defined under Republic Act 8980 as the full range of health, nutrition, early education, and social services programs that provide for the holistic needs of children 0-8 years old.

It rests on four cornerstones beginning from the first 1,000 days of a child, the preschool years from two to four years old, the primary school years from five to eight years old, and the involvement of the local government in childhood policies.

The four cornerstones of the ECCD harness consolidated efforts and combined interventions from different sectors to have greater impact on child development in terms of health, nutrition, early education, child protection, and their welfare’s prioritization in local government planning.

Kay Lintongan, DSWD-ARMM specialist on Child and Youth Welfare Program (CYWP), said that aside from showcasing the inherent features of children’s development stages, the exhibit aims to provide parents and stakeholders helpful information on the key roles they play in support to the developmental needs of children.

The other regional agencies taking part in the exhibit are the members of the Regional Subcommittee for the Welfare of Children (RSWC), which are comprised of the Department of Health (DOH) through its National Nutrition Council, the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Department of Interior Local Government (DILG).

In the ARMM, member agencies of the RSWC are implementing the following programs anchored on the ECCD: the DILG’s training on the mainstreaming of ECCD in the Local Government Units, the NNC’s ECCD Intervention Package for first 1,000 days in the nine municipalities of Sulu, involving Infant and Young Child Feeding and Nutrition in Emergency Trainings, the DepEd’s Kindergarten Curriculum Framework, and the DSWD’s Child and Youth Welfare Program, and operation of and 120-days supplemental feeding in its 2,092 Child Development Centers (formerly known as Day Care Centers) across the region.

The region’s ECCD program is also strongly supported by international non-government organizations such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Australian Aid, and BRAC International, which implements programs that puts primary emphasis on early childhood development in the curriculum of their education programs such as the Alternative Delivery Model and the Tahderriya.

This week’s exhibit will be followed by an ECCD Forum and Workshop on Seamless ECCD which form part of the DSWD-ARMM’s ECCD Summit in line with the National Children’s Month celebration.

ARMM holds five-day food festival

(BPI/PIA-10)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur. Nov. 15 -- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is holding a five-day food festival this week to showcase the different Moro delicacies as part of the region’s 27th founding anniversary celebration in Marawi city.

The food festival opened Monday with foods and delicacies unique to the province of Maguindanao taking center stage. The array of authentic Maguindanaon delicacies included the baling, tinapayan, palapa, pastil, fried katipa, tapudi, lininggil, inasekan a layagan, blua, kumukunsi, tinadtag, and panganansising.

Two of the most prominent Maguindanaon delicacies are the pastil and sininang kambing.

Pastil is cooked rice topped with sauteed chicken or fish meat flakes, known as ‘kagikit’, that is wrapped in banana leaves. A modern take on this unique Maguindanaon dish features toasted fish meat, chicken or beef as kagikit, and hot and spicy flavored kagikit.

The sininang kambing, on the other hand, is tenderized goat meat cut into chunks cooked with with palapa, coconut milk, spices, garlic, onion, ginger, chives, chili and soy sauce. The spices and coconut milk bring a unique and contrasting flavor to the meat.

According to ARMM Tourism Sec. Ayesha Mangudadatu-Dilangalen, these foods are usually served during thanksgivings that Maguindanaon refer to as “kanduli”.

“It reflects their culture and traditions,” she said.

The food festival was made even more cheerful with live kulintang music from a traditional Maguindanaon ensemble, and with the Sagayan, a traditional dance in Maguindanao.

Sec. Dilangalen said the delicacies unique to the different provinces of the ARMM form part of the culture of peoples therein and holding a festival to showcase these foods spice up the celebration of the founding anniversary of the region.

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

The delicacies in the four other provinces will be featured in the following schedule this week: Lanao del Sur on November 15; Basilan on November 16; Sulu on November 17; and Tawi-Tawi on November 18.

Sec. Dilangalen said the 27th Pakaradjaan sa ARMM will highlight the rich culture of the Moro people as well as the variety of local products from the region’s different provinces.

"It's a great opportunity for the tourists to discover the rich culture of the region," Sec. Dilangalen said.

Since 2014, the ARMM has held Food Festivals to showcase an astounding range of foods distinct to each province.

The food festival marks the celebration of the region’s diverse flavors reflecting its culture, and a celebration of cuisine and culinary talents of the Moro people.

ARMM strengthens Import-Export Industry

(DeskMan, Bureau of Public Information)

COTABATO CITY – Members of different Government sectors and the Chamber of Commerce and Industries attended the Orientation-Briefing on Importation given by the Bureau of Customs today at the Bajau Hall, ORG Compound.

The forum, organized by the ARMM Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in partnership with the Regional Economic Zone Authority (REZA) and Polloc Free Port, was aimed at re-orienting ARMM trading clientele on the business of import and export.

This was a step taken by DTI to encourage even small business traders to legalize all their importing transactions to eliminate the rampant misconceptions of illegal smuggling especially for products coming in from nearby Malaysia and Indonesia.

According to Fernando de Dios, DTI Senior Trade and Industry Development Specialist, barter trading played a big part in the economic stimulus in the ARMM and this is why DTI is looking to revive the industry.

He said that the agency is working on reviving the real barter trading as it is, and not just the one-way system that it is today. “The barter that we are talking about today is no longer the barter that we knew early on when Sulu was still the barter trading center,” he adds. According to him, the proper orientation on import and export guidelines for ARMM traders certainly paves the way for the revival of the industry.

Eshan Karl Mabang, Administrator of the Polloc Free Port said that the port’s design meets international port standards and that it is ready for international importation and exportation anytime. Mabang supports the revival of the barter trading and the projected boost this will have in the export side of the industry.

“We support this kind of economic activity dahil una, pag maging successful ito, we can provide employment, increase our revenue collection at malaki ang magiging remittance natin,” he said.

To date, the Port is only mobilizing on its imports on cement, corn, and equipment for renewable energy, coming in from countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, South Korea, and India.

REZA-ARMM also ensured that it is ready not only for importation, but also for exportation after it entered into a Joint Memorandum Order with the Bureau of Customs last October 2015, on the implementation of the mandatory Electronic Processing of Transshipments of REZA locators to REZA Zones and other procedures through the E2M system.

E2M (electronic-to-mobile) is an internet-based technology that allows Customs Officers and traders to handle most of their transactions online. It makes use of advanced technology including electronic signatures to provide government officials with new tools to enable them to make dramatic improvements in security, trade efficiency, and to fight against corruption.

One of those who will benefit from the innovation is the Bangsamoro Oil and Fuels Corporation, which is waiting for its importation permit as it looks forward to building a four million peso oil depot in Polloc under a joint-venture agreement with a Malaysian company.

Dr. Amor Pendaliday, President of the Corporation said the construction will take around three to five months and that the depot will have a petroleum capacity of about 14 million liters. According to him, petroleum prices, especially in the nearby areas of Maguindanao and Lanao, will definitely go on a major roll back once the depot starts operating.

Dr. Pendaliday is certain that once the Liguasan Marsh is explored and developed, exportation of crude oil is also very possible in the near future.

ARMM celebrates its 27th year

By Ayunan G. Gunting

NOVEMBER is special month for the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as it celebrates its anniversary.

Now on its 27th year, “Pagkaradjaan sa ARMM” marks its establishment as a Moro region with an independent administration under the national government.

Pagkaradjaan means “celebration” in Moro tribes’ dialects.

The Moro region consists of the five Muslim-populated provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Its elective chief executive is Regional Gov. Mujiv Hataman. His wife Party-list Rep. Sitti Djalia Turabin of Anak-Mindanao is proud of her husband’s achievements.

The monthlong festivities will be held at the ORG Compound and Shariff Kabungsuan Cultural Complex (SKCC) in Cotabato City, ARMM’s seat of government. These events highlight the Moro’s search for peace, as well as culture.

It is customary to kick off the celebration with rites at the 634-year-old Shiek Karimul Makhdum Mosque in Simunul, Tawi-Tawi. Makhdum was a preacher from Malaysia who intorduced Islam in the Philippines in the 14th century. As the oldest, religious historical landmark in the Philippines, it is now a museum which is being preserved as a heritage building.

Pagkaradjaan also includes summits with government agencies and private sector and a workshop on literacy. Film festivals featuring the work of young independent filmmakers that tell the stories of the Moros will be held in various venues.

The different Moro tribes, like Maranao, Maguindanao, Tausug, Teduray and Yakan, will offer their culinaryspecialties.

In December the Muslim music, dance and costumes will be showcased in nightly cultural programs by the different tribes and a men’s basketball and volleyball tournament.

DOH awards 600 wheelchairs in Lanao del Sur

By Ali Macabalang

The Department of Health has awarded 600 wheelchairs in Lanao del Sur for use by persons with disabilities and elderly residents, officials announced.

For PWDs mobility – A Maranao special child beams as being mounted on a wheelchair awarded him and 199 other persons with disabilities by the Department of Health through Lanao del Sur Gov. Soraya Alonto Adiong (left) during an initial distribution of 200 wheelchairs in Marawi City recently. (Ali G. Macabalang)

Lanao del Sur Rep. Ansaruddin “Hooky” Alonto-Adiong—who worked out the DOH donation—and his mother, Governor Soraya Adiong, would distribute 400 wheelchairs on Tuesday, November 8, to indigents at Amai Pakpak provincial hospital in Marawi City and district hospitals as well as village birthing clinics in the province’s 39 towns, provincial information officer Jennie A. Tamano said.

The mother and son led the initial distribution of 200 wheelchairs for senior citizens and two special children in a symbolic ceremony at the refurbished gym of the provincial capitol complex on November 3.

“It was a virtual moment of euphoria, with recipients and even some officiating officials shed tears of joy,” a female police officer helping secure the gathering said of the ceremony.

ARMM welcomes power, agri-business investors

By Antonio L. Colina IV

Davao City — A top official of the Bangsamoro Develop Agency (BDA) said that the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) welcomes investors as he acknowledged that the private sector is the “real engine of change”.

BDA chairman Saffrullah M. Dipatuan said in an interview he hopes to see more investors from power and agribusiness coming to the five-province ARMM after the crafting of a final peace pact between government (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“The real engine of growth is the private sector. The government can only provide the basic fundamentals for growth and development,” he said.

To further the agribusiness growth, he revealed plans to develop the Polloc Port in Parang, Maguindanao into an international seaport to accommodate international shipping lines that will trigger development in the Bangsamoro area.

Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Jesus Dureza urged businessmen to consider investing in less developed areas and provide opportunities for the people there.

“This should send a strong message to many businessmen, if you invest in affected areas you also get the benefits when the peace comes,” he said.

Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) chair Abul Khayr Dancal Alonto bannered the Mindanao Development Corridors program that is geared towards making tbe island a competitive player in the Brunei, Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia Philippines – East Asean Growth Area, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the larger world economy.

Alonto, who chairs one of the factions of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), said that because every single peso invested in Mindanao is an investment in peace and progress, he is optimistic that “this is an exciting time for Mindanao” where the country’s president is from.

Mindanao gets P41B for tourism infrastructure projects

(PNA), LAP/LCM/DIGNA D. BANZON/LDP

DAVAO CITY (PNA) -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has earmarked PHP41 billion for 35 inter-regional tourism infrastructure projects in Mindanao for 2017-2019.

This was announced by DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral, who represented DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, during the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Datu Abdul Kahyr Alonto, and DPWH ARMM Regional Secretary Mustapha Loong.

The MOC will institutionalize MinDA and DPWH joint planning and programming for the prioritization and programming of inter-regional roads, bridges, and flood control projects.

Cabral said that of the PHP41 billion, P15.72 billion will fund 18 projects under the 2017 representing 38 percent of the total budget.

To ensure on-schedule project implementation and proper monitoring, an Infrastructure and Monitoring an Advisory Group (IMAG) for big-ticket projects in Mindanao has been created.

On Tuesday, a Memorandum of Agreement was also signed between the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and MinDA.

The Agreement between TIEZA represented by its chief operating officer, Atty. Guiller Asido and MinDA with Secretary Alonto aims to institutionalize the parties' joint planning and programming mechanism for the identification, proposal development, and funding of ecotourism projects in Mindanao.

As agreed, TIEZA shall set the annual budget ceiling for the priority biodiversity and eco-tourism projects in Mindanao using the Mindanao Development Corridor (MDC) framework.

MinDA shall shepherd and serve as the overall oversight agency for the MDC initiative as well as facilitate the development and promotion of the Biodiversity and Ecotourism Cluster (BETC) as an ecotourism destination.

The signing of the memorandum of cooperation by MinDA with its partners DPWH and TIEZA is a solid gesture of institutional collaboration and teamwork for a vibrant ecotourism industry and efficient connectivity and logistics in Mindanao, Alonto said.

Alonto added that the MDC joint planning and programming is one of the mechanisms embraced under the island's development corridor which has been proven as a potent venue where projects are prioritized and funded.

DTI, Lanao del Sur provl govt to establish Go Negosyo Center

(APB/PIA-10)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA) --- In a bid to assist entrepreneurs start and manage their business, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Provincial Office and the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur is eyeing the establishment of a Go Negosyo Center in the province.

Danny Arumpac, senior trade and industry development specialist and Go Negosyo focal person, said the establishment of Negosyo Center will bring government services closer to small businesses and promote entrepreneurship in the province.

Under the Republic Act 10644, also known as the Go Negosyo Act, a Negosyo Center shall be established in all provinces, cities and municipalities to promote the ease of doing business and help create jobs and livelihood.

Jasnia Adiong-Pandapatan, provincial livelihood training center manager, said the Negosyo Center of the province will be established at the Lanao Peoples' Park for greater accessibility.

Among the services to be offered by the Negosyo Center include business registration through the Philippine Business Registry (PBR) System and Barangay Micro Business Enterprise (BMBE); business advisory services such as product development, market promotion, financing facilitation, investment promotion, and SME counseling; and business information and advocacy.

The Negosyo Center will have reception, meeting and working areas, as well as training room.

Provincial Governor Soraya Adiong issued Executive Order No. 21 creating the Provincial Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Council to serve as the coordinating and oversight body for the Go Negosyo Center.

ARMM holds 1st Human Resource Summit

By Bong Garcia

FORTY-EIGHT agencies joined the First Human Resource Summit on Strategic Performance Management System (SPMS) Key Players on Tuesday, November 8, in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).

The summit was conducted by the regional government’s Human Resource and Management Division in partnership with the Office of the Chief-of-Staff as one of the requirements of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to improve employees’ productivity and efficiency.

A total of 165 individuals consisting of budget, planning and administrative officers, among others have joined the SPMS.

Lectures were delivered on the following basic elements of SPMS and its processes which include performance planning and commitment, performance monitoring and coaching, performance review and evaluation, performance rewarding and development planning and other pertinent SPMS guidelines such as ratings, alignment of functions and the SPMS calendar and cycle.

Leopoldo Roberto Valderosa, CSC-ARMM director and one of the two summit lecturers, said the success of an organization relies greatly on its human resources, thus, making them the most important asset in an organization.

“This is why the summit is vital to success of not only the individual but of the agencies as a whole,” Valderosa said.

“We are no longer just assessing the individual, but this time we also assess the organization because we believe that a certain individual could never be satisfactory or outstanding in his performance unless the organization itself is also (performing well),” Valderosa added.

Valderosa said the Armm employees and agencies have significantly improved their performance over the years with the help of enhancement tools from donor institutions such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to name a few.

Valderosa said that the employees sent to trainings and scholarships abroad also prove beneficial in the improvement of ARMM’s human resources.

Armm Chief-of-Staff Rasul Mitmug, Jr. said the summit is a testament of the regional government’s efforts to continuously improve the performance of its workforce and meet international standard operating procedures among its line agencies.

Mitmug said this is one of the legacies that Armm Governor Mujiv Hataman seeks to imprint in his administration.

Armm agencies’ participation in the summit is expected to result in the refinement of their SPMS plans after Tuesday’s event.

A similar summit will be conducted for members of local government units of the region before the year ends.

ARMM commemorates arrival of Islam in Mindanao

(PNA), JMC/NYP/EOF

COTABATO CITY, Nov 7 (PNA) -- Leaders of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Islam believers in five provinces on Monday commemorate the 636th anniversary of the arrival in Mindanao of Sheik Karimul Makdum who introduced Islam in the island.

ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman had earlier declared Nov. 7 a non-working holiday in the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi to give residents ample time to observe the yearly Sheik Karimul Makdum Day.

It will also signal the start of the week-long commemoration of the ARMM’s 27th founding anniversary.

More than 90 percent of residents ARMM provinces are Muslims with different ethnic identities.

A Middle Eastern cleric, Makdum arrived in Bohe Indangan in Simunul, now an island town in Tawi-Tawi, in 14th Century to preach and spread Islam.

In the island, Makdum built a Mosque, now the oldest Islamic worship site in the Philippines. From there, Islam was brought to other parts of the island and eventually across the country.

Ayesha Mangudadatu-Dilangalen, ARMM’s regional tourism secretary, will lead today the Sheik Karimul Makdum Day program in Simunul that includes reenactment of the missionary's arrival in the island.

Accompanying Dilangalen are Tawi-Tawi Gov. Rashidin Matba, Rep. Ruby Sahali, officials of the ARMM’s Bureau of Cultural Heritage and Simunul Mayor Nazif Ahmad Abdurahman.

Dilangalen said her office have lined up various cultural activities to highlight the 27th anniversary feast of the autonomous region.

Tawi-Tawi’s oldest mosque ready for grand annual visit

By Manuel Cayon

DAVAO CITY—The serene and scenic Tawi-Tawi, the country’s most southwestern island province and next to the contested island of Sabah, is set to receive the bulk of tourist visits this week, in time for the commemoration of the 14th-century arrival of the first Islamic missionary.

The Bureau of Public Information of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) said the central focus among tourists is the Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque, the oldest in the Philippines, in Tubig (Bohe) Indangan in Simunul town.

The main activity would be held on November 7 to commemorate the arrival of Sheikh Karimul Makhdum in the country, who introduced Islam in 1380, and has been historically recognized as the beginning of Islam in the Philippines.

Tourists would be expected to flock to the mosque, already declared a national religious and historical landmark.

The ARMM’s regional legislative assembly created a management board “to manage, preserve and promote the Makhdum mosque, as one of Bangsamoro’s historical landmarks,” the ARMM information office said.

Ayesha Mangudadatu-Dilangalen, secretary of the ARMM’s Department of Tourism (DOT), said numerous religious and cultural activities would educate and entertain visitors in Simunul this month, when the ARMM also commemorates its anniversary.

The ARMM’s DOT said the festivities for the twin activity include parades, a food festival, sports and cultural performances depicting the lives and culture of some of the region’s ethnic tribes.

The festivities would culminate in a fluvial procession on December 19 as part of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival.

“This annual celebration is a significant event for the Moro people,” Dilangalen said. “So with this, we the people of ARMM will be able to take pride in our rich history.”

\Tawi-Tawi is the most visited among the scattered provinces of the ARMM. Last year, 55,085 foreign and domestic tourists visited Tawi-Tawi and spent P965 million.

The ARMM said the figures indicated a significant increase of 14.35 percent in tourist arrivals and 14.34 percent in gross receipts in the province compared with the previous year’s figure.

The tourist arrival was a quarter of the total visitors’ arrival in all the ARMM that year, which attracted 192,307 visitors. Tawi-Tawi’s tourism receipts were close to a third of the ARMM’s total tourism receipts.

The total ARMM tourism figures were also an upswing. In 2014, there were 168,178 tourist arrivals with gross receipts of P2.9 billion.

The DOT-ARMM annual report said the bulk of the increase came during the last quarter of the year, with the Agal-Agal Festival held to celebrate bountiful harvest of the seaweed carageenan, and the commemoration of Sheikh Karimul Makhdum’s birthday.

The ARMM is composed of the mainland provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur in Central Mindanao and the southwestern island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

ARMM to commemorate 636th Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Day

(Bureau of Public Information)

COTABATO CITY – Different festivities are being held annually in Tawi-Tawi, a province of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), on the 7th of November to commemorate the arrival of Sheikh Karimul Makhdum in the country. The day marks the beginning of Islam in the Philippines introduced by Sheikh Karimul Makhdum in 1380.

The Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque, the oldest in the Philippines can be found in Tubig (Bohe) Indangan in Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost island in the country.

The mosque has been declared by the government as a national religious and historical landmark.

Sheikh Makhdum is an Islamic preacher from Malaysia who arrived in Tawi-Tawi in 1380. From then on, Islam became the faith of the Moro people and has been dominant in the Bangsamoro life and culture, setting the Moros’ identity apart from the rest of the country.

Through the ARMM’s regional legislative assembly, a management board was created to manage, preserve and promote the Makhdum mosque, as one of Bangsamoro’s historical landmarks.

Ayesha Mangudadatu-Dilangalen, the new secretary of the ARMM’s Tourism department, numerous religious and cultural activities will be held in Simunul, Tawi-Tawi this month to commemorate Sheikh Makhdum’s arrival, and to kick off the celebration of ARMM’s anniversary this month.

Through the years, the ARMM’s Department of Tourism is the lead agency for anniversary activities such as parade, food festival, sports and cultural performances depicting the lives and culture of some of the region’s ethnic tribes.

This kick-off of the annual ARMM celebration will be on November 7and will end with a fluvial procession on December 19 as part of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival.

“This annual celebration really plays significant event in the Moro people,” Sec. Dilangalen said. “So with this, we the people of ARMM will be able to take pride in our rich history.”

Official data showed that 55,085 foreign and domestic tourists visited Tawi-Tawi in 2015 with P965 million in tourism gross receipts. The figures indicated a significant increase of 14.35% in tourist arrivals and 14.34% in gross receipts in the province compared with 2014’s figures.

“This is an opportunity for the tourists to get to know the local culture and experience the celebration,” she said. To help boost tourism activities this year, the ARMM Department of Public Works and Highways earmarked P175 million worth of projects in the province, ranging from roads, water supply, bridges, and other infrastructure projects.

Two and a half kilometers of road are being concreted this year in Simunul, following a recently completed road concreting of Bohe Indangan, the location of the mosque, and the Manuk Mangkaw Circumferential Road, that would be finished in August this year.

All of these, except a P10-million water system in Ungus-Ungus, are located in Simunul, around or leading to the mosque of Sheikh Makhdum. Of this budget, P80 million is allocated to the Improvement of Access Road and Tourism Development of the SheikhMakhdum Cultural Center.

As of October this year, the Sheikh MakhdumCultural Center is half finished. Engr. Danilo Ong, DPWH Planning Division Chief, said all current projects in Tawi-Tawi will be finished within the first quarter of 2017.

Tawi-Tawi is the southernmost province in the country. It includes small islands in the Sulu Sea and to the northwest, the Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi Island, and Turtle Island.

ARMM to get a share of ODA from China

By Antonio L. Colina IV (ALC/MindaNews)

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews) – The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will get a share of the $6-billion Official Development Assistance (ODA) from China by investing on big irrigation projects, according to Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III.

The finance secretary briefed reporters at the Malacañan Palace on Wednesday that the major big irrigation projects are what they have lined up so far for financing, along with other infrastructure projects that will uplift the living conditions of the Filipino people as part of the Duterte administration’s thrust.

He said most of the projects will be centered on countryside development, more specifically new roads, railways, and ports to decongest major cities and to reduce logistics cost for the basic goods.

Dominguez said that they would like to turn their focus on the ARMM, which suffered a low Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of P26,000 as compared to P400,000 in Metro Manila.

“So, that’s why we have problems there. We have problems of poverty. We have problems of rebellion. We have problems – and because there is no infrastructure. So we want to put more irrigation there, more roads so that people can be more interconnected. So this gap has to be closed. And that is why the thrust of the President is really to raise people out of poverty. And I think that’s what he’s doing,” he said.

Dominguez added they are still contemplating on what other projects they could fund using the ODA but he pointed out that they will also set aside a budget for Manila to Bicol railway project

He said that the government will increase public spending over the next six years to improve the country’s growth performance to close the “infrastructure gap,” more specifically in the countryside in a bid to generate more jobs for the people.

“You know, the amount of infrastructure that we need in the Philippines is really tremendous. You just go outside of Metro Manila, you see the condition of the roads, the bridges, the ports, the airports there, power, telecommunications. These are all infrastructure. This is to connect the country together physically so that goods can flow physically so that cost will go down,” he said.

Aside from the transport sector, Dominguez added that the energy sector is also a key area that needs more investments.

ARMM eyes halal industry dev’t to lift poor

By Rene V. Carbayas (ALT/RVC/PIA9-Basilan)

ISABELA CITY, Basilan (PIA) – The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is bent on developing the potential of halal industry in the region to boost economy and alleviate people from poverty.

Science and Technology Regional Secretary Myra B. Mangkabung said that Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman has reconstituted the Halal Industry Development Inter-Agency Technical Working Group (HID-IATWG) in order to harmonize all efforts and related activities pursued by the halal body and stakeholders.

“The regional governor finds it imperative to institutionalize the ARMM HID-IATWG and the Halal Industry Development Executive Committee to sustain its activities and to attain its goals and objectives,” Mangkabung said.

The creation of the HID-IATWG saw the need to revitalize the industry and make it an effective strategy to alleviate people from poverty. The regional government tasked the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-ARMM to spearhead the TWG and enable the halal industry to take off.

Recently, DOST-ARMM gathered the TWG member-agencies for the three-day strategic planning workshop in Zamboanga City to review the Halal Industry Development Plan of the region and expedite the implementation of programs that would accelerate the industry.

The development of Halal Food Industry in the ARMM has been one of the earliest priorities and continuing concerns of the regional government. Since then, leaders believed that in order to muster the synergy of all the sectors into one common socio-economic force, a program that best suits the region must be drawn and built upon the socio-cultural and resource advantages.

The formulation of the Regional Halal Food Industry Development Plan (2009-2011) served as the master plan under the Ampatuan administration and was one of the very valuable outputs of the HID-IATWG and the Provincial Halal TWG that complement the region’s socio-economic development plan and other existing plans. However, not much development was seen in the industry.

With the recent development in the global Halal industry, that halal is beyond food and beverages but also of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, logistics and services, the ARMM HID-IATWH saw the need to sit down and work together to come up with a more responsive and realistic halal plans for the ARMM.

Halal, according to Republic Act No. 10817, refers to lawful or permissible under Sharia’h (Islamic Law). But, aside from its religious connotations, ARMM is hoping that stakeholders would look at halal with economic potentials as well that may provide the key to lift the people from poverty.

Govt offers scholarships to 60,000 students in ARMM

(BPI/PIA-10)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Nov. 1 (PIA) --- More than 60,000 students in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will be given the chance to pursue college education, or vocational courses, with the aid of an expanded government scholarship program.

President Rodrigo Duterte spearheaded the launching of the new set of scholarship programs during his first official visit to the seat of the ARMM in the city on October 29.

The scholarships are intended for students from indigent families and form part of the array of anti-poverty programs under President Duterte’s Comprehensive Reform and Development Agenda for the ARMM (CRDA).

The CRDA addresses the high poverty incidence in the region and is expected to boost the existing poverty reduction initiatives under the administration of ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has allotted 3,473 scholarship slots under its Expanded Students Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation in six state universities and colleges in the ARMM.

It targets poor and deserving students in the region to take up priority programs of the CHED and other identified course offerings aligned with the government’s key growth areas. The grantees will receive a total P60,000 every academic year.

CHED Commissioner Prospero De Vera III said the college scholarship program will help the ARMM develop its human capital and advance social protection, which reduces the prevalence of poverty and the vulnerability of certain sectors by ensuring an efficient labor capital.

Meanwhile, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will grant scholarship to 60,000 students in the ARMM who want to take up technical and vocational education and training (TVET) courses. It is part of agency’s Training-for-Work Scholarship Program.

The TVET courses allow students to gain the needed knowledge and skills for existing and in-demand jobs here and abroad.

Retrieved from "http://zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=Autonomous_Region_Muslim_Mindanao_News_November_2016&oldid=972072"