Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao News October 2014

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Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao Archived News
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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.

5 Malaysian companies eye ARMM for oil palm plantation

By Antonio L. Colina IV (Sun.Star Davao)

FIVE Malaysian companies are looking at the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where they can pour in investments for oil palm plantations.

Har Man Ahmad, senior manager Malaysia Trade (Matrade), in a press briefing recently at the Park Inn by Radission Davao, said each company will need at least 5,000 hectares for the oil palm plantation if the plan pushes through.

The official also estimated around 2,000 to 3,000 jobs to be generated per 5,000 hectares, as oil palm plantation is a labor-intensive investment.

He did not disclose how much these companies will pour out, but added these are significant amount of investments.

"The discussion is ongoing because sometimes land issues have to be tackled. We have some limitations that we need to solve," he said of the taxation issue in the Philippines.

During the 2nd Brunei, Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga) and Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), some 50 Malaysian companies joined in the trade fair where they showcased their local goods and services.

Aside from oil palm, Matrade is also looking at investing in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) particularly in the cities of Cagayan and Davao.

The holding of the 2nd BIMP-Eaga and IMT-GT is seen to equip the five country-members of both economic sub-regions for the upcoming Asean Economic Community (AEC) next year.

The AEC next year is seen to make the region as an "economic power" as member countries will not only benefit from borderless trade but also as a single production area of goods and services for the world.

The creation of a single production area in the Asean sub-economic region will boost growth and development among its member countries.

The BIMP-Eaga and IMT-GT will play a key role in the upcoming integration since all five member countries have huge potentials in areas of trade and commerce for agri-business, tourism, and service sectors.

Business leaders coming from across BIMP-Eaga and IMT-GT are prepping up the sub-regions as a single investment area, adding this endeavor is one strategic move as both sub-regions will tap each other's resources to come up with products to be sold within and outside of Asean.

ARMM employees await dialogue on employment status in new Bangsamoro region

By John Unson (philstar.com)

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Career service employees of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) eagerly look forward to a planned dialogue with lawmakers on the status of their employment in relation with the ARMM’s proposed replacement with a new Bangsamoro entity.

Members of the ARMM’s rank-and-file personnel, whose appointments were screened and attested by the Civil Service Commission (CSC), want officials of the commission to participate in the dialogue, too.

Lawyer Laisa Alamia, executive secretary of ARMM, on Thursday said Trade Union Congress of the Philippines Partylist Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza announced here last week that legislators will dialogue with regional officials and employees on employment concerns amid the impending creation of the Bangsamoro outfit based on the final peace compact between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Mendoza was among members of Congress that held consultations last week in Cotabato City and nearby provinces on the legal ramifications of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), the enabling measure for the creation of a Bangsamoro government based on the government-MILF March 27, 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro.

“The supposed meeting was to take place this week. It must have been reset. We are just waiting for a notice toward that end,” Alamia said.

Employees of ARMM’s more than 40 line agencies and support offices, whose functions and powers were devolved by Malacanang to the regional government based on the region’s charter, Republic Act 9054, are apprehensive the transition, from the autonomous region to the MILF-led Bangsamoro government, will render them jobless.

Alamia said while ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman has continuously been assuring regional employees of protection from the CSC, their feelings and sentiments are something beyond the governor’s control.

“Even so, there is overwhelming support for the peace process from the ARMM’s personnel,” Alamia said.

Last week’s congressional consultations on the draft BBL in Central Mindanao were presided over by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chair of the ad-hoc House committee tasked to enact the bill into law.

The ARMM government has no fewer than 30,000 employees, more than half of them working in the region’s Department of Education.

DOH-ARMM tops ‘Ligtas sa Tigdas at Polio’ campaign

(Bureau of Public Information-ARMM)

The Department of Health (DOH) central office declared the health department in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as this year’s best performer in the anti-measles and anti-polio mass vaccination campaign throughout the country.

The region’s Provincial Health Offices accomplished 102 percent in their anti measles and 101 percent in anti-polio immunization campaign.

In data released by the DOH-ARMM as of October 13 this year, 408,746 target infants and children were administered the anti-measles vaccines and 469,660 for anti-polio.

The DOH established the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in 1976 to further strengthen the immunization program as mandated under Republic Act 10152 (Mandatory Infants and Children Health Immunization Act of 2011), which requires all children under five years old to be given the basic immunization.

“Ligtas sa Tigdas at Polio,” a month-long nationwide immunization campaign every September, aims to halt the growing cases of measles and make the Philippines a polio-free country.

It also aims to protect about 13 million Filipino new-borns and five-year old children against measles and rubella and 11 million against polio.

Dr. Kadil Sinolinding, DOH-ARMM secretary, said that among the provinces in the region, Lanao del Sur got the highest percentage performance in both measles and rubella at 118 percent and oral polio vaccination at 117 percent.

Even after the month-long campaign, Dr. Sinolinding said the DOH-ARMM in conduit with local government units will continue its effort to make the region measles and polio-free.

To ascertain that the vaccination drive reaches the target clientele, the health units adopted the door-to-door strategy where the service providers and workers visited the households in coordination with the local government units, non-government organizations, barangay officials, and other health stakeholders.

“Children who did not receive the supplemental dose of measles and polio vaccine can still go to the health centers for the vaccination” said Dr. Sinolinding.

This year, about 2,000 midwives and nurses have been employed to help the health workers in administering immunization to almost one million babies and children across the region.

TESDA-ARMM receives ISO certification

By Apipa P. Bagumbaran (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Oct. 28 (PIA) --- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (TESDA-ARMM) has been awarded the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 certification, making it the first line agency in the ARMM to be granted the prestigious status by the TUV SUD PSB Philippines.

Omar Shariff Jaafar, TESDA-ARMM director, said the ISO recognition was confirmed following the assessment conducted by the ISO third party certifying body last October 16-17, declaring that the agency has satisfactorily complied with the certification requirement.

An ISO 9001 accreditation is granted to private and government organizations that have conformed with the quality management system (QMS) incorporated in their work and service performance.

The QMS is a set of international standard procedures and manuals implemented by the organization in its internal-external and service dealings.

“We tackled everything in the aspects of our human resource competency, documents and records control, customer satisfaction policy, procurement, internal quality control, and our work environment,” he said.

“An ISO certification increases the transparency and accountability while ensuring efficiency in the performance of our functions,” Jaafar added.

In August 2014, the ARMM had invited resource persons from the Development Academy of the Philippines for an orientation on QMS in the government, a move to jumpstart ISO accreditation for its line agencies.

The Hataman administration is keen on promoting quality service, aiming to be at par with other developed regions and the world.

Maguindanao shows off potentials in BIMP-EAGA conference

By John Unson (philstar.com)

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The October 23-26 conference of business leaders from five Asian nations gave Maguindanao province a chance to highlight its investment potentials and the recent improvements in the area’s security landscape, officials said Monday.

Maguindanao is in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which also covers the scattered provinces of Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Lamitan and Marawi.

The 2nd Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Business Leaders’ Conference here last week was attended by traders from member-states of the economic cooperation polygon.

Members of the business sector in Thailand also joined in the conference.

In separate statements, Makmod Mending Jr., ARMM’s agriculture secretary, and Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu both said the activity provided the autonomous region a venue where to disseminate the viability now of investing in its provinces, particularly Maguindanao.

The Maguindanao provincial government displayed “inaul” loom woven cloth, export grade Cavendish bananas, oil palm nuts, nutritious unrefined cane sugar, coffee beans, home decors and bags made of dried water hyacinth stalks at the venue of the conference.

“It was a good chance for us to show that the 36 towns in Maguindanao are now conducive for business projects and that we now have tranquility as a result of the Mindanao peace process,” Mangudadatu said.

Mending said they also exhibited black organic rice, processed coffee, turmeric derivatives, organic bangus (milkfish) and red tilapias products from other provinces of the autonomous region.

Maguindanao is a bastion of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, but there has not been a single military-MILF encounter in the province since 2010.

The government and the MILF forged on March 27, 2014 a final peace compact- the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro.

Mending said the influx of foreign capitalists now putting up oil palm and Cavendish banana farms in Maguindanao is enough proof that the ARMM’s investment climate improved dramatically in the past two years.

The ARMM’s five provinces and two cities generated almost P3 billion worth of investments during the period, according to latest documents obtained from the Regional Board of Investments.

The investment mark up from 2012 to August 2014 was almost a hundred percent higher than what the ARMM generated from 2000 to 2011.

Three private firms spent almost P1 billion for renewable energy facilities in Maguindanao in recent months.

In a video documentary, Maguindanao’s provincial government mentioned of fertile lands and the abundance of rivers that can irrigate farms as among the advantages investors can enjoy if they put up agricultural projects in the province.

The business conference here also involved representatives from the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle, also a transnational economic partnership.

The BIMP-EAGA was established in 1994 through the efforts of then President Fidel Ramos, one of the special guests to the event, held at a local venue.

Ramos told reporters the economic cooperation among the BIMP-EAGA member-states is a good model of international trading partnership.

He said the BIMP-EAGA can be a strong trading partner by any country, or international business organizations in any part of the world.

“It is now a great challenge for all (BIMP-EAGA) member countries to improve the business opportunities and industries they can offer to their trading partners,” Ramos said.

The latest BIMP-EAGA event was in preparation for next year’s adoption of the "Association of Southeast Asian Nations' Integration," which aims to establish stronger economic connectivity among ASEAN member-countries

The integration program shall be centered on easy import-export flow, improvement of services and skilled labor and to encourage cross-border investments.

Protection of ARMM employees urged

By MART D. SAMBALUD (davaotoday.com)

COTABATO CITY—“There is no specific provision in the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that recognizes the promotion of the welfare and protection of security of tenure of regular employees.”

During a public hearing and consultation here last October 23.

Datu Roonie Sinsuat, regional assembly speaker from Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) also said that the BBL suffers “constitutional issues” specifically on matters concerning labor rights and welfare of employees.

He cited BBL’s Article XVI Section 9 which emphasized the “gradual phasing out” of ARMM offices, “without regard to pertinent Civil Service law and rules.”

“Although the government will provide benefits and entitlements, the provisions in the BBL, however, are general and vague and are inconsistent with the applicable laws on separation of employees,” he said.

Sinsuat said the government must provide the necessary mechanism to protect the workers, especially the present employees in ARMM.

“Those who are tenured and competent employees should be accorded preferential right in the appointment of new employees for the Bangsamoro government,” said Sinsuat.

He added that “those who would be forced to resign due to abolition of their positions or separated from services should be given severance pay aside from the computation of their earned leave and other benefits in lump sum.”

Meanwhile, the government peace panel will create a composite team that will coordinate the preparations and ensure a smooth process for the projected transition of government functions from ARMM to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).

In an interview with Davao Today, Atty. Anna Tarhata Basman, head of the GPH (Government of the Philippines) Legal Team, said the BTA will serve as the interim government prior to the establishment of the Bangsamoro and the assumption of its elected leaders in 2016.

In a statement, GPH’s Coronel-Ferrer said “the crafting of a clear transition plan for ARMM employees is in the agenda of said composite team,” adding that “the Civil Service Commission and other relevant agencies will be consulted to ensure a smooth transition.”

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles also said that “civil service rules will be followed and civil service eligibilities and entitlements of ARMM employees will be respected during the transition phase from ARMM to the Bangsamoro government.

“We imagine that there may be some reorganization of the governmental structures in consonance with the proposed ministerial form (of government of the Bangsamoro),” Deles said.

ARMM celebrates Amon Jaded

By John Unson (philstar.com)

COTABATO CITY - The country's Muslim community celebrated Saturday the Islamic New Year “Amon Jaded,” a non-working holiday in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The holiday also covered areas outside of ARMM including Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, in parts of the Zamboanga peninsula and in the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Iligan, Marawi, Pagadian and Zamboanga.

The Amon Jaded marks the first day of Muharram, the first month in the lunar-based Islamic Hijrah calendar.

ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman declared Saturday a non-working holiday, based on his authority to declare regional holidays.

The month of Muharram comes after the Hajj season, where Muslims that can afford the cost of travel perform the pilgrimage to Makkah in Saudi Arabia as a religious obligation.

ARMM joins 22nd National Children’s Month celebration

(Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Oct. 24 (PIA) --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) joins the nation in celebrating the 22nd National Children’s Month this October, cognizant of the importance of children’s role in the family, community, and the society as they, too, in their tender age and early capacities partake of the tasks in nation building.

“I do hope that this year’s celebration could open our minds for the urgent need to make our children live to its essence and meaning as an important foundation of the Bangsamoro society,” said Bai Rahima Datumanong-Alba, assistant secretary for operations of the Department of Social Welfare and Development – ARMM.

This year’s theme “Bata Kasali Ka, Ikaw ay Mahalaga” highlights children’s participation in decision-making so they can develop and enhance their potentials that could lend to their upbringing as future good leaders and the advancement of their physical, mental, and social well-being.

Children’s participation in decision-making within the family is one of the rights of children stated in Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

“Indeed, the children are one source of the ARMM’s strength, stability, and strength,” Alba said.

Meanwhile, DSWD-ARMM is conducting series of activities and programs for the promotion of the rights and welfare of children in the region during the month-long celebration.

The events substantiate and give meaning to the provision of Presidential Proclamation No. 267 declaring the month of October as national celebration month for children so they can be further acquainted with their vital roles in nation building through activities and exposures that meaningfully impart to them the values integral to the process of maturity.

Top security officials to ‘face the people’ in Sulu

(ME)

SULU – Top Philippine military and police officials will have their hands full when they attend a public dialogue Friday in Sulu province to answer all allegations that authorities facilitated the payments of ransom to Abu Sayyaf militants in exchange for the release of two kidnapped German tourists.

The dialogue was the offshoot of a meeting on Monday by representatives of various civil society groups and different sectors with Sulu Gov. Toto Tan, who heads the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and its special ad hoc crisis committee handling the hostage crisis.

Among those expected to attend the dialogue are top officials from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) and they are expected to answer questions regarding the October 17 release of Stefan Viktor Okonek, 71, and Henrike Diesen, 55, in exchange for P250 million ransom.

The ransom negotiations and release of the foreigners were so secretive that the military did not even inform the PPOC and the crisis committee about it. Up to now, the AFP and PNP have not submitted a report to the PPOC.

Gov. Tan said the PPOC and the crisis committee only learned about the release of the hostages after the media broke out the news. “We were not informed about that the hostages were already rescued and it was only through media reports that we became aware that they were rescued Friday night and (already) in the custody of the Armed Forces (of the Philippines),” he said.

The military strongly insisted that no ransom was paid for the release of two German nationals and even dared anyone to come up with evidence that ransom had been paid to the Abu Sayyaf.

An Abu Sayyaf spokesman, Abu Rami, told Radio Mindanao Network in Zamboanga City, that they freed the two German yachters after getting the P250 million ransoms. The hostages were recovered by policemen, but were whisked away by soldiers and brought to a military base in Jolo town and not even the local mayor was told about the release of the Germans.

The duo was heading to Sabah in Malaysia on a private yacht from a holiday in Palawan province when militants who were returning to the southern Philippines from a failed kidnapping in Sabah spotted the Germans and seized them on April 25.

According to sources, leaders of civil society and sectoral groups in Sulu are preparing their position papers which they would submit – through Gov. Tan – to AFP Chief of Staff General Gregorio Catapang and PNP Director General Alan Purisima.

Provincial legislators and mayors are also expected to pass a separate resolution in connection with the military’s action that totally ignored civilian authorities when it hid information of the hostages’ release which was cloak in secrecy.

Sources said the position papers may also include suggestions and measures to improve the organizational structures on public order and law enforcement operations that would likely involved participation of community leaders to help authorities curb criminality in the province.

Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, a military spokesman, insisted the foreigners were freed by their kidnappers due to pressure exerted by security forces – a line which the military have used many times in previous release of foreign hostages by the Abu Sayyaf.

“Just wondering if anyone here personally saw the P250 million cold cash in the hands of Abu Sayyaf? Let’s not believe the word of Abu Rami as if he is Jesus Christ. Di na natin mababawi ang ating pinagsasabi kung mali tayo. Unless, may magsabi dito saksi sya mismo nag abot si Mr You ng pera kay Mr Abu, walang nakakasiguro,” he said in a reaction to Facebook commentaries by “netizens” on the reported payment of ransoms to the Abu Sayyaf.

Sources in Sulu said a private jet delivered 12 trolley bags containing ransoms in Jolo and that several bags full of money had been left in the plane.

Cabunoc branded the Abu Sayyaf statement as “propaganda” and even cited allegations in the past against the military that it delivered ransom to the militant group to buy the freedom of hostages in Basilan province in 2001. He said the military does not negotiate with terrorists.

“Well, I’m used to shooting terrorists. We don’t negotiate with those bastards when I was in the frontline. Soldiers like me have died fighting these bandits. Masakit din sa kalooban namin kung gawan ng kwentong ganyan. Kasuhan nyo kung sino may kasalanan. Kahit naman siguro kayo, kung nahuhusgahan sa social media ay di rin matutuwa kung pagtatawanan. Patas lang po. Tinatawanan din tayo ng mga Abu Sayyaf at ng mga kurakot at tiwali na dahilan di maubos ubos ang mga iyan,” said Cabunoc, who was previously assigned in Basilan where he fought the Abu Sayyaf.

It was unknown what role the military played in the ransom negotiations, but Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan, a spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said: “The AFP has no information on that (ransom payments) but suffice to say that the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other security forces do not and will not negotiate with terrorists and kidnappers.”

The release of the Germans came hours after security forces launched an operation in an effort to capture Abu Sayyaf militants holding foreign hostages in Sulu. Officials said police and military, armed with arrest warrants, are presently intensifying law enforcement operations against the Abu Sayyaf, which recently pledged allegiance to ISIS.

The military said the Abu Sayyaf gunmen are hiding in civilian communities and have moved their hostages from different hideouts and making it extremely difficult for security forces to track them down of rescue them.

Another Abu Sayyaf faction also threatened to kill Malaysian fish breeder Chan Sai Chuin, 32, who was kidnapped along with a Filipino worker on June 16 this year from a fish farm in the town of Kunak in Tawau District. The militants are demanding 3 million ringgits (P41 million) for the safe release of the fish breeder.

It is also holding captive a Malaysian policeman Kons Zakiah Aleip, 26, who was seized on June 12 also this year following a clash in Sabah that killed another policeman. The militants are demanding 5 million ringgits (P68.3 million).

The militants are still holding hostage a 64-year old Japanese treasure hunter Katayama Mamaito, who was kidnapped from Pangutaran Island in July 2010; and two European wildlife photographers Ewold Horn, 52, from Holland; and Lorenzo Vinciguerre, 47, from Switzerland, who were taken captive in the coastal village of Parangan in Panglima Sugala town in the southern Tawi-Tawi province in 2012. And several Filipinos kidnapped in other provinces and brought to Sulu.

Priests, nuns in Jolo now being guarded by police, soldiers from Abu Sayyaf

By Julie Alipala (Inquirer Mindanao)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Priests, nuns and lay leaders in Jolo, Sulu, are now being guarded and placed under close monitoring by police and military authorities to keep them safe from the Abu Sayyaf and other lawless elements, according to Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo.

Quevedo, who heads the Catholic diocese of Cotabato, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer here on Tuesday that the measure was welcomed by the Catholic Church as a precautionary move against kidnappings of, and attacks against priests, nuns and lay leaders on the island-province.

“They are always guarded within Jolo and their movements are monitored by the military,” he said.

Monsignor David Alonzo, spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Zamboanga, said eight priests, nuns, and missionaries, headed by Bishop Angelito Lampon of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, have been working in Sulu.

Quevedo and Lampon belong to the same religious order.

Alonzo said members of the religious community in Sulu, directly under the Archdiocese of Zamboanga, knew the dangers and the risks there.

“We have nuns and brothers in different congregations and convents in Sulu and assigned in some schools. They are aware of the situation there,” he said.

Quevedo said another precautionary measure the Catholic Church has taken was to prohibit priests and other members of the religious community from venturing into areas outside of Jolo.

“Another policy is that they are not allowed to move out of the town of Jolo,” he said.

While precautionary measures have been taken, Quevedo said the safety of members of the religious community in Sulu could not be ensured 100 percent.

“One cannot be completely assured of safety. Anything can really happen and so again, vigilance, caution about their movement and even cautious in the house itself,” he said.

According to Alonzo, lawless elements hardly touch priests and nuns these days but previous experiences showed that they were not safe from harm.

On December 28, 1990, Fr. Benjamin Inocencio, OMI, was shot behind the Jolo Cathedral.

The Abu Sayyaf was tagged in the Nov. 14, 1993 kidnapping of American missionary Charles Watson in Sulu. He was released less than one month later.

There was also the 1993 abduction of three Spanish nuns in Jolo.

In 1997, American priest, Fr. Clarence Bertelsman, was also abducted in Jolo.

On February 4, 1997, Jolo Bishop Ben de Jesus was killed in an attack just outside the same cathedral when two gunmen shot him at close range. He had six bullet wounds, one in the head.

ARMM pursues the Comprehensive School Health Policy

(pbchangco/PIA Cotabato City)

COTABATO CITY, Oct. 21 (PIA) ---As part of its commitment to improve health and school performance, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) regional government and the Department of Education (DepEd) push for the expansion of the Essential Health Care Program (EHCP).

EHCP is a school-based health program component of the Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BEAM-ARMM) managed by DepEd in partnership with the Australian Government (AusAid).

As DepEd’s flagship school health program, EHCP is being implemented by Duetsche Gesellschaft for Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GMbH and Fit for School, Inc. in 255 elementary schools in the autonomous region benefitting 125,000 school children.

Anchored on the prevention aspect against common hygiene-related ailments among school children such as coughs and colds, diarrhea and worm infections, under the EHCP schools undertake simple and low-cost interventions including daily proper hand washing with soap, daily brushing of the teeth with fluoride toothpaste and deworming activity twice a year.

In the BEAM-ARMM’s EHCP, GIZ, through its NGO Fit for School, Inc., provides technical assistance, capacity building, and training to school officials, health personnel and other stakeholders to ensure efficient and effective management and operation of the program.

Melf Kuehl of GIZ , while acknowledging noted existing challenges, expressed satisfaction over the implementation of the program in targeted schools particularly in providing health care facilities such as clean and safe water, comfort rooms and lavatories.

“So far so good, although there are still challenges in terms of enhancing program management and operation that needs to be addressed for long-term sustainability,” he said.

In pursuit of achieving improved health and education outcomes, DepEd-ARMM Regional Secretary Jamar Kulayan has committed some P1.6 million for the provision of primary healthcare facilities in 255 schools under the expanded EHCP.

Kulayan noted the decrease in the prevalence of intestinal diseases among school children by 30% while 50% decrease in intestinal worms with the enhanced advocacy on personal hygiene specifically on the practice of daily proper hand washing with soap and brushing of teeth in public schools.

As this developed, six EHCP implementing schools have been awarded special citation including the Kauran Elementary School in Maguindanao, Barith Elementary School and Ganassi Elementary School in Lanao del Sur, Bato-Bato Central Elementary School in Tawi-Tawi and Harat Medina Central Elementary School in Marawi City, while the Sarmiento West Elementary School in Parang, Maguindanao as the best ARMM EHCP implementing school for this year.


OWWA names MOFYA winners in ARMM

By Oliver Ross V. Rivera (ORVRivera-PIA12)

COTABATO CITY, Oct 20 (PIA) – The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao announced last week the winners for this year’s Model OFW Family of the Year Awards (MOFYA).

OWWA-ARMM OIC Habib Malik identified the winners as Engr. Elias M. Ote of Marawi City for the land based category and seafarer Umal Lamalan for the sea based category.

Malik added, Ote and Lamalan bested three other nominees in their respective categories.

Other nominees for this year’s search were Reza Cyrus Mariwa of Sulu, Murtaza Hussin of Tawi-Tawi for the land based category, and Jacob Yusop of Tawi-Tawi for the sea based category.

Malik said Ote and Lamalan will represent ARMM in the national search for MOFYA.

“MOFYA is an annual event of OWWA aimed at recognizing OFW’s exemplary role in family affairs with outstanding community service contribution and financial stability,” Malik said.

The MOFYA 2014 regional winners were thoroughly screened based on the following criteria: Wholesome OFW Family, Civic/Community Involvement of the OFW and Family, Success in OFW/Children’s/Family Members Education, and Success in Managing Family Finances.

Last year, the family of Engr. Esmael M. Maulana of Rajah Buayan, Maguindanao was hailed as the national winner of the coveted MOFYA award for the land based category.

The regional screening committee was composed of Rowena B. Legara, Operations Officer, Banco de Oro-Cotabato City, Rosanna L. Lim, Branch Manager, BPI, Elizar Manuel of Globe Telecom, Dr. Norodin D. Salam, Dean CBPA Cotabato City State Polytechnic College, Prof. Hashim B. Manticayan, Regional Manager of Bangsamoro Development Agency, Ma. Catherine Gasa, Executive Director, Kaagapay OFW Resource Center, Inc., Dr. Mohammadtaha S. Pendaliday, Vice president for admin and finance, CCSPC and DOLE ARMM Chief LEO & PSD Emran G. Mohamad.

DOH-ARMM to address iodine deficiency disorder

(Bureau of Public Information)

The Department of Health’s Regional Nutrition Committee (DOH-RNC) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will soon launch the Regional Bantay Asin Task Force (RBATF) to implement and monitor the National Salt Iodization Program of the national government as discussed in a forum held in Cotabato City.

RBATF Coordinator Celia Sagaral said a regional core team will be created to effect the implementation of the program following positive response and support to the health program from partner agencies in a provincial form held recently in Zamboanga City, participated-in by RNC focal persons from the island-provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

“There is a need to strengthen the awareness campaign on the prevention of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) through use and consumption of iodized salt instead of our coarse salts,” Sagaral said.

Iodine, a mineral that is an essential component of thyroid hormones is vital in the development of the brain and central nervous system.

Iodine deficiency results to hypothyroidism or the common enlargement of the thyroid known as goiter.

In the 2008 National Nutrition Survey by the Foods and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), 19.7 percent of Filipino children fall low on Urinary Iodine Excretion (UIE) level which is indicative of a public health problem.

Ironically, ARMM ranks fifth in IDD, despite abundance in aquamarine resources such as seaweeds and other sea foods.

“The RBATF as supported by Republic Act 8172 known as the Asin Law will reinforce the campaign for consumers to utilize iodize salt while encouraging local producers to include iodine in their produce,” said Sagaral.

Engaging government line agencies — the Departments of Trade and Industry (DTI), Science and Technology, the Interior and Local Government, Social Welfare and Development, Education and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)—will enable RBATF to monitor and regulate the local supplies.

Joining DOH-RNC in promoting iodized salt, are the health advocates from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) who will provide inputs as to the qualitative advantage of iodine-based products.

A joint RBATF assembly is expected to formally launch and establish a fully operational task force to be spearheaded by the regional government and the regional nutrition council of DOH-ARMM.

Bangsamoro must prove itself better than ARMM–British envoy

By Allan Nawal, Charlie Señase (Inquirer Mindanao)

COTABATO CITY – The proposed Bangsamoro regional setup for Mindanao must demonstrate its capability to be a substantial improvement over the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao if it wants mass-based support, British Ambassador Asif Ahmad said Friday.

Speaking to reporters in the course of his visit to the ARMM, Ahmad said the establishment of the new political entity would make no difference unless it is able to provide for such basic needs as livelihood, education, food, shelter, transport, communications, infrastructure, and security for its people.

“Let’s make use of the gains achieved in the peace talks by implementing the provisions therein for the greater good,” he said.

Ahmad said the success of the Bangsamoro’s enhanced autonomy could also serve as a model for other regions espousing autonomy and federalism.

In a media statement furnished the Inquirer, presidential peace adviser Teresita Quintos-Deles said the recent activation of the Bangsamoro Coordination Forum (BCF), which involves the MILF and the Moro National Liberation Front, was a welcome development that would ensure the success of the Bangsamoro entity.

“This is a positive and very welcome development especially at this juncture of the peace process when the Bangsamoro Basic Law is being deliberated in Congress. We are talking of the same territory and the same people; as such it is good to know that the MILF and MNLF have agreed to consolidate their efforts for peace and development so that all of these can be integrated in the BBL,” Deles said.

The BCF, which aims to provide a venue to thresh out issues and concerns confronting the Bangsamoro people, including finding common ground for the peace agreements signed separately by the MNLF and the MILF with the government, was put up by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation following its latest meeting with representatives of the two erstwhile rebel groups in Jeddah last June.

It was agreed under the terms of the BCF that the MILF and the MNLF would consolidate their efforts “towards achieving the Bangsamoro people’s aspiration for a just political solution and lasting peace and inclusive development; and conduct consultations with other sectors of the Bangsamoro society including the Ulama.”

“We look forward to the participation of both the MILF and MNLF in the establishment of the Bangsamoro,” Deles said.

DepEd-ARMM to screen 6,000 teachers

By John Unson (philstar.com)

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – The education department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has started screening 6,000 teachers enlisted by past administrations despite having questionable teaching licenses.

Lawyer Jamar Kulayan, regional secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) in the autonomous region, on Friday said the effort is in line with the administrative reforms being initiated by ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman to streamline and professionalize the personnel structure of the agency.

Kulayan said he had summoned, on Hataman’s order, 6,000 teachers for a revalidation of their licenses from the Professional Regulation Commission due to perceived irregularities.

Kulayan and Hataman had earlier removed thousands of “ghost teachers” from the old payrolls of DepEd-ARMM, which resulted to the generation of P800 million-worth of savings from the agency’s 2012 and 2013 budget.

The DepEd-ARMM originally had more than 25,000 teachers in old rosters, many of them absentee workers bereft of authentic teaching licenses.

“We have directed the teachers with seemingly questionable licenses to report to the DepEd-ARMM regional office to prove that they have valid teaching licenses,” Kulayan said.

The teachers Kulayan summoned are assigned in far-flung towns in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, which are both in mainland Mindanao, and in the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

P100 million to turn port into special econ zone

By A. Perez Rimando

PARANG, Maguindanao—The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has allocated P100 million for the conversion of Polloc Free Port here into a special economic zone to help spur development of the area, a port official said on Tuesday.

Mimbalawag Mangutara, port manager, said the development plans include construction of perimeter fence, a control tower, a warehouse complex, a power generator building and docking area.

“The economic zone will certainly uplift the business climate in ARMM where domestic and foreign investments will later generate jobs for our constituents,” Mangutara said.

A big portion of free port has been occupied by squatters. But the ARMM has purchased a 12-hectare site where they will be relocated.

Leaders of squatters families have signed a memorandum of agreement with town officials and port officers on their scheduled relocation. They were assured of basic amenities such as water, electricity and community service roads.

Mangutara said several investors have “signified their interest to put up business in the area as soon as the rehabilitation and development works are completed.”

“The economic zone will certainly uplift the business climate in ARMM where domestic and foreign investments will later generate jobs for our constituents,” Mangutara said.

ARMM celebrates global handwashing day

By John Unson (philstar.com)

Jamar Kulayan, regional education secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (2nd from right), leads representatives of foreign organizations and local school children in Wednesday's symbolic program highlighting the ARMM's observance of the Global Handwashing Day. John Unson

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Public officials and representatives of international entities providing quality education to Moro school children led Wednesday’s observance of the Global Handwashing Day in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Jamar Kulayan, ARMM’s education secretary, and representatives from the Australian Aid and the Deutsche Gesellschaft Fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), led school children in separate handwashing events at the regional government compound here and in a public school in Barangay Landasan in Parang, Maguindanao.

A delegation from the office of Education Secretary Armin Luistro and officials of the Fit for School, Inc. also joined in the two activities, capped off with the launching of an expanded, comprehensive health program for ARMM’s school children.

The ARMM covers Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, which are both in mainland Mindanao, and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

The expanded health program for school children will be jointly implemented by the ARMM government, which will construct handwashing facilities in 255 selected schools in the region, and foreign entities implementing education programs benefiting Moro communities.

One of the highlights in Wednesday’s observance of the Global Handwashing Day in the autonomous region was an inspection, by regional education officials and their counterparts from international organizations, of the Sarmiento West Elementary School in Parang.

The school was adjudged as best implementer of the government’s Essential Health Care Program (EHCP) for children.

"The program aims to protect our school children from communicable diseases that can be prevented through proper hygiene," Kulayan said.

The expansion of the EHCP throughout the region is part of the school health component of the Basic Education Assistance of Muslim Mindanao (BEAM), which is being bankrolled by the Australian government.

The implementation of BEAM’s health components involves Germany’s GIZ and other cooperating entities.

Kulayan said the EHCP aims to provide low-cost, but effective health interventions for school children such as periodic deworming, regular handwashing with soap and daily brushing of teeth.

Almost 10,000 flood-affected families get help from ARMM

(Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/PIA-10)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Oct. 14 (PIA) --- The Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM-HEART) provided relief assistance on October 10, to almost 10,000 families affected by flood in the 11 barangays in Sultan Kudarat town, Maguindanao.

An Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) that hovered over Mindanao this week brought heavy rainfall, causing flood in several areas. The weather condition was exacerbated by Super Typhoon Ompong (international name Vongfong), though it did not directly hit the country.

ARMM governor Mujiv Hataman and Sultan Kudarat mayor Shamem Mastura led the distribution of relief goods to some of the flood-affected residents early morning Friday despite the downpour.

ARMM-HEART has distributed a total of 1,500 sacks of relief goods, catering close to 10,000 families.

The 11 affected barangays include Bulalo, Salimbao, Kalsada, Banubo, Katuli, Molaug, Gang,Makagiling, Limbo, Sinditan and Lower Rebuken, all considered flood-prone. Several families had to move either to the temporary shelters provided by the local government or stayed with relatives in other parts of the town.

Hataman said a long-term solution to the perennial flooding in the area must get underway.

He said a flood-control proposal, which includes the construction of dikes and tributary diversions, crafted by the region’s Department of Public Works and Highways and endorsed to the Mindanao Development Authority has been submitted to the national government for funding and implementation.

PFDA to open fish ports in seven ARMM towns

By A. Perez Rimando

LAMITAN CITY, Basilan --- The Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) will constructs fish ports in seven coastal towns of the Autonomous Regions in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to propel economic growth in the area, a senior fisheries official said on Sunday.

PFDA General Manager Eduardo Chu said the fish ports, which will cost P185 million, will be built in Lamitan City and Sumipsip in Basilan, Parang in Sulu, Marawi City in Lanao del Sur, Buluan and Mangudadatu in Maguindanao, and Panglima Sugala in Tawi-Tawi.

“We expect the project to help uplift the living conditions of the region’s Muslim sub-tribes such as Yakans, Maranaos, Tausugs, Maguindanaons, Iranons and Samals,” Chu said.

The fish ports were supported by feasibility studies and the winning bids will be announced before the end of 2014. The ports, which will employ more than 500 workers, will handle more than 25 metric tons of marine products daily.

Once completed, the ports will be turned over to local government units for management, supervision and administration. The employees will be trained on port operation and maintenance.

ARMM workers’ fate up in the air

By Maricel Cruz

CSC unsure 23,000 employees can keep their jobs

THE Civil Service Commission has admitted that it is powerless in the eventuality that most, if not all, of the 23,000 employees of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will find themselves jobless once the Bangsamoro political entity has been put in place.

CSC Commissioner Robert Martinez made the admission before the House ad hoc committee deliberating on the Bangsamoro Basic Law and said the passage of the law removes the assurance of security of tenure for ARMM employees.

Once the new local government that will replace the existing Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao is in place, that may mean that some, if not all, ARMM offices may be abolished and it can adopt its own standards in the selection of its employees.

But Martinez clarified that affected employees may apply for other positions if their posts and offices would be abolished. Of the 23,000 ARMM employees, 18,000 of these are teachers, he said.

Martinez’ admission supported the finding of the Senate committee on local governments during a public forum at the Notre Dame University in Cotabato City that ARMM workers may be displaced in the new Bangsamoro government bureaucracy.

Dr. Pearlisa Dans, chairperson of Regional Executives and Assistant Secretary of Armm, said that around ARMM personnel are concerned about the effect of the law’s passage on their jobs although the matter is being discussed by a transition committee.

But Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., chairman of the Senate committee on local governments, said the rights of state workers will be considered in the crafting of the BBL.

“[State workers] cannot just be removed or replaced unceremoniously without a CSC directive,” Marcos said.

Marcos assured various stakeholders that the Senate will listen intently to all views and recommendations pertaining to the BBL.

“We are now getting into the details of this proposed law and we want to make sure that at the end of this process, the committee will be able to report out a measure that would ensure just and lasting peace in Mindanao,” Marcos said.

“It is our role to study all of these details so that we can achieve our goal of bringing about lasting peace not only in Mindanao but also for the country,” Marcos said.

“The Senate will have to decide with prudence on what’s best for the Bangsamoro without prejudice to other Filipino citizens,” Marcos said, noting that the BBL is also crucial and essential for all Mindanao inhabitants.

He said the Senate will ensure that the provisions of the BBL witll jibe with existing laws “with probably some modifications from the existing Local Government Code under an envisioned ministerial form of government.”

Moreover, Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, head of the government panel that negotiated the peace pact that will give birth to the BBL, said the abolition of offices would happen gradually and employees to be affected will be given compensation.

Another government negotiator, Senen Bacani, said the possible displacement of jobs is “not the intention of the BBL” and the leadership that will replace ARMM will not allow workers to lose their jobs.

During the Senate hearing, Marcos said concerns were also raised on the annexation to Bangsamoro of 39 barangays of North Cotabato and on the possibility of gerrymandering the new parliamentary districts.

Under the draft BBL, the 39 barangays in the towns of Kabacan, Carmen, Aleosan, Pigkawayan, Pikit, and Midsayap in North Cotabato that voted for inclusion in the ARMM will be considered Bangsamoro core territories.

But North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou J. Taliño-Mendoza noted that some of the barangays are not even contiguous to Bangsamoro territories.

Moreover, Mendoza exprssed concern that the BBL allows a barangay to choose to join the Bangsamoro even if it is not even contiguous with Bangsamoro territory.

If the province where that barangay is located has peace and order problems, it will be stymied in helping out the barangay even if if it is geographically within the province, Mendoza said.

Marcos said there were indeed “gray areas” in the bill and these also need to be threshed out with stakeholders.

“It is very unusual for us to be constrained by a previous agreement, therefore the committee also seeks guidance from various stakeholders on how to address administrative and technical concerns raised by some sectors,” he said.

Thousands displaced by floods in Maguindanao, Lanao

By Alexis Romero, John Unson, Jennifer Rendon (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - Over 45,000 people were affected by flashfloods spawned by heavy rains in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said yesterday.

The NDRRMC said Barangays Mulaog, Makagiling, Gang, Limbo, Sinditan, Bulaog, Banubo, Kalsada, Bulalo and Katuli in Sultan Kudarat and Tariken, Namuken, Kikir and Simuay in Sultan Mastura town were inundated.

Floods also damaged two bridges in Buldon town. A highway in Sultan Kudarat was not passable to light vehicles as of Thursday night.

The regional disaster risk reduction and management council is assessing the extent of the damage.

Classes were suspended yesterday in Sultan Kudarat, Datu Piang and Northern Kabuntalan.

Local disaster management officials, the military and civilian rescue teams started distributing food packs to affected residents yesterday.

Meanwhile, classes in two cities and 14 towns in Iloilo were suspended due to flooding caused by Typhoon Ompong.

The towns of Ajuy, Tigbauan, Banate, Pavia, Barotac Viejo, Dumangas, Sta. Barbara, Calinog, Maasin, Oton, Alimodian, Bingawan, Dueñas, San Joaquin and Iloilo and Passi cities were affected.


ARMM holds farmers forum in Lanao del Sur

(Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10)

MARAWI CITY, Oct. 10 (PIA) ---- Around 4,000 farmers from Lanao del Sur attended a forum to help improve government support to the agriculture sector in the province.

The farmers’ forum, organized by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DAF-ARMM) and the Anak Mindanao (AMIN) Partylist, was held at the Provincial Capitol Gym here Thursday, October 9.

ARMM Agriculture Secretary Macmod Mending said the forum was designed to help officials identify the concerns of farmers in the province and assist them access government support

DAF-ARMM also distributed P10.7 million worth of farm inputs and equipment to the farmers under the government’s Agri-Pinoy program.

The equipment, worth P6.1 million, included 10 units of thresher, 21 units of rice cutter and 1 combine harvester. The farm inputs consisted of 2,599 bags of rice seeds and 1,535 bags of corn seeds valued at around P4.6 million.

Farmer Gafaar Dorowan, 64, of Piagapo town, was delighted and said the assistance will help increase their yield in the next cropping season.

“We are thankful to the ARMM and the national government for providing support to farmers like us,” he said.

AMIN Partylist Rep. Sitti Djalia Hataman, ARMM Vice-Gov. Haroun Alrashid Lucman, Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong, Jr., Mending and Abdulrashid Ladayo, Sr., administrator of ARMM’s Cooperative Development Authority, were present during the forum and led the distribution of agricultural inputs and machineries to the farmers.

The ARMM, composed of the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Marawi and Lamitan, is among the country’s top producers of crops such as rice, cassava, corn, coffee and oil palm, and fruits like lanzones, mangosteen and durian.

Senators see BBL passage by April

By Ali G. Macabalang

Cotabato City – Senators Teofisto Guingona III and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. held here on Wednesday their first field committee hearing on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) with both expressing optimism that the measure will be passed by Congress in April next year.

Marcos and Guingona, chairmen of the Senate committees on local governments and peace, reconciliation and unification, respectively, interacted with local leaders and stakeholders from the core areas of the proposed Bangsamoro geo-political entity for about nine hours at Notre Dame University (NDU) gym.

North Cotabato Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza presented issues and concerns on the fate of the 39 villages in her province which would be absorbed by the new entity.

“We have yet to be clarified about our constituents’ sentiments,” Mendoza told the hearing.

Incumbent officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) represented at the hearing by Regional Vice Governor Haroun Al-Rashid Lucman submitted an eight-point position paper, which stated among others, their commitment to a smooth transition to Bangsamoro governance.

Former Maguindanao District Rep. Simeon Datumanong said Congress should also review the contents of the 1976 and 1997 peace accords of the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that enabled the creation of the autonomous regions including ARMM.

Datumanong, a former House deputy speaker and secretary of justice and public works, said the state’s peace deals with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that brought forth four accords and the BBL are parts of the “peace process (that) already spanned six Philippine presidents” since 1973.

He said Congress should address the MNLF’s perception that it is being left out in the government’s dealings with the MILF.

Datumanong also said that representatives of the MNLF should be allowed to participate in the Bangsamoro governance through election.

Once enacted into law, the BBL would establish the Bangsamoro region and will absorb ARMM’s component provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and the cities of Marawi and Lamitan as well as six towns in Lanao del Norte and 39 villages in North Cotabato.

Marcos said they would conduct similar committee hearings for stakeholders from Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Lanao del Norte this month.

Other issues raised at the joint committee hearing here were the preservation of the rights of indigenous people and non-Muslim residents of the proposed region and the protection of career personnel of ARMM to be affected in transition to the Bangsamoro entity.

Marcos and Guingona said they launched their marathon committee hearings while the Senate is in recess to be able to expedite the passage of the BBL possibly by April 15 next year.

10,000 people affected by Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao flooding

By Dennis Arcon (InterAksyon.com)

MAGUINDANAO - At least 10 barangays of Sultan Kudarat in the province of Maguindanao are under floodwater after Wednesday's day-long rains.

The number of people affected by the flooding could reach as many as 10,000, Sultan Kudarat Mayor Datu Shamem Mastura estimated.

The local government officials said residents opted to stay put despite the rising waters, which partially inundated many houses, including barangay halls and health centers as well as schools situated in low-lying areas.

The flow of vehicular traffic in Sultan Kudarat was severely affected.

Meanwhile, in Cotabato City, Association of Barangay Chairmen President Abdillah Lim said that village watchmen have been deployed to monitor the low-lying areas especially those situated near the Rio Grande Mindanao River, which is prone to overflow its banks after rainy spells.

Early in the day, the City Mayor's office announced the suspension of classes due to inclement weather conditions.

ARMM gov denies recruitment of Mindanao students into Isis

(Inquirer Mindanao)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) denied reports that students from Mindanao have been recruited to join the Islamic State.

“The reports are pure speculation and have no basis,” Hataman said in a phone interview.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro earlier said that he heard that militants have penetrated schools in Mindanao to recruit students to join the fighting but admitted then that he did not know any particular school that had confirmed ISIS activities.

ARMM, through its Bureau of Public Information, said even the various concerned agencies on the ground and communities have not received any confirmed reports about the existence and recruitment of ISIS in the region.

“As of this time, we have not received any confirmed information about the existence of ISIS and its recruitment in ARMM,” said Amir Mawallil, information office director of ARMM.

DepEd ARMM Secretary Jamar Kulayan, in a separate phone interview, supported Hataman’s statement adding that even the school officials have not noticed any activities related to the ISIS.

Jamar expressed confidence that ARMM schools have remained safe zones of peace.

Tawi-Tawi’s Agal-Agal Festival lures tourists

By Rosalie Matilac (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

A “PANGALAY” dancer dressed in a traditional “biyatawi” (fitted blouse) and “sawwal” (loose trousers) leads the street dancing of the Bongao delegation during the 41st Kamahardikaan Festival in Tawi-Tawi province. The backdrop is the “sambulayang,” or colorful flags that traditionally decorate native boats, like the lepa.

A “PANGALAY” dancer dressed in a traditional “biyatawi” (fitted blouse) and “sawwal” (loose trousers) leads the street dancing of the Bongao delegation during the 41st Kamahardikaan Festival in Tawi-Tawi province. The backdrop is the “sambulayang,” or colorful flags that traditionally decorate native boats, like the lepa.

Kamahardikaan is the celebration of the birth of Tawi-Tawi province, which was separated from Sulu province on Sept. 27, 1973. Thus, every September, the air in Bongao town, the capital, is filled with a palpable excitement akin to the Christmas rush familiar to many of us.

This year, the weeklong celebration of Kamahardikaan included a photo exhibit competition, the Miss Tawi-Tawi beauty contest, motocross and the annual fluvial parade, but one of the main highlights was the Agal-Agal Festival on Sept. 25.

Since Tawi-Tawi is the country’s major producer of “agal-agal,” or powdered seaweed extract, the festival aimed to promote Tawi-Tawi as the “Seaweed Capital of the Philippines” since the tourism-generating activity was first implemented in 1988.

Tawi-Tawi Gov. Nurbert Sahali underscored the importance of the seaweed industry in his message to hundreds of people at the Department of Education compound in the heart of Bongao: “No place in the Philippines can equal the high production volume and the high-quality seaweeds of Tawi-Tawi. We dedicate this Agal-Agal Festival to the Tawi-Tawi seaweeds farmers.”

The event also sought to preserve and “showcase the culture of the Sama, Badjao, Jama Mapun and Tausug of southern Philippines through a colorful street-dancing contest and the parade of floats using the Badjao ‘lepa,’ or houseboat, as the main structural design.”

Participants from the 11 municipalities must utilize the traditional dances of Tawi-Tawi and Sulu, namely the dominant dance form known as “pangalay/igal”; martial dance forms, like the “langka silat” and “langka kuntaw,” and the intricate song dance called “lunsay.”

(The three major dance forms of the Sulu Archipelago were laboriously documented by Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa in the award-winning book “Pangalay” [1983].)

The contestants should also employ traditional music using the “kulintangan,” “agung,” “gandang,” “biula” (native violin) and other musical instruments. They must promote visual arts by wearing traditional costumes innovated using local materials.

The caveat

Despite its professed goals, the Agal-Agal Festival is modeled after the “mother of all festivals”—the touristic Ati-Atihan—which features street dancing and parade of floats that lead to the final “showdown” or competition among performing groups representing localities.

This is more or less the same template used by major festivals, such as the Sinulog of Cebu City, the Dinagyang of Iloilo City, the Masskara of Bacolod City and the Panagbenga of Baguio City. Unfortunately, the pomp and pageantry of many tourism-driven festivals have reached the point of canned predictability and kitsch.

The Agal-Agal Festival’s goal to marry traditional dance with street dancing is admirable, but it is a tough undertaking.

Street dancing is alien to the dancing styles of the local peoples. The nearest to it is the lunsay, which is communal singing and dancing that allows the participation of the whole community.

Moreover, the fluvial parade, not street parade, is the tradition among the Sama, Badjaw, Jama Mapun and Tausug.

When cultural conservationist Amilbangsa, a resident of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi from 1964 to the 1980s, returned to Tawi-Tawi to receive the most outstanding artist of Tawi-Tawi award in 2011, she saw the grave deterioration of traditional dance, music and costumes:

“When you transform traditional dance into street dance, many are lost. The performance space is very important in the development of a dance form. Where did pangalay develop? This has been danced only in a lepa or a limited space, like the ‘pantan’ (porch), over a laid-out ‘banig,’ or carpet,” Amilbangsa said.

“When you bring it to the streets, so much will be lost. Then there are many TV shows that have influenced the dancers,” she said.

She added: “But this is not only happening in Tawi-Tawi. In all parts of the Philippines, we can see festivals being held as if they are in basketball courts, continuous dancing and costumes like candy wrappers. True, they exert so much effort and we appreciate that. But for someone like me, it is so disgusting because we have more to show which is our very own.”

The lack of disciplined training in traditional dance and music had contributed to the deterioration of the dancing and music-making in the Agal-Agal Festival. Invented dance steps bordering on cheer dancing became the dominant choreography in the festival.

Indeed, the Ati-Atihan template has created a uniform choreography alien to the local rhythm. This homogeneous choreography now predominates festival dancing in the Philippines. It undermines the preservation and development of unique dance forms in every place.

Pioneers

The head of the festival, Dr. Filemon Romero, is also an oceanographer who was given the Geny Lopez Jr. Gawad Bayaning Pilipino and the most outstanding environmentalist of Tawi-Tawi awards.

Forty years ago, Romero and Amilbangsa were together to blaze the trail in forming the first dance group in Tawi-Tawi, the Tambuli Cultural Troupe, in 1974, with a repertoire of dances from the Sulu Archipelago based on Amilbangsa’s field researches.

Romero is determined to fulfill the vision of preserving the indigenous, cultural heritage of the people of Tawi-Tawi and Sulu, especially their dance and music, through the Agal-Agal Festival. But he is the first to admit the festival’s weaknesses.

“In the participants’ effort to be more attractive or lively, the event looked like the Ati-Atihan. We deviated from the character of our traditional dances. In the effort to come up with best in costume, best in adornment, sometimes, items were added to look like Mexican costumes!” he said.

Romero appreciated the initiative of Amilbangsa to give constructive criticism and to conduct traditional dance workshops in Tawi-Tawi to correct basic dance postures that define the character of indigenous dance styles. Sustained training is important because street dancing in throngs, using the slow and undulating movements of pangalay, requires skill and stamina to achieve grace amid the difficulties of dancing for many hours under the scorching sun.

True to native culture

In 2014, a new set of rules on the conduct of the Agal-Agal was implemented to ensure fidelity to the character of native music and dance. It raised the standard in dance, music and production design.

According to the rules, the performance must be able to show “sustained artistic and authentic execution of indigenous dance steps and movement,” and the execution must be masterful, well-coordinated, graceful and with proper timing and musicality. The latter is difficult because in pangalay, as the beat goes faster, the movement becomes slower.

Part of the new criteria is the artistic use of agal-agal and indigenous materials for costume and adornment. Costumes must exhibit traditional patterns, colors and designs. For music, participants must perform live and skillful playing of ethnic or indigenous instruments throughout the parade and the showdown.

“Performers now try to maintain the authenticity of our dances, music and beat in the street parade and showdown, true to the character of our native culture,” Romero said.

The Top 3 winners in the street dancing and showdown competitions were Sapa-Sapa, first prize; Panglima Sugala, second, and Bongao, third. Their efforts to exclusively integrate indigenous dance styles in their performances were commendable.

The winners used variants in the pangalay dance style, such as “tauti” (catching fish), “linggisan” (bird dance), “pamansak” (pangalay on bamboo pole), “tariray” (dance with bamboo clappers) and “eringan” (courtship dance).

They also incorporated ritual dances, such as “magjinn,” the song-dance “lunsay” and the martial dances “langka lima” using bladed weapons, “langka silat” and “langka kuntaw.”

Moreover, the winners employed only the traditional rhythms in the pentatonic scale using native percussion instruments complemented by the biula.

Local gov’t support

Maria Theresa Sakkalahul, ARMM Tourism Council assistant secretary based in Basilan province, was a member of the festival board of judges. Sakkalahul admired the warm support given by the local government to the Agal-Agal. This was a good practice that should be emulated in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and in other regions, she said.

Local leaders were also active participants rallying their constituents and cheering with the crowd. Prominent in their local costumes while riding the lepa-inspired floats were Mayors Hadji Kuyoh Pajiji, Serbin Ahaja, Kennedy Muksin and Jasper Que. More courageous was Mayor Rejie Sahali-Generale, who danced the pangalay continuously on the lepa float during the parade.

One lesson from the 2014 Agal-Agal Festival is about how to revive traditional dance and music with government support so that these could be powerful instruments of cultural tourism.

Cultural heritage

A new form of cultural tourism is called “creative tourism,” a business model developed by Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 2006 based on “creating, participating and learning about cultural heritage.”

Creative tourism is a sustainable model grounded on the phenomenon of “creative tourists.” This new breed of tourists wants to have authentic experiences on the arts and culture of the places they are visiting.

The recent trend underscores the need to revive, preserve and develop ancient and authentic music, dance, crafts, architecture, rituals and customs, and to transmit authentic performing arts, such as the teaching of the slow and meditative pangalay, which is lately being eclipsed by pop dances from Malaysia and given the misnomer “modern pangalay.”

Local identity is very important: No other place but Tawi-Tawi exhibits how intricately designed mats are made from thorny pandan leaves, and demonstrates how to build a lepa with magnificent carvings called “ukkil” and how the communal lunsay can strengthen camaraderie in the community.

No other place conducts full moon rituals, such as the “magjinn” to appease angry or malevolent spirits. It is only in Tawi-Tawi that we hear variants of the kulintangan beat unique to the Sama, Badjao and Tausug.

Tawi-Tawi should harness its rich cultural heritage and the creativity of its ethnic groups to achieve sustainable and profitable tourism. The revival of indigenous artistic expressions will renew the peoples’ love and pride in the unique character of their cultural heritage.

(The author was a member of the board of judges in the Agal-Agal Festival held on Sept. 25 in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. She is the managing director of AlunAlun Dance Circle and writer-director of “Ang Pagbabalik sa Tawi-Tawi” (2014), a full-length documentary film about the saga of Amilbangsa in documenting pangalay and other artistic expressions of the Sulu Archipelago. )

Is Tawi-Tawi on your ‘bakit’ list?

By Rosalie Matilac (Inquirer Mindanao)

Tawi-Tawi is in the “bakit?!” list (list of whys) of many people. Why go to Tawi-Tawi? Why visit the remotest province in the south? Why go to a place perceived to be unsafe due to conflict, armed hostility and kidnapping? Why your life?

But the fact is Tawi-Tawi, founded in 1973, is a relatively peaceful place. Decades of untroubled conditions greatly contributed to its outstanding population growth, which tripled from 1995 to 2000. The period recorded the highest annual growth rate of 5.53 percent compared with other provinces in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Ilocano, Boholano, Davaoeño, Tagalog, Bicolano and many other peoples from the archipelago have settled and intermarried with members of its original inhabitants—the Sama, Badjao, Jama Mapun and Tausug. Tawi-Tawi’s population in 1995 was 250,718 and in 2010, it expanded to 366,550—an increase of about 46 percent.

Of course, tourism authorities advise visitors to get clearance to eliminate security risks within the duration of stay. Armed soldiers are a common sight, which may be disquieting to visitors, as noted by Tourism Congress of the Philippines president Rosanna Tuason-Fores.

In her recent visit as guest of honor in the 2014 Agal-Agal Festival, Fores said the presence of armed soldiers portended a fragile peace and order situation.

But guns do not perturb the people here. Maybe what could be more unsettling for them is the absence of weapons for protection. Understand that the chain of islands that comprise Tawi-Tawi province was in the orbit of protracted fighting and conflict.

Even before the colonial period, self-defense tools were important to safeguard life, property and dominion. A local businesswoman who also frequents Manila has a nice way of describing the situation in their area: “In Manila, you cannot even walk on the street wearing gold earrings. More people are being kidnapped there compared to Tawi-Tawi.”

Come to think of it, Burma was dreaded by foreigners a decade ago. Now, it is a tourist destination and a haven for investors.

Again, why visit Tawi-Tawi?

The 107 islands and islets of the province are circled by white-sand beaches and crystalline waters. The islands are rich in biodiversity, replete with wildlife sanctuaries teeming with unique flora and fauna.

Some of the world’s endangered species thrive at Sibutu Natural Wildlife Sanctuary such as the “dandunay” (native peacock), “labuyo” (wild rooster) and wild boars of different colors—black, reddish brown, white and spotted black. Moreover, there are the world-famous sea turtles of Taganak, or Turtle Island.

Tawi-Tawi’s haunting seascapes and landscapes are beguiling to photographers and visual artists. The pervasive silhouette of Mt. Bongao evokes the dual images of an elephant and a reclining maiden.

The vibrant hues of sunsets and sunrises in these parts offer a breathtaking experience, if not serenity to the soul. The evening skies, adorned with a crescent or full moon, allow for peaceful evenings along beaches in the municipalities of Panglima Sugala, Bongao, South Ubian, Simunul, Sapa-Sapa and Mapun.

Tawi-Tawi is rich in history and cultural heritage. The Bolobok Cave in Sanga-Sanga is the site where Tridacna shell tools and stone tools were unearthed, used by early humans between 16,000 to 8,000 BC.

The province is the cradle of Islam in the Philippines. In 1380 AD, the Arab missionary Sheik Karimul Makhdum arrived in Simunul and spread the religion. To this day, one can go to Simunul to visit the oldest existing mosque in the Philippines known as Sheik Makhdum Mosque in Tubig Indangan.

Sacred burial sites, including the Tomb of Sheik Makhdum in Sibutu, are found in Tawi-Tawi.

Long before the advent of Islam in the country, Chinese traders bartered goods such as silk for much-coveted local mats woven with intricate designs. At present, the finest ones are made on Tandubas Island by women artisans led by master weaver Haja Amina Appi (†2013), a recipient of the national living treasure award.

Tawi-Tawi has many traditional arts and crafts such as basketry, embroidery and patchwork, pottery, wood and stone carving, metal smithing and metal craft, jewelry making and boat building. These artistic traditions are carefully documented in the book “Ukkil” (2006) by Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa, who was awarded in 2011 as the first most outstanding artist of Tawi-Tawi.

Amilbangsa’s findings trace the history of these arts and crafts to Hindu origin with Islamic influences, thereby proving the antiquity of these traditions. However, most of these arts and crafts are endangered, with the demise of skillful artisans.

The revitalization of traditional arts and crafts should be a big boost to trade and cultural tourism, as proven by the shining examples of tourist places such as Jogjakarta and Bali in Indonesia, and Chiang Mai in Thailand.

When it comes to food, Tawi-Tawi dishes are pleasant culinary surprises such as the “tiyulah itum” or black soup from roasted coconut, juicy “kagang” or crab, “syanglag” or roasted cassava rice and “agal-agal” salad. There is a wide variety of desserts such as “ja” (noodle-like rice cake) and “daral” (spring roll made with caramelized coconut).

So there. Consider Tawi-Tawi for your bucket, not “bakit” list.

(The author was a member of the board of judges in the Agal-Agal Festival held on Sept. 25 in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. She is the managing director of AlunAlun Dance Circle and writer-director of “Ang Pagbabalik sa Tawi-Tawi” (2014), a full-length documentary film about the saga of Amilbangsa in documenting “pangalay” and other artistic expressions of the Sulu archipelago.)

Clerics during Eid'l Adha celebration: Spread Islam teachings againt terrorism

By John Unson (philstar.com)

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines - Mindanao’s Moro communities on Saturday celebrated the Eid’l Adha where clerics called on worshipers to spread Islamic teachings against violence and terrorism as means of seeking political and religious redress.

Members of the Jurisconsult in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, composed of Imams in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, emphasized in their sermons that non-Muslims have become stereotypes, with strong prejudice against Islam, owing to the un-Islamic practices of Jihadist groups.

ARMM’s political leaders had also urged local folks to help push forward Malacañang’s peace overtures with Muslim communities, partly aimed at propagating interfaith solidarity among local Moro, Christian and lumad sectors.

“True Muslims are not terrorists, not war mongers. True Muslims are those who work for harmony with all people around them through prayers and good deeds and religious tolerance,” Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu told reporters.

In Maguindanao’s adjoining Buluan, Pandag and Mangudadatu towns, preachers invoked in their sermons the essence of the Eid’l Adha, also known as “Islamic feast of sacrifice,” as a good source of inspiration to reject religious extremism.

An Army Islamic theologian, Capt. Mujib Ladjabuan of the 6th Infantry Division, said one of the challenges confronting Muslims in the Philippines now is the “bad effect” of extremism on the image of Islam, which espouses respect for all religions.

“Muslims are often construed as terrorists because of the wrongdoings of others that call themselves Muslims but are not Muslims because they don’t practice the teachings on religious tolerance and co-existence with non-Muslims,” Ladjabuan said.

Slaughter

The story about Eid’l Adha and how it became an important religious event in Islam is the same with biblical accounts on how Abraham (Ibrahim) nearly slaughtered his son, as ordered by Allah, as a test of absolute subservience.

According to the Qur’an, Allah, after having tested Ibrahim’s loyalty, sent down a lamb through Archangel Gabriel, which was offered as a sacrifice instead, sparing the child’s life.

“In context, if applied to present situation, this religious event tells us to 'slaughter' for good [the] evil practices that destroys our relationship with each other as Muslims and our relationship with non-Muslims,” ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman said in a statement.

Local government units in Maguindanao’s 36 towns facilitated the obligatory Eid’l Adha open-field congregational prayers in designated sites in the first and second districts of the province.

Major Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, and his subordinate officers helped Army clerics officiate group prayers in Army camps under the division’s jurisdiction.

Col. Melquiades Feliciano, commanding officer of the 601st Brigade in Tacurong City, even assisted an Imam in slaughtering a cow as a kurban (offering) before dozens of worshipers.

“It’s nice to see our Christian and Muslim soldiers and the people around come together to help each other make the celebration of religious events like this become successful,” Feliciano pointed out.

The Eid’l Adha also marks the culmination of the yearly hajj to Makkah in Saudi Arabia. The religious holiday comes a day after pilgrims from across the world had converged at Arafah, in the periphery of Makkah, for a religious rite.

Performing the hajj, for those who can afford the cost of travel, is one the five pillars of the Islamic faith, which include absolute submission to Allah, praying five times a day facing west, giving of zakat (alms) to the poor, and fasting from dawn to dusk during the 30-day Ramadhan season.

ARMM to undertake P100M devt plan for Polloc Free Port

(Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Oct. 3 (PIA) --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) government is set to implement a P100-million development plan to turn Polloc Free Port in Parang town, Maguindanao into a fully operational special economic zone.

The plan includes the relocation of informal settlers within the premises of the port and the construction and rehabilitation of key facilities, according to Mimbalawag Mangutara, Polloc Free Port manager.

In a radio interview, Mangutara said they have already started talks to facilitate the transfer of around 500 families to a 10.9-hectare lot procured by the ARMM government.

The dialogue involved port officials, local government officials and leaders of the setters.

Mangutara assured the settlers that basic amenities like water and electricity will be made accessible to them in the proposed relocation site.

“We appeal to everyone to support these initiatives to revive the once thriving economy here in Polloc,” he said.

Mangotara said a number of investors have already signified interest in putting up business in Polloc once its development is complete.

The Polloc Free Port development plan will include the construction of perimeter fence, fully-equipped control tower, a warehouse complex and a separate building to house a power generator and the repair of the docking area.

“We need to upgrade Polloc port to make it favorable to the booming business climate in ARMM, where local and foreign investments will generate income and jobs for our constituents,” said Mangutara.

11-year-old represents ARMM in nat'l agri mosaic tilt

By John Unson (philstar.com)

Grade school pupils from across the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao show their entries to the regional agriculture mosaic art contest of the ARMM's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. The annual poster-making competition is a joint activity of the department and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. John Unson

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - A mosaic art poster from a public school in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao will be this year’s official entry of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to the national agriculture mosaic making competition in Quezon City, officials announced on Thursday.

The designer of the mosaic poster, 11-year-old Jessa Mae Bajan of the Tenorio Elementary School in Datu Odin Sinsuat, was among 10 children that participated in Monday’s art contest at the regional office of the ARMM’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) in Cotabato City.

The posters were made of indigenous materials depicting semblance of agriculture and fisheries to highlight the importance of the two sectors to nationhood, food and human security.

Kadiguia Rakman Abdullah, information director of DAF-ARMM, said Bajan will be accompanied to Quezon City by regional officials.

The national contest where the DAF-ARMM will submit Bajan’s poster as entry will be held October 10 at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management Office of the agriculture department in Quezon City.

Last year’s contest grand winner, Abdulkadir Alamid, was also a pupil of Tenorio Elementary School, located in Barangay Awang in west of Datu Odin Sinsuat town in the first district of Maguindanao.

Alamid’s art piece was adjudged one of the “five best mosaic posters” submitted by regional offices of the agriculture department scattered across the country to the 2013 national mosaic poster making tilt.

Makmod Mending Jr., secretary of DAF-ARMM, said he is thankful to the agencies and provincial offices of the department for helping facilitate this year’s art contest involving school children in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, and in the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

The posters of two grade school pupils from Maguindanao’s Parang town, Kyla Shane Caniban of Making Elementary School and Kim Agrerain Agres of Nituan Elementary School, won as 2nd and 3rd placers, respectively, in Monday’s contest at the DAF-ARMM office.

The contest winners received special citations and corresponding cash prizes, P3,000 for the regional champion, P2,000 and P1,000 for the 2nd and 3rd placers, respectively, and P1,000 each to all other school pupils that submitted entries.

Mending said the champion in the October 10 national contest will receive P15,000 cash.

The cost of travel of the participating children from different regions to Quezon City, where the entries are to be judged shall be shouldered by the agriculture department.

Mending said the yearly contest is joint activity of the agriculture department and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as part of the annual observance of the World Food Day.

ARMM underscores role of statistics in establishment of reliable database

(Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, oct 1 (PIA) --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is pushing to increase the role of its Regional Statistics Coordination Committee (RSCC) in the establishment of reliable baseline database in the region.

The inter-agency committee sets policies on statistical matters and is headed by ARMM’s Regional Planning and Development Office (RPDO).

Herlita Caraan, regional head of ARMM’s Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), commended the RPDO for setting a new direction for the RSCC in today’s kickoff ceremony of the 25th National Statistics Month (NSM) in the region.

“We are thankful they continue to steer the RSCC into a functional body in terms of addressing statistical issues and concern in the ARMM,” Caraan said.

She said ARMM’s planning office has encouraged better participation of regional line agencies in its program implementations.

Caraan underscored the importance of reliable and quality statistics, which she said is crucial to socio-economic development and good governance.

The country is observing the 25th NSM this month with the theme “NSM at 25 Years and Beyond: Solid and Responsive Philippine Statistical System in Support of Globalization and Regional Economic Integration”.

The observance is aimed at instilling awareness and appreciation of different sectors on statistics and in securing the cooperation and support of the general public in the upgrading of statistics standards in the country.

The PSA, a convergence of the National Statistics Office (NSO), National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), Bureau of Labor and Employment (BLE) and the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), was enacted on 29 December 2013 by virtue of Republic Act 10625 otherwise known as the Philippine Statistics Act of 2013.

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