Abalos lauds BARMM: We’ll be with you every step of the way

THE national government will remain steadfast with the Bangsamoro region in “every step of the way,” Interior and Local Governments Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. told local executives here.

Abalos addressed 154 awardwinning local government units (LGUs) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at the opening Tuesday of the Governance Day, essentially marking the region’s Fourth Founding Anniversary.

He noted that BARMM had the “second-fastest growing economy of all the country’s 14 regions in 2021.” “We converge for development on our own right; and we are with you every step of the way,” Abalos said.

Bangsamoro Chief Minister

Ahod Balawag Ebrahim said the people of BARMM needed “to celebrate the gains of the peace process, from the organizing of the regional government to the milestone and level of accomplishments that we have reached during the last four years.

The BARMM region is now composed of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao Norte, Maguindanao Sur, Sulu, TawiTawi as well as the cities of Cotabato, Marawi and Lamitan, and 63 barangays of Cotabato Province, now comprising a Special Geographical Area (SGA).

BARMM Interior and Local Governments Minister Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo said the Bangsamoro region was honored by the coming of Abalos, confirming on an earlier invitation to keynote the occasion of the BARMM Governance Day.

“Together in the past years, the Bangsamoro Government has worked more closely with you, not only for the betterment of our LGUs-- but more so, by putting in place programs that you and the Ministry have implemented to help you to achieve the best in local governance that you and your people can proudly call your own,” Sinarimbo said.

BARMM’s accomplishments at LGU levels were hardly known in the national government, Sinarimbo said quoting Abalos’ impression during his visit this week.

Abalos said the country’s goals for the development of LGUs should be achieved, adding that he knew it for the first time that the BARMM was setting the “standards for a leadership that the Bangsamoro can look forward to” in “institutionalized” good practices at local governance.”

“I am delighted to know that Georgina Fernandez of Galing Pook Award is here and is working with you, and we can exchange notes here on institutionalizing the standards for leadership and practices of good local governance.

Three provinces of the Bangsamoro region—Basilan, Lanao Sur and Maguindanao (North and South)—were recipients of National Awards for Seal of Good Local Governance.

Maguindanao had majority of nominations and awards (10 out of 11) for the Search for Model Barangays (SMB) in Rempesl Borongotan, Nuro, Darungao, Kinitaan, all in

Upi, Maguindanao Norte; Mao and Kaya-Kaya, both in Datu Abdullah Sangki, Maguindanao Sur, Dinganen in Buldon and Poblacion, Parang, Maguindanao Norte. The eleventh winning village is Bilaan, in Talipao Sulu.

Two municipalities won the Grant Assistance for Innovative Practices (LGAIP)—Paglat, Maguindanao Sur and Upi, Maguindanao Norte.

Forty municipal and provincial LGUs were recognized for Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ADAC) Functionality in Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao Sur, Maguindanao Norte Sulu and Tawi-Tawi Sinarimbo said more LGUs “have now demonstrated capability in project management with the implementation in BARMM of the Local Government Facilities Development (LGFD) and Bangsamoro Local Economic Support Services (BLESS) Programs 2021, and are now regional and national partners in implementing the construction of 220 units barangay halls; 26 units Public Markets; two Public Terminal; one Tourism Building; one PNP Regional Headquarters’ Building; nine units Municipal Police Station type “B/C”; and 21 units Municipal Hall Buildings; two units Legislative Building.

In the category of the Local Government Functionality Appraisal (LOGFA), four municipalities of Basilan were awarded; 17 in Lanao del Sur, 28 in Maguindanao; four in Sulu and five in Tawi-Tawi.

Cultural solidarity seen in BARMM fest

THE celebration of the 4th founding anniversary of the Bangsamoro region was a showcase of the gains of self-governance under the now four-year autonomous regional government covering five provinces and three cities.

Observers, among them local executives in provinces outside of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, had, in fact, expressed oneness with BARMM government officials and their constituents in their anniversary festivities.

“We are thankful, grateful to all those who helped make our anniversary events successful,” BARMM’s regional spokesperson, the Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo, said Thursday.

The Ministry of the Interior and Local Government, the office of Senior Minister Abdulraof Macacua and officials of other ministries under the office of Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim together managed the activities that capped off the weeklong event.

Regional officials reassured, in separate messages then, their support for Malacañang’s Mindanao peace process.

The BARMM replaced the 29-year now defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in February 2019.

Thousands of employees of BARMM ministries paraded from the Sinsuat Avenue here to the regional

Eighteen Municipal and Provincial Local Operations Officers of the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government also received National Awards:

Provincial Director (PD) Ra-

Dyan M. Akmad of Basilan; City Director (CD) Indira Patra

Juani of Lamitan City, Basilan; Municipal Local Governments Operations Officer (MLGOO)

Pinky Macapundag and MLGOO

Rasmia Mamacotao; PD Amina

T. Dalandag, MLGOO Norainee

Guialudin, MLGOO Zahara

Sangki, MLGOO Mohammad Jamsid Mosaid; MLGOO Anisa

Abdulkarim, MLGOO Heria

Dalantay, MLGOO Edgardo

Padolino, MLGOO Leilali Limba; MLGOO Toronbai Ambolodto; MLGOO Hannan Ampatuan,

MLGOO Sittie Aisa Ocsio; MLGOO Al-Rasheed Salik, and MLGOO Syrlyn Pananggilan— all of Maguindanao.

Abalos said LGUs needed closer collaboration and coordination to manage complaints, even as they needed to “acknowledge that there is a problem.”

He said sustained communications will break barriers arising from complaints, but leaders should have the “patience to listen to all those complaints.”

“Some decisions may become unpopular, but you knew that it was the right decision (all along), and those complaints may somehow help leaders make good decisions,” Abalos said. NBM capitol, 800 meters away, as salvo of their weeklong merrymaking, capped off with a parade of floats each representing an entity of the regional government.

Sinarimbo and Ebrahim separately expressed gratitude for the participation in the activity of a number of foreigners representing international donor agencies involved in peace and development programs in the Bangsamoro region.

In a statement sent to reporters via online Messenger, a popular member of the 80-seat BARMM parliament, the physician Kadil Sinolinding, Jr., said the yearly anniversary celebration of the region’s creation ought to remind residents that they now enjoy self-governance based on a regional charter, the RA 11054.

“The BARMM was paid for with the blood and lives of thousands of Moro guerillas who fought it,” Sinolinding, most known by his moniker “doctor in the Bangsamoro parliament, said.

Macacua, who was BARMM natural resources minister before designated as regional senior minister, said what was fascinating with this year’s celebration of the 4th anniversary of BARMM was the tacit show in different events of the religious and cultural solidarity among the Muslim, Christian and non-Moro indigenous communities in the autonomous region. JFU

49 NoCot coops get P300K aid each from DSWD-12

AS part of anti-poverty program of the government, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the Soccsksargen region has distributed financial aid Tuesday (Jan. 24) to 49 cooperatives who belonged to Sustainable Livelihood Program Associations (SLPAs).

DSWD-12 Regional Director Loreto Cabaya said each cooperative got PHP300,000 assistance dispersed during payout program at the North Cotabato provincial capitol with provincial Gov. Emmylou Mendoza in attendance.

“A good working relation exists between DSWD-12 and the provincial government thus more Cotabateños get help for

P21-M agri-fishery aid given to farmers’ coop

THE Bangsamoro agriculture office has distributed over P21 million agri-fishery intervention to farmers’ cooperatives, loans and Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) as part of the 4th Bangsamoro Foundation Day (BFD).

Farmers, fisherfolks, and cooperatives from various provinces of the Bangsamoro Autonomous

Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have benefited from the program led by the Economic Development Committee (EDCom) of the Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council (BEDC).

The council by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) and the Cooperative and Social Enterprise

32 extremists yield to BARMM police

THIRTY-two Moro extremists operating in Maguindanao provinces have voluntarily gave up their violent struggle to avail of the government’s reconciliation program to live normal lives.

Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, police director for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) welcomed the extremists Thursday during surrender rites at the police regional headquarters in Camp SK Pendatun, Parang, Maguindanao del Norte. He said 30 Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and 2 Dawlah Islamiya-listed private armed group under PAG leader Mohammad Andoy peacefully turned in 33 high powered firearms, including improvised explosive devices and hand grenades.

Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim’s message for the Bangsamoro Foundation Day

Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim. Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh!

My greetings of peace to everyone.

Looking back on our decades of struggle to achieve identity, liberty, and harmony as Bangsamoro people, it now seems almost unimaginable to have reached this point of inclusive and meaningful progress that we all enjoy today. On this fourth anniversary of the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, allow me to join the entire region with sincere joy and gratitude in affirming that we have genuinely delivered what we had promised when we created the BARMM Government in January 2017. The past four years have been so meaningful for all of us. There have been challenges and successes, like the emergence of COVID-19 and the extension of the transition authority, to name a few. But what has prevailed is not only our resilience but also our innovative and collective approach to fulfilling our mission of empowering communities and self-governance.

As I count the years that have passed under this administration, I attribute our success to the commitment of the government of the Philippines to what had been stipulated and decreed in the Bangsamoro Organic Law. This success is also attributed to many actors and players, such as civil society organizations, international non-government organizations, development partners, and friends in pursuit of peace. Another reason for our celebrated success is the warmth and dedication of the Bangsamoro people. The symbiotic relationship between these stakeholders made our endeavors more inclusive and sustainable.

The Bangsamoro Foundation Day is significant for each Bangsamoro. It was and remains our duty to empower the Bangsamoro Government, allowing us to preserve, defend, and deliver the benefits of peace to those who will come after us. Year by year, our commitment to leave perpetual and sustainable accomplishments reflects the foundation of this leadership. Inspired by the cause of those who fought alongside us, we are motivated to serve the people of today and leave a legacy for the future Bangsamoro.

In finality, faith in Allah SWT is the rock on which our vision, mission, and objectives were built. As we continue to count the meaningful years that we all experience under this government, we must all continue to submit our goals and achievements to Allah (SWT). We must all move forward and maintain an inclusive, advanced, and morally governed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.