Tuesday, July 14, 2009 [ manilatimes.net ]
COTABATO CITY: Five provincial governors and several mayors of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) received a total of P1-billion infrastructure subsidy earmarked for various projects in the autonomous region.
This is to complement the Mindanao peace process through economic empowerment of sectors in areas where there are active secessionist rebels like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The grants, drawn from the 2009 ARMM infrastructure subsidy are covered by implementation contracts between the recipient-local officials and ARMM Regional Gov. Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan.
The contracts were signed en masse by the local officials in a simple ceremony presided over by Ampatuan at the ARMM compound.
ARMM’s Public Works Secretary Hadji Razul Abpi said that out of the region’s P1-billion infrastructure subsidy this year, P411.5 million would be spent for projects in Maguindanao; P170 million for Lanao del Sur; P113 million for Basilan; P158 million for Sulu; P108 million for Tawi-Tawi, and P21 million for Marawi City.
Abpi said a big bulk of the grants for each province would be spent for roads, bridges, flood control projects, and water systems.
Gov. Hadji Sadikul Sahali of Tawi-Tawi said local officials who were given rgw infrastructure grants have also been authorized to handle the funds for projects intended for their towns and provinces.
Mayor Wahid Sahidullah of Tongkil, an island municipality in Sulu, said it was for the non-involvement of mayors in regional governance, and the absence of infrastructure grants from the Muslim autonomous region during the past administrations that prompted them to bolt out of the ARMM.
Ampatuan, for his part, said all he wanted was transparency in the handling by local officials of the said funds.
“Failure to implement these projects religiously would mean an immediate take over of the management and control of the projects by the public works department of ARMM,” Ampatuan warned
Mayor Roderick Furigay of Lamitan, Basilan gave his assurance to the ARMM leadership that by all means the local officials concerned were going to implement the projects so that their constituents would benefit from it.
Mayor Albert Que of the capital town of Bongao in Tawi-Tawi said although they are in the far-flung areas of the ARMM, he is thankful that the regional government has included the island province of Tawi-Tawi among the recipients.
“Our hometown of Bongao which is supposedly a gateway to Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia corridors is still in need of so many infrastructure projects like road networks and bridges, as well as improvement of our fishing villages,” Que emphasized.
In like manner, Mayor Fahad Salic of Marawi City, the husband of Alma Moreno, said the P21 million earmarked for his city would have a long way to go in terms of infrastructure projects.
“The people of the Islamic City of Marawi are thankful for the amount allocated to the city. This would show that the government has not neglected the welfare of the citizens of this highland city,” Salic said.
Abpi said 90 percent of the projects to be implemented by the ARMM mayors and provincial governors would benefit impoverished areas where members of the Moro National Liberation Front and MILF reside.-- Julmunir I. Jannaral
COTABATO CITY: Five provincial governors and several mayors of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) received a total of P1-billion infrastructure subsidy earmarked for various projects in the autonomous region.
This is to complement the Mindanao peace process through economic empowerment of sectors in areas where there are active secessionist rebels like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The grants, drawn from the 2009 ARMM infrastructure subsidy are covered by implementation contracts between the recipient-local officials and ARMM Regional Gov. Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan.
The contracts were signed en masse by the local officials in a simple ceremony presided over by Ampatuan at the ARMM compound.
ARMM’s Public Works Secretary Hadji Razul Abpi said that out of the region’s P1-billion infrastructure subsidy this year, P411.5 million would be spent for projects in Maguindanao; P170 million for Lanao del Sur; P113 million for Basilan; P158 million for Sulu; P108 million for Tawi-Tawi, and P21 million for Marawi City.
Abpi said a big bulk of the grants for each province would be spent for roads, bridges, flood control projects, and water systems.
Gov. Hadji Sadikul Sahali of Tawi-Tawi said local officials who were given rgw infrastructure grants have also been authorized to handle the funds for projects intended for their towns and provinces.
Mayor Wahid Sahidullah of Tongkil, an island municipality in Sulu, said it was for the non-involvement of mayors in regional governance, and the absence of infrastructure grants from the Muslim autonomous region during the past administrations that prompted them to bolt out of the ARMM.
Ampatuan, for his part, said all he wanted was transparency in the handling by local officials of the said funds.
“Failure to implement these projects religiously would mean an immediate take over of the management and control of the projects by the public works department of ARMM,” Ampatuan warned
Mayor Roderick Furigay of Lamitan, Basilan gave his assurance to the ARMM leadership that by all means the local officials concerned were going to implement the projects so that their constituents would benefit from it.
Mayor Albert Que of the capital town of Bongao in Tawi-Tawi said although they are in the far-flung areas of the ARMM, he is thankful that the regional government has included the island province of Tawi-Tawi among the recipients.
“Our hometown of Bongao which is supposedly a gateway to Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia corridors is still in need of so many infrastructure projects like road networks and bridges, as well as improvement of our fishing villages,” Que emphasized.
In like manner, Mayor Fahad Salic of Marawi City, the husband of Alma Moreno, said the P21 million earmarked for his city would have a long way to go in terms of infrastructure projects.
“The people of the Islamic City of Marawi are thankful for the amount allocated to the city. This would show that the government has not neglected the welfare of the citizens of this highland city,” Salic said.
Abpi said 90 percent of the projects to be implemented by the ARMM mayors and provincial governors would benefit impoverished areas where members of the Moro National Liberation Front and MILF reside.-- Julmunir I. Jannaral
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