PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III is scheduled to meet with local executives of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) in Davao City today in a bid to get the region and its local government units on tract of national development agenda.
Armm offi cer-in-charge Gov. Mujiv Hataman said the region’s five provincial governors will present their areas’ most pressing problems and concerns in plenary during the Armm’s local government summit.
Hataman said discussion series and workshops during the local officials’ convergence will focus on local governance, socioeconomic development and peace and security.
In his first 100 days in office, Hataman issued Executive Order No. 7 declaring Armm’s adherence to Open Government Partnership (OGP), of which the Philippines is a founding member among eight other countries in the United Nations.
When President Aquino appointed the 25 members of the Armm Regional Legislative Assembly last month, Hataman declared an open support to the passage of a regional version of Freedom of Information Act, as part of subsequent inter-government agreements under the OGP.
Summary of problems, issues and concerns generated from the discussion and workshop series will be presented during an official dialog with the President on Wednesday noon, Hataman said.
He said the President will also hand over Armm’s first Seal of Good Housekeeping Award to five first- to third- class municipalities, plus P1-million check in local government program support.
The awardees among Armm local government units include: Datu Odin Sinsuat, Parang, Sultan Kudarat, Upi — all in Maguindanao — and Wao in Lanao del Sur.
Sixth-class municipal awardees are Pandami, Panglima Estino, both in Sulu, Mamasapano, Guindulungan, Talayan, Paglat, Sultan Mastura and Datu Saudi Ampatuan — all in Maguindanao.
Topping the agenda on peace and security will be concerns besetting the region, including recent incidents of kidnapping in Sulu and Tawi-tawi.
Hataman said he has convened the Regional Peace and Order Council which includes the security sector, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines for a hard-push effort on inventory of loose fi rearms in the region.
He said he will also establish a satellite offi ce of the Armm for the region’s island provinces to bring reforms and development programs in governance closer to their constituents.
During the summit, the Armm government is expected to host some 103 municipal and city executives as well as five provincial governors from Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-tawi, officials said.
Hataman said the summit is supported by the civil society organizations, The Asia Foundation-Philippines and the Balay-Kalinaw as part of the Public-Private Partnership program of the Aquino administration, which is effectively adopted in the region.
Host in today’ convergence is the Department of Interior and Local Government-Armm. PNA
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