Cotabato City gov't gets coveted DILG award

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - The effective operations of the 13th Sangguniang Panglunsod here has been recognized with a coveted “The Most Outstanding Sanggunian in Region 12” award from the Department of Interior and Local Government.

The presiding chairman of the city council, Vice-Mayor Muslimin Sema, announced Tuesday that he received the award last December 12 from the regional director of DILG for Central Mindanao, Buagas Sulaik, in General Santos City.

Sema is chairman of the largest and most politically active of the three groups in the Moro National Liberation Front.

Sema’s group is surprisingly supportive of the newly-crafted Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro (FAB) between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, in total contrast with the hostile position of MNLF founder Nur Misuari, leader of another MNLF faction, on the deal crafted by the government and MILF panels in Malacañang last October 15.

The award won by the Sema-led Cotabato City council was a result of the council’s having been voted as “top” in the highly urbanized, independent component city category of the contest, according to officials of DILG-12.

For having won, Cotabato City will represent Region 12 in the national level of the same, but expanded nationwide contest in March 2013.

Sema attributes the feat to the support of all sectors in the city to the operations and law-formulation activities of the city council.

Sema had served the city as a three-term mayor prior to his election as vice-mayor in 2010. He is aspiring for the city’s mayoral post in next year’s local elections, with running mate Willie Bueno, as official candidates of the Liberal Party.

Sema said the city council would not have won as Region 12’s most outstanding Sanggunian if not for the cooperation of all of its elected members, who are representing the local communities.

Bueno, who is now in his third and last term as councilor, said he is proud of the award, which is for him a “vote of confidence” from the DILG.

“More so, it came at a time when we in the city are trying to make the area as peaceful and as prosperous as can be for local and foreign investors to come in and put up businesses and while Malacañang’s Mindanao peace efforts are also gaining headway, soaring high,” he said.