PNoy to attend ARMM summit

COTABATO CITY, Philippines  – President Benigno Aquino III will attend  the local government summit of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on Wednesday, ARMM officials said.

Organizers are expecting Mr. Aquino to talk about the gains of the on-going peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and other vital development and security concerns during the summit.

Local executives from the ARMM’s five provinces, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, both in mainland Mindanao, the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Lamitan and Marawi will participate in the summit, to be held in Davao City.

The governors of ARMM’s five provinces and their constituent-mayors, and incumbent regional officials, will join in the activity to discuss various issues, their preparedness to respond to calamities and disasters, and sensitive peace and security matters.

Lawyer Laisa Alamia, ARMM executive secretary, said Monday’s local government summit is the second under the administration of the region’s incumbent chief executive, Mujiv Hataman.

Alamia said the summit will highlight the role of ARMM government units in the Mindanao peace process, and preparedness in risk and disaster management.