Hataman: ARMM to set standards for new Bangsamoro region

BASILAN, Philippines - Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Mujiv Hataman is focused on setting a standard of government that is responsible and responsive to people when it hands over governance to the transitional government for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)-led Bangsamoro region.

Hataman said reforms have been instituted from the once graft-rigged province after he took over as caretaker and subsequently elected as governor in 2013.

“Our mission, because there will be a transitional government anytime next year, (is to set a) standard that this reformed governance will continue to be responsible and responsive to the needs of the people,” Hataman said as he thanked President Benigno Aquino III for trusting him in leading ARMM to reform.

He said they have not failed in their initial mission in ridding the region of graft and malpractices from its previous administrations.

“Hindi tayo nagkulang, we did all we can from the regional government down to the bureaucracy, to all the agencies of ARMM, I can say malaki ang pagbabago kumpara noon,” Hataman said.

The ARMM executive said that no single centavo was wasted and there were no 'ghost projects' in all the projects of the government implemented under his administration.

“Like the road projects showcased by President Noy in his SONA (state of the nation address)– the roads were all physically present and serviceable to help the economic plight of the respective areas where it was designated,” he said.

Hataman said the challenge that they are facing now is to ensure the peace and order and reduce the poverty incident in the Muslim region.

He said they strongly support the peace agenda of the Aquino administration with the MILF to allow economic development to set in ARMM.

Hataman said poverty incidents in the Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (BASULTA) areas have been continuously declining. However, it is the reverse condition in the mainland areas of ARMM.

“If we are going to study it in all corners of the world, whenever there is chaos, poverty incident is soaring, no matter what economic activities we will infuse,” Hataman said.

Investment in the ARMM for the second quarter this year have already reached more than P2 billion and is expected to hit the P5 billion mark compared to previous administrations with only about P900 million, said Hataman.

However, Hataman said they were still concerned as it has not triggered yet a wider job generation.

He said they are now intensifying agriculture and fishery development to increase the job generation and opportunities of the people in the ARMM. 

Hataman also pushed that the region would be issued an accreditation by the International Standardization Organization before they step down in 2016.