Wednesday, April 18, 2012

PIA: DepEd-ARMM generates P162-M savings

COTABATO CITY, April 18 (PIA) -- The Department of Education (DepEd) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has generated P162 million savings from December 2011 to March 2012. 

In his 100th day “Ulat sa Bayan” yesterday at the ORG Canopy, ARMM compound, ARMM OIC-governor Mujiv Hataman said the agency has produced savings as a result of the ongoing "honest-to-goodness measures" to eliminate graft and corruption and instilling transparency and accountability. 

Hataman identified the education and public works and highways departments as the most problematic agencies in the autonomous region with serious concerns on rampant graft corruption and mismanagement. 

Hataman, in his report confirms irregularities in DepEd-ARMM involving ghost teachers, schools and students, which have been unearthed since his assumption to office, adding measures which are in place to address irregularities confronting the agency. 

He said, he has directed DepEd-ARMM regional secretary Atty. Jamar Kulayan to intensify efforts to curb corruption adding that investigations are underway to identify and determine the extent of the involvement of school officials in the loan scam. 

Hataman warned to take appropriate action including dismissal from service against superintendents and supervisors who will be proven to be in cahoots with the lending groups victimizing many teachers. 

Salaries of teachers will now be delivered directly to the schools by competent personnel from the DepEd-ARMM together with representatives of civil society organizations to ensure that teachers receive their pay personally. (pbchangco/PIA Cotabato City)

Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1661334649068

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

MB: ARMM Opens New Website As It Seeks Transparency In Gov't

By ALI G. MACABALANG and BEN ROSARIO

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — In a move seen as a complete departure to practices of past administrations in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman formally opened yesterday the regional government’s website which will post records of transactions and projects of his administration.

As he addressed the region to report on accomplishments on his first 100 days in office, Hataman said the regional government’s website http://www.armm.gov.ph/ is part of his administration’s bid to guarantee transparency that will help fight graft and corruption.

The ARMM leadership called the new website as “portals of open government” to the public, even as it vowed to “join national and international calls for more openness in government and greater civic participation in public affairs.”

“The ARMM is the first of the Philippines’ 15 geopolitical and administrative regions to have signified support to and compliance with the commitment of Open Government Partnership (OGP) that the country co-founded along with seven other countries on September 20, 2011,” the ARMM media bureau quoted Hataman as saying.

Hataman has been personally handpicked by President Benigno S. Aquino III to head the ARMM government in pursuing his “daang matuwid” anti-corruption program.

The posting of financial transactions and important dealings of ARMM in the website is reportedly a first under the regional government since it was created nearly 23 years ago.

Amihilda Sangcopan-Abdulhakim, chief of staff in the office of the ARMM governor, said Hataman is right on track in his bid to accomplish Aquino’s directive of ridding the regional government of grafters and corrupt officials.

“So-called ‘ghost employees’ have suddenly started reporting for duty and were given responsibilities supportive of the regional government’s goals,” said Sangcopan-Abdulhakim. “Otherwise, they will have to go.”

Sangcopan said public expenditures can be closely monitored by ARMM constituents because all transactions will be posted in the website.

She said Hataman’s first 100 days report will center on anti-graft efforts that have shown good results.

The ARMM executive added that huge successes in the regional government’s peace and security and anti-poverty efforts will also be underscored by Hataman when he delivers his speech.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

PIA: ARMM Gov. declares significant reforms instituted in 1st 100 days

ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Apr 14 (PIA) -- Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) caretaker Mujiv Hataman declared recently that in its first 100 days his administration has freed the regional government of anomalous transactions and unscrupulous activities. 

Regional Governor Hataman made the statement at the opening ceremonies of the ARMM Athletic Association (ARMMAA) meet last week in Lamitan City, Basilan where he urged young athletes, coaches, teachers, and spectators to be the agent of reform in the region. 

“Lahat po ng maanomalya at mga anomalya noong mga nakaraan, tinitiyak ko po sa inyo ay hindi na po nangyayari (I assure you there is no more anomaly here),” he said. 

He said major reforms were instituted in the three priority departments, namely: the Office of the Regional Governor, the region’s Department of Education and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). 

While Hataman admitted that in his administration’s effort to institute changes, some promises were broken, “not because we wanted it but because of the resistance of those affected by the changes.” 

He cited the case of systematizing the releasing of salaries of the teachers in the ARMM through automated teller machines (ATMs). “Nahirapan ang Landbank sa disiplina ng mga nag-oopen ng account,” he said. 

He appealed to the teachers to be patient with the new system as he is aware of some complaints that teachers assigned in the islands and far-flung communities would still have to spend time and money to visit banks in urban centers to claim their salaries in ATM. 

He said that the system is the same with salaries released through checks, “the teacher will still have to visit a bank to encash his/her check.” 

Hataman pointed out that this system is for the benefit of the teachers because their salaries will already be free from unauthorized and illegal deductions. “Ang sweldo ni Abdul ay dapat mapunta kay Abdul,” he said as he abhor the existence of ghost teachers in the region. 

He assured that by the opening of classes in June, all salaries will already be in ATMs, complete with identification cards with picture and in biometrics. 

The regional governor announced that there are some 2,300 available items for new teachers in the ARMM. With many applications are received in the region, Hataman appealed to the region’s governors, mayors, and DepEd officials “na huwag politikahin ang application of teachers, at unahin natin ang mga LET passers.” 

“Hindi magtatanggal ng guro ngunit magdisiplina at maglinis tayo upang magkaroon ng makabuluhang edukasyon ang DepEd-ARMM,” Hataman stressed. 

Hataman was appointed ARMM caretaker by President Benigno Aquino III and took his oath of office on December 19, 2011 with the mandate to institute reforms in the region as envisioned by the frameworks of the Constitution, by the solons that drafted the Organic Act and push to advance the welfare of the people from ARMM. (RVC/PIA-9 ZBST)

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Australia serves 300 ARMM villages

By ALI G. MACABALANG

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Pursuing its commitment to help make life better in Mindanao, the government of Australia is set to construct school buildings in at least 300 villages in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) that have no school facilities, it was announced here over the weekend.

Officials of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) disclosed such noble plan in a statement issued after the inauguration here of a two-storey edifice the agency built for the ARMM’s Department of Education (DepEd) under its Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao (BEAM) – extended exclusively for the autonomous region.

The new building, now housing the fiscal and human resource management offices of DepEd-ARMM, was opened formally by AusAID Counsellor Elaine Ward and incumbent Regional Education Secretary Jamar Kulayan in formal rites late last month.

The construction of the edifice began under the former administration of ARMM acting Governor Ansaruddin Adiong on strong representation of the then Regional Education Secretary Baratocal Caudang as a prelude to the implementation of the AusAID’s P1.9-billion grant allocated to build schools in 300 of the 562 villages in the ARMM that have been bereft of school buildings and services, BEAM officials said.

“The new office building is a legacy of Australia’s commitment to help achieve peace and development in Mindanao, particularly through improved delivery of education services for children in ARMM,” Ward said during the ceremonies, citing the “strong partnership” under the BEAM-ARMM.

Officials said the AusAID’s BEAM program is supporting the reform agendas for education initiated by the Adiong government and pursued by the present administration of the ARMM.

The AusAID’s BEAM program lapsed in 2010 and was extended for a six-year period to exclusively serve the ARMM and help address the region’s nagging illiteracy rate – recorded as the country’s lowest, reports said.

The BEAM-ARMM “aims to benefit over 500,000 children” with its planned construction of school buildings with science laboratories, libraries, water and sanitation facilities, and other requirements for an improved quality of education, the BEAM’s statement said.

“The program targets the most disadvantaged children in 300 barangays (villages) without public schools. It will cover both public and private madaris (Arabic and Islamic schools), and will also provide employment-related skills training for 20,000 out-of-school youth (OSY) to provide them better access to economic opportunities,” added the statement.

"Moral Governance"

English - "Good governance for a progressive and peaceful BARMM."

Sinama - "Hap pamarinta tudju BARMM na sambu maka salamat"

Bahasa Sug - "Dan mabuntul tudju pa BARMM masambu iban mahatul"

Meranaw - "Mathitu a kandatu sa BARMM ko katagompiya go kalilintad"

Slogan

"Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE)"