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Southerners join together in women empowerment campaign
More than a hundred peace activists from three Bangsamoro provinces converged here on Monday and fused ranks for multi-sector regional women empowerment efforts that two foreign benefactors are to help push forward......»»
Foreign-funded anti-child labor campaign expanded to 2 Bangsamoro towns
A foreign assisted project addressing child labor and use of children as combatants shall expand to two remote upland Bangsamoro towns next week as part of a transnational initiative to put an end to both problems in support of the Mindanao peace process......»»
‘Palestinian children should be killed’
No, that heartless advice did not come from a mentally deranged man or an ordinary man on the street. It came from a top Filipino diplomat who has worn many hats in government. He is in fact a lawyer, journalist, former Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador to the United Nations, Press Secretary, Congressman, and presently Philippine Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s (United Kingdom) and concurrently Special Envoy to China for special concerns. In my book, those bona fides could easily qualify him as a revered Filipino statesman — but for his indiscretion, uncouth words, and disrespect for the feelings of others. I refer, dear readers, to Teodoro Lopez Locsin Jr. I have to emphasize the descriptive word “Jr.” because, from accounts I have read, he is far different from his namesake, Teodoro Locsin Sr., who fought the Japanese and the dictatorial regime of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., a fearless publisher of the news magazine Philippines Free Press for which he was imprisoned during the Marcos martial law regime. Did the “apple fall far from the tree?” In his Twitter account, Locsin Jr. said: “That’s why Palestinian children should be killed: they might grow up to become as gullible as innocent Palestinians letting Hamas launch rockets at Israel ...They are Muslims...” In the diplomatic community, we call that a faux pas. Perhaps realizing the callousness of his gaffe, he immediately deleted the tweet with the following lame expression of mea culpa: “I immediately deleted my sarcastic response to a tweet as I realized it could be misconstrued ...My apologies to those who did misconstrue my sentiments and did, in fact, get triggered...” That statement did not wash away the disastrous effect of his slip. If one reads between the lines, they were subtle words to camouflage the booboo, not a real entreaty for clemency. His admission of his mistake, though, may work to mitigate the imprudence. Remarkably, the Department of Foreign Affairs, anticipating its far-reaching negative effect, disassociated itself from the statement, saying it was made in Locsin’s “personal capacity.” I wanted to distance this column from the ensuing uproar. But being the de facto medium for Filipino Muslims’ concerns and sentiments on political and social issues, it cannot default from its moral responsibility. I was afraid that repeating the obnoxious remark might gain traction — and psychologists warn about the “repetition-induced truth effect.” I did not want to dignify it. After all, he had shown remorse and apologized for the impropriety of his words, and, as a sage says, “There is no need to beat a dead horse.” But the storm of controversy has spread like wildfire in Morolandia that I have to add my voice of indignation. Silence amid the din of protest is a sin. I have not seen in a long time such a display of revulsion and rage from the Moros, reminiscent of the time foreign invaders came to their shores and, for 300 years, the Moros dug in, resisted, and repelled the hegemonistic colonization campaign. Muslim netizens promptly denounced the statement as xenophobic, insensitive, and unbecoming of a diplomat. Their protest and outcry reverberated from the halls of the Houses of Congress, the Regional Parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to the cramped temporary shanties of the Marawi war evacuees and the shores of the Sulu seas. For a single moment in their lives, the tribes of Morolandia set aside their tribal identities. They spoke in one thunderous voice, calling for a sanction for what they perceived was the misconduct of a diplomat who, to preserve his honor, must perform a Japanese seppuku or self-sacrifice by resigning from his post. Articulating the collective position of the Deputies of the BARMM interim Regional Parliament, Speaker Pangalian Balindong issued a public statement rich in a poignant message condemning the “insensitive and irresponsible social media post ...for its Islamophobic, racist, and anti-Semitic undertones.” (To be continued) amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post ‘Palestinian children should be killed’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
More agencies join Bangsamoro anti-child labor bloc
The foreign-assisted anti-child labor campaign in six southern provinces got a boost this week with pledges of cooperation from more local executives, law enforcement and state security entities......»»
BARMM gov t intensifies crackdown on unregistered vehicles
The Bangsamoro government's Ministry of Transportation and Communications has expanded its campaign against undocumented vehicles in all six provinces and three cities under its jurisdiction......»»
Sectors join anti-child labor campaign in Bangsamoro areas
A big cross-section bloc had pledged during a foreign assisted workshop here to maximize cooperation against child labor and use of children as combatants, a problem prevalent in the Bangsamoro region......»»
Loose firearms recovered from SGA
ZAMBOANGA CITY — At least 22 assorted high-powered loose firearms were collected by the military in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato from the Special Geographic Area of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in support to the “Balik Baril Program” of the government. Joint Task Force Central commander Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera on Tuesday disclosed that 12 barangay chairpersons of Pigcawayan voluntarily surrendered to the 34th Infantry Battalion 22 loose firearms on Saturday. Rillera added that the turnover ceremony of the loose firearms was held at the 34IB headquarters in Barangay Salunayan, Midsayap in North Cotabato and was witnessed by Pigcawayan Acting Mayor Neil Jake Casi. The activity was also witnessed by Dr. Vince Tejada, municipal administrator and Johan Sinarimbo, cluster president, Pigcawayan Cluster, SGA-BARMM. Among the surrendered firearms were two Cal .50 Barret-type Sniper rifles, five rocket-propelled grenade launchers, four 7.62mm Sniper rifles, six 12-gauge Shotguns, one Caliber 9mm pistol, one Caliber 22 revolver, one Caliber 38 revolver, one caliber 45 pistol, and one Caliber 357 revolver. Also surrendered were six pieces of RPG ammunition, four magazines for Shotguns, four magazines for 762 Sniper rifles and one Cal .45 magazine. Meantime, BARMM Ministry of Interior Local Government Minister Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo expressed his gratitude to the men and women of the 34th IB and Pigcawayan Municipal Police Station for their support in the campaign against loose firearms in the town. The post Loose firearms recovered from SGA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Amnesty for rebels
The grant of amnesty is a core component of any peace process. Rebels silenced their guns in the hope of attaining the political values they laid their lives on the line for. In exchange, the government offers a package of enticement, including forgiving their misadventure in pursuit of their political aspirations through a mechanism called amnesty. We see this scenario played out when the government negotiated peace with rebel groups. Presidential proclamations were issued defining the protocol to be followed and the parameters of the grant. This was, of course, with the imprimatur of Congress as required by the Constitution. Subsequently, a National Amnesty Commission was created for processing applications for the grant. Several years have passed since a peace pact was signed between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the government, still, the former’s rebel fighters have not been granted amnesty that will restore their political rights and reintegrate them into society. This is now being brought to the fore because the deadline set by the proclamation for submission of applications has expired and the processing is, according to applicants, snail-paced. The processing of applications for amnesty rests on the shoulders of the local Amnesty Board where it is first filed and decided by the National Amnesty Commission. The commission as it is constituted is composed of members who are ex-officio representing various government departments and presidential appointees. The latter are all lawyers who are familiar with the secessionist movements in the South. This column knows them to be lawyers of note and equipped with the dedication and integrity required of their office. They are cognizant of the crucial role that their work plays in putting out the fire of rebellion, especially its amiable but principled chairperson, Ms. Leah Tanodra Armamento, who has had a brilliant storied career in government. They will be confronted with several issues which they will be hard put to resolve given the social and political milieu, not to mention the pressures that will come their way. They will have to face the issue of rebel applicants who have been found guilty by final judgment of crimes that they will claim were political and in pursuit of their revolutionary campaign. Yes, the law is clear about the specific crimes that are covered by the amnesty proclamation but there is more to it than meets the eye. There is a fine line that separates which crimes are private or personal and which are political. The nuance is hazy. A smart defense litigator can always claim that a crime like arson, for instance, was committed for a political purpose. It will be hard put balancing the interest of the rebel returnees and the families of their victims. These and many other similar challenges will face them. There are rebel leaders also who have been found guilty by the courts of crimes and who would want to run for office in the coming elections. The MILF has registered its political party, Bangsamoro Justice Party, with the Commission on Elections to shift its political struggle from the jungle to the electoral environ. They will slug it out with the politicians in the polls. The law, however, disqualifies them from running for office. The Omnibus Election Code says: “Those sentenced by final judgment of subversion, insurrection, rebellion or any offense for which he has been sentenced to a penalty of more than 18 months imprisonment” is disqualified to be a candidate for public office. The phrase “or any offense” is fertile ground for legal hermeneutics. The Local Government Code has a similar provision. The rationale for this prohibition is simple: Why allow those fighting against the government to run for public office to serve the same government they wanted to topple? These are just tidbits of worries that will confront the Commission. There will be other meaty issues they will have to address, not the least, is the pressure that will be exerted on its decision-making process. Meantime, the Commission should motu proprio take immediate steps to extend the period for the filing of amnesty applications. *** amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Amnesty for rebels appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Police, military upgrade gains
Initiatives that would strengthen the country’s police and military to ensure a “strong and stable rule of law” in the archipelago will continue, according to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. In his second State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa, Marcos said this effort would serve as a foundation for the country’s transformation. “Our police and armed forces are being strengthened and modernized to be more effective in maintaining peace and order and in defending our sovereignty,” he said. The President also vowed the government will continue its stiff campaign against illegal drugs — which he said has taken on “a new face” and is now geared towards community-based treatment, rehabilitation, education, and reintegration, to curb drug dependence among the affected citizenry. “Last year, we launched the ‘Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan’ or BIDA Program, and established additional 102 Balay Silangan Reformation Centers nationwide,” Marcos said. Marcos underscored that the government will focus its efforts on the rehabilitation of drug dependents while sustaining the fight against drug syndicates by shutting down their illegal activities and dismantling their network of operations. His administration, he said, will also run after law enforcers and their accomplices implicated in the illegal drug trade. Narcos exposed “Unscrupulous law enforcers and others involved in the highly nefarious drug trade have been exposed. I will be accepting their resignations. In their stead, we will install individuals with unquestionable integrity, and who will be effective and trustworthy in handling the task of eliminating this dreaded and corrosive social curse,” Marcos said. His administration will not tolerate corruption or incompetence in government, he added. Marcos likewise said the country is now nearing a peaceful solution to its problems concerning Filipinos who have taken up arms against the government. “For almost half a century, some of our fellow Filipinos have taken to arms to make their views heard. We are now at a point in our history when their armed struggle has evolved. We have now progressed together towards peace and development,” he emphasized. The government, he added, has incorporated capacity-building and social protection into its reintegration programs to guarantee full decommissioning of former combatants. Marcos underscored that the government’s Barangay Development and Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Programs has been effective in addressing the root cause of conflict in the countryside through the continuous implementation of the community development and livelihood programs for the former rebels. Further, the President announced he will issue a proclamation granting amnesty to rebel returnees to complete the reintegration process. “I ask Congress to support us in this endeavor,” he said. Meanwhile, the Chief Executive was pleased to note that communities affected by the infamous Marawi siege in May 2017 are recovering with the ongoing granting of financial aid to those severely affected by the conflict. He said it will allow these residents to start afresh. “Nawa’y mamayani ang pag-asa. Nawa’y magpatuloy ang pagkakaisa, pagmamatyag, at paghahangad ng kapayapaan at kaunlaran (May hope prevail, may unity continue along with vigilance and the desire for peace and progress),” he added. Marcos also mentioned the progress of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which he said was made possible because of the cooperation of all key groups. “We are proud of the progress that the BARMM has taken. It will be self-governing, progressive, and effective,” he said. “The local government, the royal families, the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front), and the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) were all consulted and represented in the transition phase. The international community has also supported us in this smooth transition. Former adversaries are now partners in peace. Its functions have been defined, and its basic laws are being written.” Marcos said the progress in the BARMM has pulled up the sustainable advancement of southern Philippines anchored on a “true and lasting peace.” The post Police, military upgrade gains appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A Moro’s wish for PBBM’s 2nd SoNA
The day after tomorrow being the 4th Monday of July, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will face the nation before a joint Congress assembly for his State of the Nation Address. He will be performing the constitutionally mandated ritual of informing the Filipinos about the country’s political, financial and social condition, and about his future plans. This being his 2nd SoNA, he will likewise submit his accomplishment report card for last year which will be subjected to a surgeon’s scalpel-like scrutiny by gadflies. The politically-oriented public will be all ears to what the President will report. Heavy issues like the environment, the West Philippine Sea, and similar concerns with a global impact will be tackled. But in the Muslim Autonomous Region, Moros wish that something will be said about issues close to their hearts. Hereunder is the bucket list of issues that they hope would be addressed. Foremost of these issues which occupy the minds of Maranaw Muslims is the fate of the compensation promised by the government for victims of the 2017 Marawi siege. While there is a law that mandates its payment, it does not provide funding or the source of funding to implement the law. The burden is shifted to the Office of the President for financing. A yearly appropriation can create problems. A one-time budget appropriation similar to a block grant is ideal. Yes, an amount of P1 billion (a crumb vis-a-vis the huge damage to be compensated) was initially budgeted but it was mainly for the administrative expenditures of the Marawi Compensation Board. The processing of the claims by the MCB is in full swing and pretty soon, hopefully, they will start the process of payment. This presents a huge problem for the Board if the total budget is not predetermined. How will they distribute the money? What will happen if the government fails to appropriate a budget in the coming years (the law says five years) and some legal claimants remain unpaid? What payment mechanism will the MCB adopt? Will it wait for the completion of the processing and pay the victims pro rata based on its evaluation? Will it be on a “first come-first served basis” — the reason there is now a mad scramble by claimants to have their claims processed first? Again, this all depends upon a commitment to provide a one-time budget for the claims. Then it will save the claimants the anxiety and worry of their claims being unpaid. Corollary to this is perhaps a word from the President about Task Force Bangon Marawi. It seems the rehabilitation has reached a dead-end. Nothing is heard about the completion of the city’s rehab, and residents don’t see any ground activity on the projects yet to be finished. Admittedly, the public infrastructure projects promised by the past administration are almost complete, but the national government has an ear-splitting silence about finishing them. In fact, people have the impression the Task Force has folded its tent and become functus officio. A word or two about this will assuage the project’s completion uncertainty. Moros will likewise welcome a word from the President about the speeding up or completion of the decommissioning of the rebels so that they could be integrated into the armed or police forces to legalize the carrying of their firearms in public. Right now, Moros are bewildered about the existence of two armed forces in their area, one from the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the other, the regular defense and peace-keeping forces of the country. As we had warned before, this could be a potential flashpoint that could ignite an armed confrontation at any time. With the barangay and youth elections fast approaching, this could lead to a situation where one group, which has a registered political party, the Bangsamoro Justice Party, will be in an advantageous position with its armed militia allowed to carry their firearms during the campaign and on election day. This column empathizes with the Bangsamoro Governor Caucus which earlier raised this alarm. Will this wish merit attention from the speech writers of Malacañang? Or are the Moros shooting for the stars? As a caveat to my fellow Moros, there is a great chance these issues will not be mentioned as in past SoNAs. Prepare your minds for this possibility. *** amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post A Moro’s wish for PBBM’s 2nd SoNA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tribune, Marcos share good gov’t journey (12)
Unity as mere rhetoric meant to create an illusion of a unifying leader, this was how critics described and ridiculed the battle cry of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. during the 2022 campaign. sire to bring together several sectors of society was stamped in the way he handled the deliberations on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law — by seeking to extend the consultation to as many of the stakeholders as possible. In a Daily Tribune report on his address before students of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila during a symposium entitled “In the Name of Peace,” the proposed law was presented to the youth. Marcos recalled that he visited various places in Mindanao and talked to major stakeholders like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Moro National Liberation Front, indigenous peoples, the Sultanates, and representatives of different sectors of society. “Then I realized, I haven’t talked to the youth and the students yet. If I don’t do this it will be a major shortcoming because the youth are our country’s future and the principal beneficiary of the peace process,” Marcos said. In general, he said, BBL was part of the effort to bring peace and development to Muslim Mindanao under the context and framework of the Constitution. Marcos recognized the validity of creating autonomous regions, saying that people in certain areas of the country shared a “common and distinctive historical and cultural heritage” different from the rest of the country and that the Constitution authorized the creation of autonomous regions. Charter compliant Specifically, Marcos said the Constitution allowed for the creation of the Cordillera Autonomous Region and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which are vested with extensive powers not otherwise enjoyed by ordinary local governments, but so far only the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao had been organized. The draft Bangsamoro Basic Law sought to abolish the ARMM and repeal the law that created it, apparently based on a statement by President Benigno Aquino III that ARRM is a “failed experiment.” “The problem was — and this was a big problem — it turned out in our hearings in the Senate that many of the provisions of the draft BBL were unconstitutional,” Marcos said. He said he sought the help of the Senate’s resident constitutional expert, the late Senator Miriam Santiago, to conduct hearings on the constitutionality of the draft BBL. Citing the Santiago report, Marcos said the BBL aimed to create a “part-sovereign” or “sub-state” called Bangsamoro with elements of a state under the Montevideo Convention, namely, a permanent population, defined territory, and capacity to enter into relations with other States. The Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States is a treaty signed in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 26 December 1933, that codified the declarative theory of statehood as accepted as part of customary international law. Had Congress adopted the draft BBL based on the Palace proposal, the new law would have violated the Constitution and would have faced a challenge before the Supreme Court. Marcos said the remedy was to either amend the draft BBL to make it consistent with the Constitution or to amend the Constitution to accommodate the drastic changes the BBL sought to put in place. Shortcuts not allowed “These are the peaceful, unifying, and constitutional ways of doing it. In the name of peace, let these be done. No shortcuts. No railroading. No threats of violence. No threats of war,” Marcos stressed. “Let us do this right, as one nation united by our Constitution and under one flag,” he added. Earlier, Marcos prepared a substitute bill that addressed the constitutional issues against the BBL. He vowed the substitute bill would ensure the sovereignty and integrity of the country even as it strove to achieve lasting peace and development in Mindanao. The post Tribune, Marcos share good gov’t journey (12) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Postpone BARMM barangay, SK polls
A call for action if sounded once may not gain traction. It could be the offshoot of a single event. But it deserves a second look when it is played up at various times during significant occasions. It could perhaps be a forewarning of future adversity if not addressed properly and timely. We see this premonition in the Muslim Autonomous Region. Having said that, the situation in the Bangsamoro Region is sui generis. It is dissimilar to other regions in the country. The autonomy it is presently enjoying came at a very high price — the lives of martyred mujahideen and the tears of mothers and loved ones. Under these circumstances, it deserves no less than special attention from the national policymakers. Thus, when its leaders take a stand over a certain issue it should be taken seriously, or else government might regret ignoring it. The postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in the region has been the subject of serious discussion by leaders of BARMM in various fora. It’s at the top of their agenda and discussion has been belabored continuously. In fact, they launched a wide media campaign to get the attention of the national policymakers and the Commission on Elections. Foremost among the reasons advanced is the serious security problem in the area which might jeopardize any electoral exercise and result in failure to exact the people’s true will. It might even lead to election-related armed confrontations. In the meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Council in Maimbung, Sulu over the weekend, it was reported that the governors of BARMM had renewed their call for the postponement of the October election. In a position paper, they demanded the deferment “until after the former combatants of the MILF had fully given up their firearms under the peace accord decommissioning process.” What spawned the request is the peculiar situation in BARMM. While in other areas in the country, anyone who is not a member of the defense or security forces of government who displays a firearm faces arrest, we see MILF militia flaunting their arms before the public with impunity. They invoke the decommissioning agreement between the government and the MILF to justify their actions. The decommissioning process is part of the normalization mechanism agreed on by both the MILF and government peace panels. It was reported that around 30,000 to 40,000 MILF fighters need to be disarmed, but so far only about 19,000 combatants and some 2,000 firearms have been decommissioned. In the meantime, the MILF has revved up on full throttle their political party, the Bangsamoro Justice Party, which, according to their political lieutenants, will participate in the forthcoming election even if the barangay election is theoretically a nonpartisan activity. Reports have it they will either field their own candidates or support candidates who will lead the cadre of campaigners for the bigger and more important 2025 national and regional elections. They will test the ground to see how they will fare in the 2025 elections. As we have said in past columns, under the present circumstances, an election cannot be conducted on a level playing field if one party is allowed to publicly display their firearms while other partisans would face sanctions if they bore arms during the election period. With the barangay election only about four months away, there is no way to fully implement the decommissioning process. It’s a tedious procedure that needs ample space and time. To complicate the situation, last Wednesday the residents of Marawi City woke up to a heavy firefight between government troops and rebels during which a top ISIS local commander was killed. This incident followed a series of skirmishes involving the same group in the town of Marogong, Lanao del Sur. Sleeper terrorist cells are teeming, safely ensconced in the hinterlands. On the same day, a police car was ambushed by armed elements in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur, killing two policemen. An air of uncertainty is sweeping Morolandia brought about by the series of skirmishes. Are these enough reasons to postpone the election in the BARMM? We say yes. amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Postpone BARMM barangay, SK polls appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Compensating Marawi siege victims
The program to compensate victims of the Marawi siege will sink or swim on funding. Politico-sociocultural and human factors, including administrative hurdles, aside, the key to its success hinges on the sincerity of the government in providing the needed funds. Of course, the integrity of the distribution through the mechanism laid down by the Marawi Compensation Board or MCB also counts. It will take a lot of lobbying and follow-up to shepherd the program. And for this purpose, the civil society groups that had been galvanizing attention to the acute needs of the evacuees will have to reboot their campaign (Are they represented in the MCB? The Compensation Law speaks of their possible membership). MCB needs their “noise” to prevent the program from being relegated to the backburner with serious calamities happening elsewhere that also need funding. It takes a lot of networking and constant reminders to national policymakers about the need for funds. Remember, nothing is specific about how much the government has earmarked to implement the Compensation Law. Everything remains hazy and iffy. What we have learned is that in the 2023 Government Appropriation Act, about P1 billion has been set aside to initialize the program. That was not even specifically appropriated for the Marawi victims but lumped into the appropriation for assistance to disaster-stricken areas. That amount is a ridiculous crumb that is not even enough for the administrative needs of MCB. How can we augment or supplement any annual government appropriation for the Marawi victims? The Bangsamoro Autonomous Government comes to mind. The BARMM Organic Law provides a budget for this contingency. Thus, under Article XIV, Section 2 of RA 11054, the “Special Development Fund — The National Government shall provide a special development fund to the Bangsamoro Government for the rebuilding, rehabilitation, and development of its conflict-affected communities. The amount equivalent to Fifty billion pesos at Five billion pesos per year, for a period of 10 years from the ratification of this Organic Law, shall be allocated for this purpose. The utilization of the fund shall be in accordance with the Bangsamoro Development Plan to be adopted by the Bangsamoro Government.” That’s it. The provision describes to a tee the aid for the rehabilitation of “conflict-affected” Marawi. What we are trying to drive home is that, even if the national government becomes remiss in funding the program, our fallback will be tapping the resources of BARMM. The regional government has so many funds that it can spend legally on the rehabilitation program. We are told that BARMM has already started implementing its assistance to the war victims. Truckloads of building materials were unloaded at the center of the most affected area, Banggolo, for everyone to see. Choosing construction materials instead of cash, as a form of assistance, is a sound idea. Unfortunately, we were told that many victims were not given a heads-up and failed to avail of it. There was a deficit of communication. Victims demand transparency in the distribution to protect the integrity of the process. Apropos of this, there are pedestrian suggestions that come to mind. A strict monitoring of the use of these materials should be conducted by BARMM to ensure that they will not fall into the hands of pseudo-claimants. The local government units, especially the barangay chiefs who know the residents, should be given a role. Care should also be exercised to prevent the materials from being brought to places outside of the most affected priority areas. Personal, social, and consanguineal biases should never play a role in processing claims. The “palakasan” system will defeat the purpose. These are the evils that should be avoided lest they bring to naught the noble purpose of the law. Responsibility should also be defined clearly by identifying the agency and the officials tasked with distributing the largesse. Transparency by publishing the process of distribution, the criteria, and whatever documents are needed to substantiate the claim for assistance must be observed. BARMM should formulate its own Implementing Rules and Regulations to shut off any doubt about the integrity of the distribution. It is a relief that BARMM has initiated the process. Bravo! We hope it will accelerate the distribution in the meantime that the MCB is getting its act together for the huge task ahead. amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Compensating Marawi siege victims appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
MNLF commander has high hopes on PBBM
Hadji Ahmad Omar, lone survivor of the well-known and legendary Moro National Liberation Front “Magic 8” expressed hope that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will follow in the footstep of his late father and namesake in delivering more aid and economic projects in Mindanao. “Magic 8” is a group of MNLF commanders who trained in the Middle East and led the uprising against the government in 1971 but later surrendered to the late former President Marcos on 3 November 1973. They have since given more support and loyalty to the government as they received all the necessary assistance from the Marcos administration including economic projects in Mindanao. In a letter sent to the Marcos-Sara Duterte campaign headquarters before the 16 May elections last year, Omar, former mayor of Luuk and Omar Municipalities in Sulu, said he is a member and last survivor of the original “Magic 8.” He wrote that he still remembers the kindness of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., Bongbong’s father, and that’s why until now his clan has given the BBM-Sara UniTeam their full support. “Today I write you a letter to let you know that I, Hadji Ahmad M. Omar, the remaining lone surviving member of the “Magic Eight” together with our families, descendants and loyal comrades who are now scattered in the island provinces of Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi as well as in the Zamboanga Peninsula, will vote for you and campaign for your candidacy for President vigorously with your tandem Sara Duterte for vice president of the Republic,” Omar said. “Your benevolent late father has gifted the Bangsamoro people with numerous development assistance, that benefited us all and for that many assistance we will eternally never forget him. We will eternally never forget him,” Omar said. “We are sure you and Sara will follow his footsteps in helping the Muslims, the Bangsa Tausug, the Bangsamoro people, and the inhabitants of our homeland as well as the entire nation to extricate themselves from poverty and hardship,” he said. “As I am now in the twilight of my life, I wish to reiterate that we, the surviving members, families, descendants, comrades, and supporters of the Magic 8 are committed and have solemnly sworn to support your candidacy for President and Sara Duterte for Vice President,” Omar said. Seven members of Magic 8, Habib Tupay Loong, Ali Abubakar, Hadji Abbas Estino, aka Maas Bawang, Bagis Talib, Jairulla Abdurajak, Imam Madisan Maldisa and Lutian Ahajan, are now dead, The post MNLF commander has high hopes on PBBM appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LGUs support BARMM, UN anti-child labor campaign
Local executives on Saturday took turns pledging support for the expanded joint anti-child labor campaign of an agency of the United Nations and the Bangsamoro government......»»
BARMM starts PinasLakas drive with gov t workers
COTABATO CITY - The Ministry of Health in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) kicked off Thursday its coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) booster shots campaign here, with regional government servants as the first recipients.Dr. Muhammad Candao, the MOH health regula.....»»
DOH OIC visits BARMM, lauds vax program
COTABATO CITY - Department of Health (DOH) Officer in Charge Maria Rosario S. Vergeire assured health officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) of her support for the region's vaccination campaign and other health programs."I told Chief Minister Ebrahim that t.....»»
More soldiers deployed vs BIFF bandits
An Army contingent from Luzon will be deployed in Central Mindanao to assist the 6th Infantry Division in its campaign against members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters......»»
180 child labor victims get rehab support from BARMM
The Bangsamoro government has released a P20,000 rehabilitation support each to parents of 180 children engaged in child labor as part of a campaign to address such malpractice......»»
D.C.Plinado Campaign pushed
DAVAO City Councilor Bai Hundra Cassandra Dominique N. Advincula urged Dabawenyos to continue embodying the "culture of discipline", as a legacy, and to be conscious of turning it into the key for the city's growth......»»