"With this new development in the allocation and authority given to ARMM regional governor, the Armm provinces can expect more infrastructure projects to be implemented in our provinces," Sahali said.

Sahali added that ARMM Gov. Datu Zaldy Ampatuan announced the availability of R72 million for projects to be spread out in the provinces covered by the regional government.

The projects will include the regional, provincial and district impact projects which will be implemented by local governments, he stressed.

Sahali said Ampatuan headed a delegation of regional government officials to Malacanang and lobbied for the return to the ARMM of the control and supervision of its own Social Fund.

After Ampatuan explained to Arroyo the importance of retaining the ARMM Social Fund, the President  amended Executive Order No. 496 which she signed on January 23, 2006, Sahali recounted.

Ampatuan was elated by the favorable decision of the President.

He thanked and assured her that the ARMM leadership and the people of the region will support her administration, Sahali added.

The ARMM Social Fund is financed by government loans from the World Bank.

It was created through Executive Order No. 124 signed on September 12, 2002. Its principal purpose is to support the peace and development efforts of the ARMM government.

It has been implementing projects in identified barangays in the five component provinces and one city of ARMM since 2003.

It also assists communities through its Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) component by providing financial and technical assistance to plan and manage small-scale livelihood and infrastructure projects needed by the community members.

LGUs, government agencies, NGOs and other partners work together to support the community-led implementation of sub-projects.