COTABATO CITY, Philippines – The caretaker government of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has to pursue a housing project for ARMM personnel and open a Muslim public cemetery long absent in the 22-year-old geo-political zone. “We’ll push that through as we see it essential to our governance,” lawyer Anwar Malang, new ARMM executive secretary, announced at a recent media forum here.

Malang was referring to a long-sought housing project from houseless workers of the regional bureaucracy which was ready for implementation by Acting ARMM Governor Hooky Adiong’s administration last December but overtaken by the takeover of the caretaker government of Presidential trustee Mujiv Hataman. (Ali G. Macabalang)

Hybrid seedlings

BUTUAN CITY — In an objective to increase the farm production in 2012, the Department of Agriculture (DA-13) starts the distribution of hybrid seedlings to farmers at various provinces and cities in the Caraga region.

The regional office of the DA started the distribution of hybrid palay and corn seeds at identified rice and corn granaries in the region.

Aside of these hybrid palay and corn seeds, the DA regional office also started the distribution of other high-value commercial crops to ensure more livelihood sustainability to more than 200,000 farmers in Northeastern Mindanao. (Mike U. Crismundo)

Siargao Capitol

DAPA, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte — In an objective to bring the government closer to the people, the provincial government is set to construct another Php 12 million capitol building called “Kapitolyo sa Siargao” in this close to 100, 000 inhabitants “Paradise Island” in Northeastern Mindanao (Caraga region).

Aside from serving the island folks in the 132 barangays and the 9 island municipalities, the provincial government also decided to construct another capitol building here because of rising tourists, both foreign and domestic in the tourism industry. (Mike U. Crismundo)

GSIS probe

COTABATO CITY — Newly-installed officer-in-charge Mujiv Hataman has ordered an immediate investigation on why offices in the autonomous region failed to remit some P1.9 billion worth of premiums with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

Hataman said an immediate investigation must be conducted to find out why the ARMM government incurred a P1.9 billion in arrears with GSIS, despite an undisrupted flow of funds from the central offices of the Department of Budget and Management down to the executive department of the regional government since the ARMM’s creation in 1990. (Nonoy E. Lacson)

Master plan

SURIGAO CITY, Philippines — The City Government of Surigao is now gearing towards mass production to make this booming city more economically stable and globally competitive as the city officials started to implement their 2012 Master Plan on Agriculture-Industrial Program (MPAIP).

The city’s 2012 MPAIP focuses on agriculture, livestock and fisheries. This new development came out after last weekend’s business workshop here that also highlights three vital agenda for the year of 2012 and beyond. (Mike U. Crismundo)