Armm launches convergence effort

THE Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) has launched a convergence effort aimed at strengthening the implementation of the priority programs on health, education livelihood, peace and governance.

Amir Mawallil, Armm communications office head, said the convergence effort was officially launched on Wednesday in the town of Tabuan Lasa.

During the launching, Mawallil said more than 100 families received livelihood implements consisting of agar-agar farm inputs, 10 sets of tuna hand lines, and lobster gillnets from the Armm’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

Mawallil said Armm OIC-Governor Mujiv Hataman earlier told to the residents of the proposed livelihood program, which includes solar drier and support implements, to boost seaweeds production while noting that the regional government assures priority assistance for rebuilding a school structure in the area.

Mawallil said the region’s Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) poured in assistance to the Tabuan Lasa residents that include 350 food packs, 108 lighting supplies and social pension checks to 44 senior citizens amounting to P3,000 each.

Mawallil said more than 400 children availed of a supplemental feeding program also organized by the Armm-DSWD.

Mawallil said the agency also eyes the implementation of a core shelter assistance program and the cash-for-work privilege to the 35 victims whose houses had been razed by a fire incident.

Partners from the military and civil society organizations have also shelled in educational materials, Mawallil said.

Pre-school kits were distributed by an organization called Nagdilaab Foundation, while the military sector has provided 17 boxes of assorted books for elementary schools in the island-municipality of Tabuan Lasa, he said.

Loose coordination among agencies in the implementation of services and duplication of service delivery were some cited reasons behind the employment of the convergence effort in the autonomous region, he noted.

During the Regional Economic and Development Planning Board (RedPB) meeting held Tuesday of last week, Hataman urged local government executives to support the 2013 Armm Helps Convergence Plan aimed at attaining the objectives of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG).

Hataman said the concept of HELPS calls for the involvement of all government agencies in the delivery of services in identified priority areas in the five provinces -- Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

The regional government was able to identify a total of 30 unserved towns as priority target areas distributed as follows: Maguindanao, six towns; Lanao de Sur, eight towns; Basilan, six towns; Sulu, six municipalities; and, Tawi-Tawi, six municipalities.

Convergence package under health includes construction of health centers and birthing clinic with complete facilities, provision of supplies and medicines, deployment of personnel-midwife, and capacity building, said Mawallil.

For the education cluster: day care centers, manpower, supplies supplemental feeding, school buildings, water and sanitation, school supplies, teaching materials and instructional support for the kinder and elementary levels, madrasah and secondary including scholarship.

Under the livelihood cluster deliverables include “Gulayan sa Paaralan,” skills training, capital assistance, support infrastructure, farm-fishery inputs, pre and post-harvest facilities, livestock dispersal, credit access and eco-tourism and economic enterprise while for peace and governance include functional municipal peace and order councils, disaster risk reduction management councils and regulation and reduction of loose firearms, Mawallil said.

He said convergence efforts of the regional government will also be launched in Lamitan City and Al-Barka town in Basilan in February 6 and 7 respectively.

The other schedule for the launching of the convergence efforts are as follows: February 11, Ampatuan and Parang in Maguindanao; February 14, 15, Ganassi and Ramain, Lanao del Sur; February 16, Marawi City; February 17, Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi; and, February 20, Maimbung, Sulu.

Earlier, Mawallil said the five Armm provinces have received more funds for socio-economic projects.

Each of the provinces received an initial tranche of more than P10 million from the Transition Support Investment Plan (TISP) for local fisheries and agricultural projects intended to improve the lives of farmers and fisherfolk in remote areas in Armm, Mawallil said.

The TISP aims to improve living conditions in impoverished communities in the autonomous region in support of Malacañang’s Mindanao peace efforts, he added. (Bong Garcia)