By Rene V. Carbayas
ISABELA CITY – The
millions of savings incurred by various national government agencies in 2011
became the impetus to accelerate reforms in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM).
With the postponement of 2011 ARMM elections
and the subsequent establishment of the transition regional government under
Mujiv Hataman, the national government took the opportunity to create a reform
package that will boost development in ARMM.
The reform package, dubbed Transition
Investment Support Plan (TISP), literally stimulates development in the ARMM.
The funds, which were released in 2012 renewed hope and the chance for the
people of Mindanao, particularly those in the ARMM to have better government
and life for the majority of Muslims in the region.
The administration
of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III is committed to an effective and
fast-track reform agenda for ARMM. And the P8.5 billion TISP was approved to
deliver goods, services and infrastructure projects and programs to be
implemented by various national and regional agencies in the country. Its
funding was sourced from the 2010-2011 savings of the national government.
TISP is a national government intervention intended to complement the
efforts and budgets of the local government units (LGUs) and its programs and
projects shall be implemented by 11 government agencies adopting various
schemes.
The funds came from the following line agencies: Department of Agriculture
(DA), P1.060
billion; Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), P49.586
million; Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), P1.2 billion;
Department of Energy-National Electrification Administration (DOE-NEA), P200
million; Department of Health (DOH), P956 million; Department of Science and
Technology (DOST), P24.6 million; Department of Transportation and
Communication (DOTC), P80-million; Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH), P2.8 billion; Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), P1.9 billion; Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) P60 million; and the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) P61.6 million.
These agencies will fund social development
programs, such as potable water supply, rural electrification, health
infrastructure and equipment, core shelter, feeding program, livelihood
assistance, day care center, emergency shelter assistance, cash for work, and
private education student financial assistance.
For its economic package, TISP will fund the
following: farm-to-market roads, municipal fishing port, Halal production and
advocacy, rubber nursery, small enterprise technology upgrading, transportation
infrastructure, road infrastructure, BPLS Streamlining, OTOP, computerization
of business name registration, strengthening development of SMEs, training for
work scholarship, and skills job program for youth and Ulama.
The fund also supported the National Greening
Program (NGP) through the DENR.
Some notable developments on the TISP
implementation were documented in Basilan. Projects for implementation under
the DSWD stimulus fund program include 101 units modified shelter assistance
(MSA), construction of 98 day care centers, supplementary feeding, sustainable
livelihood through the Self-Employment Assistance Program para sa Kaunlaran
(SEA-K) and cash-for-work for Basilan amounting to P134,188,000.00 for 2012.
Basilan provincial social welfare officer
Lilia Bucoy said Habitat for Humanity Phils. Foundation shall undertake the
implementation of the modified shelter assistance at the cost of P100,000 per
unit while the Army’s 55th Engineering Brigade under Col. Arnold Rafael
Depakakibo has started in 2012 the construction of the day care centers at the
cost of P620,000.00 per unit.
Bucoy said on Sept.16, 2012 Governor Hataman and
Regional Vice Governor and then DSWD-ARMM secretary Bainon Karon awarded to the
local government some 38 units completed day care centers with 60 others are still
under construction.
TISP projects under the DILG had also started
in 2012 the implementation of infrastructure projects in the different towns in
Basilan such as construction of public market and two-storey municipal hall in
Al-barka; public market and water supply for Sumisip, Tuburan, Ungkaya Pukan,
Tipo-Tipo, and Lantawan; public market for Tabuan-Lasa, Mohammad Ajul, and
Maluso; and slaughter house and cultural weaving center in Lamitan City.
DTI-Basilan also reported that in 2012 most
of its activities related to stimulus fund were centered on holding meetings
with various stakeholders and potential beneficiaries of projects promoting
one-town-one product (OTOP), namely: Abaca- Fiber Processing Project, Coco-Coir
Processing Project, Dried-Fish Processing Project, Mud-Crab Production and
Fattening Project, and Yakan Weaving and Handicraft Production Center. DTI had
assisted in the preparation and enhancing the proposals of these proponents.
Consultation meetings were also conducted to assist the rubber industry in
Basilan.
For TISP projects implemented under the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST), former S & T Provincial
Director Myra Alih reported that in 2012 the total proposed project had reached
P 9,343,163.44 under the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrade (SET-UP), a soft
loan that is payable in three years. Alih said that it is a soft loan because
proponents would only have to return the capital/amount loaned without
interest.
Alih, who is recently appointed as secretary
for DOST-ARMM, said that some P24.6 million is allotted by the department for
TISP projects in the region and 24 projects were approved amounting to P13.2
Million. And DOST-ARMM’s role is to assist in the preparation and packaging of
project proposals and do monitoring.
The SET-UP project proposals included the establishment
of a village-type rubber processing plant, coconut vinegar processing, Yakan handloom
weaving production, establishment of a 500-kg capacity bioreactor facility in
the province, and upgrading of bakery equipment and facilities of Isabela
Seaport and General Merchant.
Alih added that as of July this year, a total
of P12,108,038.68 has already been released for various SET-UP projects in ARMM
areas.
The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
(DAF-ARMM) said that under the Basilan
Accelerated Peace and Development Strategy (BAPADS), the department has
intensified its program with the provision of certified rice, corn, rubber, and
vegetable seedlings to selected farmers.
The TISP
initiative had also opened opportunities for Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
Civil society groups (CSOs) in Basilan were also involved in either
implementing and/or monitoring the projects. Given this opportunity, the sector
was also challenged to help the implementing agencies in drumming up public
awareness on the TISP undertaking.
CSOs also play a crucial role in the TISP
implementation to ensure that the implementing government agencies really
execute the projects and programs.
More recently, the citizens-media engagement
with the LGUs was also established and now being strengthened through the help
of the Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD) and the Asia
Foundation. The LGU, media, and CSO sat together on an interface session to
determine whether each member is doing his part toward a common goal: a genuine
reform in the ARMM. (PIA9)
