Performanceof LGUS in ARMM ‘improving’

Atty. Noor Hafizullah Abdullah

COTABATO CITY --- The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has witnessed the improvements of the local government units (LGUs) during the past Calendar Year 2017.

Atty. Noor Hafizullah Abdullah, DILG-ARMM secretary, said they haveseen the efforts of the LGUs, most especially in improving their performances, delivery of basic services, and in strengthening the campaign against illegal drugs, terrorism, and violent extremism.

“In the past year, we have managed to produce 22 Seal of Good Local Governance awardees and it’s a big thing. Somehow, we can say that the LGUs are being competent. For 2017, in Mindanao, the ARMM was second to Region X in producing SGLG awardees,” Secretary Abdullah said.

Further, Secretary Abdullah said they would want to make a statement that the LGUs in the ARMM are “competent” and are “governing.”

“Based on the three-year governance road map we’ve made in 2016, our first focus would be the structure of the local government units. Taking note of the things that they have and what they don't have yet. We literally went down to the LGUs and looked at the situation. One good example is the disaster plan. Yes, a disaster plan is a must. Right now, we would want them to focus on Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management,” Secretary Abdullah said.

In addition Secretary Abdullah said the second focus of the road map is the implementation of the plans.

“For example in the disaster plan, were they able to purchase equipment for disaster preparedness? Were they able to train disaster officers in handling both human induced and natural disasters? That’s what we are going to look at in 2018,” he said.

Secretary Abdullah stressed that aside from these, they are also going to look at their functionality in essence.

“We are targeting a double number of SGLG awardees for this year,” he added.

Meanwhile, Secretary Abdullah said they continue to provide support and to strengthen the Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (ADAC) in the region to help tackle the drug problem. As of December 2017, the Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and other law enforcement agencies have listed around 56,000 individuals in the ARMM who are coping with drug abuse.

“The LGUs are also actively supporting the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. The DILG-ARMM has issued an order to all local government units to conduct anti-terrorism summit and to help monitor suspicious activities in their respective areas,” he said. (GILMHAR A. LAO– MINDANAO EXPOSE’)