Cotabato PLGU pushes for industry food processing after quarantine

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Cotabato Province--- The provincial government here is into producing industries as its main thrust for economic recovery, especially now amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

“Our direction is to really produce industries and not the culture of mendicancy,” Governor Nancy Catamco emphasized.

She noted that aside from rubber plantations, the province is rich in different fruits which need to be processed and improved to enhance its value.

Catamco cited as an example is the durian fruit which is plentiful in the province yet the residence still get durian candy in Davao City.

With this, she noted that the provincial government is eyeing the establishment of dried fruits processing plants. This initiative, according to her, could help residents, especially farmers, gain extra income.

BTA Parliament opens 2nd regular session

The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament held its 2nd regular session Tuesday, June 16, 2020.(ZOOM SCREEN PHOTO, MINDANAO EXPOSE')   

COTABATO CITY --- The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament officially opened its 2nd regular session on Tuesday, June 16 following the minimum health standards set by the Bangsamoro Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) on Covid-19 in holding events not exceeding with 50% of actual capacity of the venue.

Out of 80 Members of Parliament (MP), only 69 were present during the session. 52 of them physically responded to the roll call, while the other 17 responded via video conference.

In his ceremonial speech, BTA Parliament Speaker Atty. Ali Pangalian M. Balindong cited that amidst the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) global pandemic crisis, if we hope for a better country, region, community, and a better future for the people, “they can do a lot more as leaders”, referring to fellow Members of the Parliament and the leaders of the Bangsamoro region in general.

BARMM collects bags of blood for World Blood Donor Day

BLOOD IS LIFE ---A female employee in one of the offices at the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao administration center in Cotabato City donates blood on Wednesday, June 17, 2020in line with the annual celebration of World Blood Donor Day. At least 43 BARMM employees, including the Ministry of Health - BARMM chief Dr. SaffrullahDipatuan, donated blood for the activity. (PHOTO COURTESY OF BPI-BARMM, MINDANAO EXPOSE') 

COTABATO CITY --- In celebration of World Blood Donor Day, the health office of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) managed to collect on Wednesday, June 17 at least 43 bags of blood from donors through a mobile blood donation activity.

The bloodletting activity took place at the Sharif Kabunsuan Complex, the seat of the BARMM government here, in coordination with the Cotabato Regional Medical Center (CRMC).

BARMM to utilize multi-platform communication system for its Learning Continuity Plan

Minister Mohagher Iqbal

COTABATO CITY--- To ensure that “no Bangsamoro child will be left behind” in transitioning to the ‘new normal’ amid Covid-19, the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE-BARMM) will be using multi-platform communication system in implementing its Learning Continuity Plan (LCP).  click tp read more.....

MBHTE Minister Mohagher Iqbal launched on Monday, June 15, the ministry’s BalikEskwela Program and LCP for school year 2020-2021.

“All of us must personify resourcefulness, tenacity, accountability, and determination to ensure that this crisis and the shift to the new normal will not hamper our young people’s learning and overall development,” Iqbal said.

Police stations, LGUs to form 'one-stop shop' for LSIs

(File photo)

MANILA – The Joint Task Force Covid Shield (JTF CV Shield) on Friday, June 19 ordered chiefs of municipal and city police stations to coordinate with their respective local government units (LGUs) to establish a “one-stop shop” that will process documents for travel of locally stranded individuals (LSIs). 

In a statement, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, Philippine National Police (PNP) deputy chief for operations and concurrent task force commander, said the move is upon instructions of PNP chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa.

He said coordination between local police officials and LGUs is essential as the medical clearance certificate being issued by the local city and municipal health office, is one of the two main requirements for the issuance of travel authority.

The other requirement for the issuance of the travel authority is the coordination by the concerned local task forces against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Duterte to join virtual Asean summit on June 26

VIRTUAL ASEAN MEETING --- President Rodrigo Roa Duterte gives his intervention as he joins other leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member countries, the Republic of Korea, People's Republic of China and Japan during the special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on Covid-19 video conference at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on April 14, 2020. Malacañang said Duterte will join again his fellow Asean leaders in a virtual conference hosted by Vietnam on June 26. (PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO BY ACE MORANDANTE, MINDANAO EXPOSE')  

MANILA --- President Rodrigo Duterte will join his fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) leaders in a virtual conference hosted by Vietnam on June 26, Malacañang confirmed on Thursday, June 18.

“Kinu-kumpirma ko po nadadalo po [si President Duterte] dahil ito po ay online meeting ng Asean (I am confirming that President Duterte will be joining the online Asean meeting),” Presidential Spokes person Harry Roque said in a virtual presser aired on state-run PTV-4.

Soccsksargen gets P488-M more for road projects

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has endorsed for funding some PHP488.9 million worth of road projects in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) under the 2020 Conditional Matching Grant to Provinces (CMGP).  

Josephine Leysa, DILG-12 director, said Friday a total of 13 road concreting and upgrading projects have been approved for implementation in the region based on a report from the agency’s Office of Project Development Services (OPDS).

Leysa said the road projects, which were already transmitted to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for the release of the funds, have a combined length of 29.365 km.

Parliament Speaker calls to reflect amidst Covid-19 pandemic

(Photo courtesy of MILF Chairman Official)

COTABATO CITY --- Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament Speaker Atty. Ali Pangalian M. Balindong has called on the Bangsamoro to reflect amidst the ongoing Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) global pandemic crisis.   

In his ceremonial speech during opening of the Parliament’s second regular session Tuesday, June 16 held at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex (SKCC), Balindong emphasized the Bangsamoro is stillmore fortunate as it face this pandemic compared to other areasof the country.

“More than that, we recently had the Holy Month of Ramadan. We had the opportunity to reflect on the pandemic and pray with the family for the country’s well-being, for Bangsamoro’s well-being.  We all know after all that the Ramadan is all about belief and learning how to be Muttaqun (or pious). It is also about the family and the value of togetherness with iftar and tarawih and of course the long awaited and celebrated Eid,” Balindong said.

The good Speaker said this is what he has found himself in the past weeks as they were all praying and fasting.