Guindulungan has visible governance

Mayor Midpantao M. Midtimbang, Jr.

GUINDULUNGAN, Maguindanao --- This municipal government continues with its commitment to have safer communities with the conduct of its Municipal Peace and Order Council meeting last January 15 participated by the municipal and barangay officials and local authorities.

Mayor Midpantao M. Midtimbang, Jr. said during interview that it is in accordance to the Martial Law Instruction Order (MLIO) No. 1 issued by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Mindanao martial law administrator, instructing the regional governor and provincial governors to supervise local chief executives.

The MLIO 1 directs the regional governor and the provincial governors, in ccordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP), to provide monitoring system for the local chief executives of the cities and municipalities in Mindanao to ensure their presence in their cities and municipalities.

The monitoring system seeks to ensure the proper and timely delivery of government programs and basic services to the constituents in Mindanao and the proper discharge of their functions by the LCE's.

“We are gladly open to this since as you can see, there is visible and operational governance here in Guindulungan. We assure them of a functional leadership here,” Mayor Midtimbang said.

Midtimbang said he gathered the municipal chairmen, barangay chairmen, and local authorities to discuss the peace and order situation.

“Still, we would want to strengthen our security mechanism for the benefit of our populace. The Barangay Peace Action Teams from our barangays are on stand-by 24/7,” Mayor Midtimbang added.

Previously, the municipal government has listed several drug affected barangays but are now subject to “drug clearing.”

“These barangays are still subject for drug-clearing and it has been our goal ever since to have drug-free Guindulungan,” Mayor Midtimbang said.

The mayor said they have evaluated the barangays and hopefully after they comply with all the necessary requirements, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will soon declare some barangays as drug-cleared barangays.

Guindulungan was created under Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 139 on March 31, 2003 and was carved out of the municipality of Talayan. It is politically subdivided into 11 barangays: Ahan, Bagan, Datalpandan, Kalumamis, Kateman, Lambayao, Macasampen, Muslim, Muti, Sampao, and Tambunan II.(GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE ACOSTA - MINDANAO EXPOSE’)