Duterte aired his appeal to leaders from across the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) during his visit to Cotabato City to lead the launching of programs meant to address under-development in Moro communities and in poor areas in Administrative Regions 9, 10 and 12. Philstar.com/John Unson
President Duterte urged Moros yesterday to embrace peace, which he promised to help foster in the troubled south through socio-economic and humanitarian interventions.
Duterte aired his appeal to leaders from across the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) during his visit to Cotabato City to lead the launching of programs meant to address under-development in Moro communities and in poor areas in Administrative Regions 9, 10 and 12.
The President promised to allocate more funds to address poverty in ARMM, which covers mainland provinces Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman assured Duterte of the regional government’s commitment to address socio-economic and security concerns besetting the region’s culturally diverse communities.
The local administration under Hataman has, in the past four years, invested some P10 billion in vital infrastructure, including roads, bridges and seaports in far-flung areas in the five provinces in the autonomous region.
Hataman said he and members of his Cabinet are grateful to Duterte for keeping his campaign promise to focus on helping the Moro sectors rise from the adverse effects of conflicts and calamities.
“I want incidence of hunger stopped,” Duterte told ARMM officials in a speech after the launching of Malacañang and ARMM’s bilateral anti-poverty programs in the autonomous region.
Also present were Governors Jim Hataman of Basilan and Esmael Mangudadatu of Maguindanao, Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Sandra Sema, Reps. Ruby Sahali of Tawi-Tawi and Monir Arbison of Sulu and Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi.
Duterte called on Congress to put up a legislative framework for a federal government, which he said is the easier means of achieving peace and development in predominantly Moro areas.
“I will improve the Moro homeland in Mindanao during my term,” he said.
He said it is important for the local communities to support his bid for a peaceful closure to the secessionist problem hounding the country’s south.
Duterte said he has high regard for the welfare of the Moro people, owing to his having had an ethnic Maranaw grandmother.
While it has been the biggest recipient of Japanese overseas development aid (ODA) for a long time, Mindanao still stands to benefit the most from Duterte’s recent official visit to Japan.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/10/30/1638649/rody-calls-moros-embrace-peace
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