PAMANA-ARMM MNLF beneficiaries participate in project planning

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jul 25): PAMANA-ARMM MNLF beneficiaries participate in project planning

Around 21 members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) from seven barangays in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur participated in the formulation of  management plans for the implementation of livelihood programs under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program.

The participants also identified and listed down their counterpart activities as preparation for the delivery of their approved project items.

The two-day Orientation-Workshop on the Implementation of PAMANA- ARMM Livelihood Programs for the MNLF Communities held July 15 to 16, 2014 in Cotabato City was facilitated by the Office of the ARMM Regional Governor through the PAMANA Management Office (PMO).

The activity, conducted through a participatory process, was aimed at coming up with a project operation and management plan for each target MNLF community.

MNLF Commander Abukhair A. Amirol, one of the MNLF senior leaders, expressed his satisfaction on the activity. “The orientation-workshop is more than 100 percent successful because we became more aware on the program as we, the beneficiaries, are the one planning for the sustainability of our livelihood project,” he said.

Another objective of the activity was for the beneficiaries to acquire practical understanding on the different production technologies.

Hence, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries-(DAF) in the region, the MNLF members learned the practical technologies on corn production, upland and lowland rice production, vegetables, perennial crops, and livestock.

Hadja Jalica D. Mangacop, High- Valued Crop Development (HVCD) Program Coordinator of DAF-ARMM thanked the PMO for involving them in the activity.

“I am very grateful to Engr. Dong K. Anayatin who personally visited my office and asked for resource persons. I am glad that we are involved here because we want to make this project more sustainable,” she said.

The HVCD Program Coordinator also congratulated the PMO staff for the efficiency in conducting the workshop. “This is my first time to see young individuals in ARMM facilitating workshop like this. We need this kind of people”, she added.

DAF- ARMM PAMANA Focal Person Engr. Guiomla Satol also challenged the MNLF Beneficiaries. He emphasized that the entrepreneurial and management skills are essential flavours of successful and farm sustainable farming activity. “Farming is a business, which means it should be continuously cycling to provide income and employment, thus economic development of the community”, he explained.

Meanwhile, Engr. Dong K. Anayatin, Program Manager of the PAMANA Management Office who is also the Assistant Regional Secretary on Special Concerns, expressed his warm appreciations to the MNLF members for coming up with such great workshop outputs.

“I am amazed with what I have witnessed. You have done a very good output which is very essential for the development of your respective livelihood projects,” he said.

He further underscored that the success and failure of the projects are in the participants’ hands.

PAMANA in the ARMM is concentrated on providing development interventions and socio-economic packages to conflict-affected areas in the region. One of its components is PAMANA for MNLF Communities in support to the implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the MNLF ensuring security of the communities.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=1521406252415