Senate approves 2018 ARMM Budget

COTABATO CITY - The Senate has approved the P33.569 billion budget for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for 2018.

Senators present during the plenary hearing did not raise any questions which made the budget approval in less than a minute. No discussion took place between the ARMM executives and the senators. ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said the speedy approval of ARMM budget is a manifestation of the Senate's trust in his administration.

"Sa senate finance subcommittee hearing pa lang, we received positive feedbacks na from our lawmakers. And this speedy approval in Senate means they trust our administration," Hataman said.

The Senate finance subcommittee endorsed the budget proposal on September 18. The budget also had a swift approval at the House of Representatives after it received support from the majority on September 12. About P14.661 billion, or 43.8% of the total budget is allocated for personnel service. Another P14.042 billion, or 41.96%, is allocated for capital outlay, and the remaining P4.766 billion or 14.24%, is for maintenance and other operating expenses.

Hataman said the budget was formulated based on many considerations that include the ARMM Regional Development Plan, 2017-2022, which was anchored on the Philippine Development Plan, 2017-2022.

The Hataman administration's two banner programs will serve more target families and barangays in 2018. Since it started, the ARMM'S Bangsamoro Regional Inclusive Development for Growth and Equity (BRIDGE) has provided shelter, electricity, water and food provision for 5,600 less privileged families across the region. 7,000 more families will benefit from the program in 2018.

The second program, Armm-health, Education, Livelihood, Peace and Security, and Synergy (ARMM-HELPS), aims at establishing a peaceful and secure environment in the region by providing basic social services especially in relation to health, education, livelihood, good governance and peace in barangays.

Since 2014, there were 403 barangays that established their barangay peace center, health centers, water facilities, daycare centers and livelihood centers and even housing projects. In 2018, the region sets to put up these infrastructures to 150 barangays regionwide.