Good governance is Hataman’s legacy in ARMM

COTABATO CITY – Making the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) functional through good governance is the top achievement of the Hataman administration’s in the last six years.

“When we started here, we said that the most essential thing we should do is to make the government functional,” ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman told journalists Thursday as he cited excellence awards local government units (LGUS) received last year from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

A total of 22 LGUS were awarded the "Seal of Good Local Governance" for their achievements, among others. The feat is a first in the ARMM history, according to Hataman, who said they intend to double, in not triple this year's good governance awardees in ARMM which has 118 municipalities and cities.

Hataman also reiterated that he would address the issue of absenteeism in some LGUS following a memorandum from Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, the Martial Law Administrator, instructing him and provincial governors to supervise local chief executives.

“The Provincial Governors of Mindanao, and the ARMM Regional Governor are hereby directed to ensure that Local Chief Executives under their general supervision are placed under a clear monitoring system that will guarantee their presence and the delivery of government programs and services to the constituents of the respective LGUS,” Lorenzana said.

Hataman also raised challenges in terms of security, citing the Marawi siege and the steady recruitment and series of attacks by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and other rebel groups in ARMM. However, he said incidents of kidnapping in the region have gone down after personalities involved in abduction cases have been apprehended.

Through the ARMM’S Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team, the regional government’s response to crisis has also become more efficient, he said, adding, a regional development plan was also formulated to sustain the region’s development even after his term has ended.

“Ang pagpaplano na ito ay nakabatay sa real situation, scientific data was used. Every year pwedeng may magbago, mabago man ito mula sa ARMM patungong Bangsamoro government, depending on the situation sa community,” Hataman said.

During the final stretch of his administration, the regional government will focus on barangays that urgently need attention from the government. “Since the most basic unit of the government is the barangay, we are focusing on 636 ARMM-HELPS (Health, Education, Livelihood, Peace and Governance and Synergy) and ARMM-BRIDGE (Bangsamoro Regional Inclusive Development for Growth and Empowerment) areas.during the last planning, all agencies were directed to give priority to these areas especially in terms of health, sanitation, housing and governance,” Hataman said.