Over 4,000 fisherfolk, residents benefit from ARMM-HDAP projects

COTABATO CITY – More than 4,000 fisherfolk in the province of Maguindanao will benefit from several fisheries-based livelihood projects of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) through its Humanitarian and Development Assistance Program (HDAP).

Janice Musali, Executive Director of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-ARMM, said residents from the second district of Maguindanao who are dependent on fishing will be assisted with livelihood projects to “help them generate income and improve their living conditions.”

The projects are will be implemented in all 15 towns. “Aabot ng 4,351 na fisherfolk ang makakatanggap at makikinabang ng mga proyekto natin na ipatutupad hanggang 2018,” Dir. Musali said, adding, as of December 31, 2017, a total of 2,535 fisherfolk have already benefited from these projects.

Immediately following armed clashes between rebels and police commandos in Mamasapano town on January 25, 2015, the HDAP was drafted by the ARMM regional government as an anti-poverty initiative covering villages in 15 towns affected by intensified law enforcement operations.

“The beneficiaries are fisherfolk affected by natural and man-made calamities, especially ‘yung mga displaced fisherfolk nung nagkaroon ng intensified law enforcement operations noong 2015,” Dir. Musali said.

Since its implementation, BFAR-ARMM has distributed a total of 162 motorized boats, 875 nonmotorized boats, 4,280 cribs of fish corals, 2,000 fish pots, and 50 fish cages. These were turned over to beneficiaries in Datu Salibo, Mamasapano, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Guindulungan, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Talayan, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Rajah Buayan, and Datu Piang.

Currently, three community fish landing centers with market stalls are being constructed in the towns of Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Talitay and Datu Piang. The landing centers will house fish and fishery products, equipment and tools.

“The community will also benefit from the projects because they will have a better access to safe and quality fish commodities,” Dir. Musali said.

He said eight community-based hatcheries were also awarded to fishermen in Datu Piang, Datu Salibo, Mamasapano, Guindulungan, Talitay, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Rajah Buayan, and Sahriff Saydona. Three ice plants and ice storage facilities for fisherfolk in Mamasapano, Talitay and Datu Piang are also being constructed worth more than P5 million each. The HDAP-ARMM projects being implemented by BFAR-ARMM cost about P45.29 million.

The HDAP consists of government initiatives and programs geared towards improving the living conditions of families in conflict-affected areas, and building resilient and empowered communities in a secure environment. These cover social support, livelihood programs, infrastructure, and basic social services. The regional government has allocated a total of P2.3 billion for HDAP projects.

Infra projects

Some 30 kilometers of paved roads in the conflict-affected affected town are also expected to be completed this year under the Humanitarian and Development Action Plan (ARMM-HDAP). At least 22.5 kilometers have already been paved. The regional government is spending P371.1 million for the concreting of roads in conflict-affected areas.

The infrastructure projects implemented by the Maguindanao 2nd district engineering office cover the municipalities of Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Mamasapano, Shariff Aguak, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Piang, Datu Salibo and Talayan. These municipalities suffered from both man-made and natural disasters in previous years.

Projects in these towns include the concreting of:

· Nunangen-tungal and Nunangen-tungal Phase II roads in Datu Anggal Midtimbang;

· Philippine Tradeduguengen-tukanalipao, Malingao-malibutan Phase II, and Dadomuntay Phase II roads in Mamasapano;

· Timbangan-labu-labu, Kayakaya-tukanalugong, Guinibon-sugadol, and Talisawa-mao roads in Datu Abdullah Sangki;

· Dilembong-duguengen road in Shariff Saydona Mustapha;

· Municipal road in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan;

· Kitango-maganoy and Sitio Taguan-panaangbalanakan roads in Datu Saudi Ampatuan;

· Sambolawan-madia road in Datu Salibo; and

· South and North Binangga road in Talayan.

Engr. James Mlok said the road improvement projects in these towns would help boost the local economic situations. “The projects will make the transport of products easier, thereby, increase profits,” he said, noting the projects would also address issues of peace and development in the communities.

Sharing his story in the improvement of lives of the people in Barangay Tukanalipao in Mamasapano, barangay chairman Ismael Hashim said: “Nakatulong ng malaki ang kalsada at tulay dito sa Barangay Tukanalipao dahil hindi na nahihirapan ang mga tao magdala ng mga produkto sa palengke.”