DAVAO CITY—The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)—a region with a lot of local governments operating without any comprehensive plans—has finally gathered planners from its 118 municipalities in a two-day congress to start formalizing local plans and to link them to the budget process.
Representatives from different regional line agencies also participated in the first ARMM Planners’ Congress which concluded on Thursday.
Held in Cotabato City, the congress targeted to “draw up mechanisms that would strengthen the collaborations between government agencies in the region and to help formalize regional and local planning and budgeting mechanism.”
“The congress ensured wider participation of stakeholders in the identification of regional programs to advance good governance and efficient public service,” ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman said.
Hataman has appealed to planners “to draft plans that focus on the need of your constituents.”
“Service to the nation was part of their oath of office, therefore, we have to make a plan for the benefit of everybody and not for a few,” he said.
Lawyer Laisa Alamia, ARMM executive secretary, said inputs from congress participants would have an impact on the future Bangsamoro government.
“The participation of the planners mean they are going to be part of the whole plan and future of the ARMM that will later become the Bangsamoro government,” Alamia said.
Hataman said that the planning outcome would be used to revalidate and update the priority programs listed in ARMM’s Regional Deve lopment Investment Program.
The consolidated output would be presented to the mayors and provincial governors in the forthcoming Third Local Government Unit Summit slated on the third week of March, “where major issues needing regional action and further validation will also be discussed.”
The Regional Planning and Development Office organized the congress.