29 October 2016
Almost P59 billion has been earmarked by President Rodrigo Duterte for projects under the Comprehensive Reform and Development Agenda (CRDA) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other areas in Mindanao affected by armed conflict such as Regions 9, 10 and 12.
The CRDA aims to uplift the lives of Filipinos and ease poverty in Mindanao. It includes projects and programs that will provide business opportunities to encourage more economic activities and pump prime growth in the region.
"Providing the basic needs, infrastructure improvement and economic development are among the priorities of our agency," according to Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong.
Mamondiong said that he has been tasked by Duterte to coordinate with other agencies in solving poverty in the South.
The projects of the CRDA include the Salintubig Program, Bottom-up Budgeting (BUB), Water Supply and Community Infrastructure, and the Roads and Bridges of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
For the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the projects allotted for are the Reducing Vulnerable of Children from Hunger and Malnutrition in ARMM; Cash for Work for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Program; Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens; Supplemental Feeding Program; and, Sustainable Livelihood Program.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will set aside a scholarship fund for 8,982 students in 2017 from ARMM (3,473 slots), Region 9 (2,078 slots), Region 10 (2,018 slots), and Region 12 (1,413 slots) under what is called the Expanded Students Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA).
TESDA will also be allotted funds for its Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP) and Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA) for residents who want to avail of skills training.
Mamondiong announces that in Region 9 30,000 scholars will be given; 45,000 in Region 10; 30,000 in Region 12 and 60,000 in ARMM.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will give agriculture assistance to beneficiaries such as farm equipment/machinery, rice and corn seedlings, and other needs for farming.
The Philhealth Insurance Coverage will distribute new cards through the National Health Insurance Program for 2016-2017.
The Department of Health (DOH) will help build facilities under the Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP) and will reinforce the Doctors to the Barrios and Rural Health Practice Program also from 2016-2017.
The Department of Energy (DOE) will focus on projects such as the NEA-Sito Electrification Program (SEP); NEA-Barangay Line Enhancement Program (BLEP); DOE-LFP-Nationwide Intensification of Household Electrification (NIHE); and, the DOE-LFP-Household Electrification Program with the use of renewable energy and DOE Administered ER 1-94 Electrification and Support Project.
The ARMM Organization will also donate school supplies for slow learners and malnourished pupils for 31 affected schools in nine districts in Maguindanao which will come from Support Services Education Recovery.
The ARMM Regional Board of Investment will distribute Certificates of Registration from the Kaltimex Rural Energy Corp. (KREC) based in Tawi-Tawi.
Other programs of the ARMM include the Social Pension Payout, ARMM BRIDGE Food distribution, Rice and Malong Distribution, and PAMAN Distribution of Farm Equipment will also be distributed by the DSWD-ARMM while the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-ARMM) will give bancas, fish coral cribs, fish pots and fish cages for community-based hatcheries.
The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF-ARMM) will distribute corn mills, hand tractors and haulers tractors while the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR-ARMM) will give tractors, threshers/huskers, corn shelters, corn mills, mobile and stationary rice mills and multi-purpose shredders.
On the other hand, the ARMM HELPS will provide knapsack sprayers, plow and harrows, howwire and U-nails, guyabano planting materials and other community projects.
Finally, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) will allot education assistance and child development centers.
Apart from these projects, the government will also allot funds for other agencies which will help in the implementation of projects under the CRDA.
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