Australian delegation visits ARMM gov't seat in Cotabato

AUSTRALIAN CALL. Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (left) walks beside Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Mujiv Hataman during the Australain delegation visit to the ARMM provisional seat of government in Cotabato City on Wednesday (May 2). (Photo by BPI ARMM)

COTABATO CITY -- Australian officials visited Wednesday the seat of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) here and discussed the regional government's initiatives in countering extremism following the Marawi siege last year. 

Leading the visiting delegation was Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, who was accompanied by Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Amanda Gorely.

ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman and Regional Executive Secretary Laisa Alamia briefed the visitors on the programs initiated by the regional government to address the problem of violent extremism.

Hataman said the ARMM's Program Against Violent Extremism provides opportunities to members of terrorist groups who have surrendered and returned to the fold of law for reintegration in society.

The governor said the program has been gaining good results since its introduction last year and has drawn support from Malacañang for inclusion in its Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP), the national government's reintegration program.

Lawyer Rasol Mitmig, ARMM education secretary, also presented the efforts being undertaken by his office in addressing violent extremism in schools across the region.

The battle to retake Marawi from May to October last year caused widespread destruction to the city and displacement of some 11,000 families as government troops fought the combined forces of the Abu Sayyaf and Maute terror groups.

A multi-billion government rehabilitation program is underway to bring back life to the city.

Task Force Bangon Marawi, a government inter-agency group organized to facilitate the rehabilitation and recovery efforts in the city, said initial post-conflict assessment indicated that some PHP50 billion is needed to restore the locality’s affected areas.

Last February, the Australian government rolled out a PHP3.6-billion Education Pathways to Peace in Mindanao (Pathways) for the autonomous region.

Pathways is a nine-year program designed to improve the delivery of basic education and contribute to peace-building initiatives in the ARMM. (PNA/By Noel Punzalan / Posted by Becky D. de Asis-The Redline News)