Sultan Pax Mangudadatu, the righteous leader for ARMM

Sultan Pax Mangudadatu (Photo by Ely Dumaboc)

By: Jovy M. Samson

MAGUINDANAO – “It is Sultan Pax Mangudadatu the right leader who has the capacity to transform ARMM into a premier economic hub of the country and an efficient administration of governance”, the multi-sectoral leaders of ARMM said during a forum held recently here in the province.

“With Sultan Pax’s tangible achievements, sound abilities, proven good governance and strong political will in Sultan Kudarat as former mayor, governor, congressman and as a leader affiliated in various international organizations, certainly he can replicate these to ARMM”, the first vice chairman and political affairs chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Ghadzali A. Jaafar said.

It is noted that the region is one of the poorest region in the country with almost double poverty incidence level as compared to the country’s poverty incidence, despite of its richness natural and human resources and huge budgetary support from the national government and the international communities.

Philippine Muslim Teachers College director Datu Agakhan “Binladen” M. Sharief said that ARMM is the most privileged region in the country with has its own mandate (RA 9054) and budgetary allocation but why until now the region remains to be underdeveloped and a center of socio-economic problems of the country. “Precisely, it is not the mandate neither the budgetary support is the problem of the region but definitely the right leader who will manage, develop, and enhance the resources of the region with utmost transparency and accountability to the people, the academe sector director Sharief added.

The ARMM people, who are, for more than two decades since its creation, are not reaping the benefits and fruits of development that are supposed long before were enjoyed by them, the farmer irrigators sector AKMA PTM party list representative Datu Michael Abas Kida said.

“We have trust and confidence to Sultan Pax Mangudadatu’s leadership for he is the only Muslim leader who pledge before the Quar’an not to pocket the money of the people.  He is the righteous leader that the ARMM people looking for as we need leaders in this contemporary time an Allah-centered leadership”, the President of Grand Imams Federation and Endowment Affairs of the Philippines Shiekh Padel M. Hassan said.

Sultan Pax Magudadatu, the Regional Governor aspirant of ARMM platform of governance is anchored on clean and responsive Islamic leadership dubbed as Halal Public Governance.

One of his major long term visions is to establish a Bangsamoro Regional Center that will serve as the center of good governance in the region where bangsamoro people and various tribes converge and live in harmony for lasting peace and sustainable development.

It is imperative upon the ARMM to establish its own seat of government as provided in the Article 1, Section 3 of Republic Act 9054 which states “the regional legislative assembly,…. Shall by law, fix the permanent seat of government of the regional government in any province or city that is a member of the autonomous region, taking into consideration accessibility and efficiency in which its mandate be carried out…..”