ARMM, Maguindanao LGU inaugurate HDAP-funded town hall

Cotabato City (January 25, 2017) – A new town hall for Datu Anggal Midtimbang in Maguindanao was officially inaugurated by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and the beneficiary local government unit (LGU) on Monday, January 23.

The town hall was funded under the Humanitarian and Development Assistance Program (HDAP) of the ARMM.

The construction of the municipal hall was implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-ARMM with a total approved cost of P7,334,469.39. The turnover of office facilities to the Datu Anggal Midtimbang LGU was earlier held on November 4, 2016, right after the completion of the building.

ARMM’s HDAP aims at addressing the immediate needs of the affected families as well as provide follow through interventions in affected communities. It also aims at establishing a systematic and a coordinated approach in addressing and mitigating the effects of future disasters and calamities, towards a more peaceful and resilient autonomous Muslim region.

Among the projects under the ARMM-HDAP is the development of town government centers. The ARMM has earmarked a total of P30 million for the construction of three town hall buildings and rehabilitation of two existing buildings located in the towns of Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Salibo, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Datu Piang and Talitay, all in the second district of Maguindanao.

In her message, Mayor Maryjoy Estephanie Uy-Midtimbang expressed her gratitude to the ARMM government for the realization of the project. Mayor Midtimbang encouraged the people of her town to work together and cooperate in taking care of the new government building.

Engr. Baintan A. Ampatuan, executive director of the Regional Planning and Development Office and program manager of the ARMM-HDAP Project Management Office, congratulated the local officials and DILG-ARMM on the town hall’s completion.

Ampatuan said that this is the first to be completed among the projects being implemented under ARMM-HDAP. “Government center is one of the basic requirements for a functional local government unit. A conducive working environment for the municipal officials and personnel will result in better delivery of basic services,” Ampatuan said.

The national government, as well as the ARMM government, allotted more than P2 billion in the implementation of projects for 15 conflict-affected municipalities in Maguindanao.

Atty. Noor Hafizullah “Kirby” Matalam Abdullah, Regional Secretary of the DILG-ARMM, asked the town officials and the community to work together in maintaining the government center.

Vice-Mayor Datu Nathaniel S. Midtimbang; S/Supt. Agustin J. Tello, provincial police director for Maguindanao; Lt. Col. Roberto B. Sarmiento, 19 IB Commander; and former mayor of Talayan town H. Ali M. Midtimbang, were also present in the town hall’s inauguration. (Bureau of Public Information)

(By JC-MPF with PR from Bureau of Public Information – ARMM)