Polls’ deferment good for ARMM projects

COTABATO CITY — Officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) have been given enough time to finish many of their foreign-funded projects with the looming deferment, until mid-2005, of the regional polls slated this November.

President Arroyo has reportedly agreed to a proposal from the House of Representatives to postpone the scheduled ARMM elections to mid-2005 due to lack of funds, during a meeting early this week of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council at Malacañang.

The President reportedly concurred with the proposal of Basilan Rep. Gerry Salapuddin, House deputy speaker for Mindanao, resetting the elections.

Dr. Lampa Pandi, ARMM assistant health secretary, said his department now has enough time to finish all of its remaining foreign-funded projects.

"We ought to thank our legislators in the ARMM and the President herself for having reached such a consensus," Pandi said, referring to LEDAC’s decision to defer the regional polls.

ARMM Gov. Parouk Hussin said the deferment will also allow them to reconcile rival politicians in the region, thus ensuring peaceful elections.

The ARMM groups the geographically scattered Marawi City, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, both in Central Mindanao, and the island-provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Peace advocates in Central Mindanao said the deferment of the regional elections will also give negotiators of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front enough time to forge a final peace pact and subsequently, allow qualified MILF leaders to run for elective positions.

Lanao del Sur Rep. Faysah Dumarpa, a former member of the ARMM’s 24-seat Regional Legislative Assembly, earlier filed a House bill seeking to defer, through legislation, the regional polls to 2005.

Dumarpa said synchronizing the ARMM polls with next year’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, will be cost-efficient.