Reg'l development board defers ARMM's P1.51-B infra program

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - The Regional Economic and Planning Development Board (REDPB) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has deferred the approval of the region’s P1.51 billion infrastructure program for 2013, pending the realignment of certain projects based on community recommendations.

 

Several members of the REDPB filed motions, during a meeting in Cotabato City on Monday, calling on the central offices of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Budget and Management to allow them to concentrate on municipal roads after they found out that “national roads” in the region have been included in the national road network development plan.

 

The Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA), touted as the “little Congress” of ARMM, is drafting a similar request to legitimize the realignments of projects.

 

The ARMM’s P1.51 billion 2013 infrastructure plan is comprised mostly of road projects.

 

Many of the projects that the ARMM government will implement need to be realigned to ensure the propriety of fund allocations and attune them with the actual infrastructure needs of the region.

 

Acting ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman said the DPWH national office has included most of the national roads in the ARMM in its annual road program.

 

He said the region would be able to optimize the annual infrastructure fund by focusing on local roads.

 

Hataman said that it is crucial for the region to sort out its road map immediately to present a clear-cut data on road development gaps.

 

“We need to be able pinpoint exactly which roads are unpaved and in need of development,” he said.