MAGUINDANAO, Philippines - New Zealand Ambassador Reuben Levermore and officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao inspected on Friday the development projects of Wellington that are being implemented through the ARMM and the United Nations in impoverished Moro communities in Mamasapano town in the province.
Levermore was accompanied by ARMM Agriculture Secretary Makmod Mending Jr., and Rajendra Aryal, country representative of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in his visit to Mamasapano municipality in the second district of Maguindanao.
New Zealand is funding the implementation of the "Restoring Agricultural Livelihoods in Conflict-Affected Areas in Maguindanao Province of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao," through FAO, and in collaboration with the executive department of ARMM.
The project, now on its third phase since 2011, is aimed at improving the productivity of local peasants.
While in Cotabato City on Friday, Levermore, Aryal and ARMM Vice Gov. Haroun Al-Rashid Lucman signed an agreement for the continued support and efforts of New Zealand, FAO and the ARMM to address poverty and underdevelopment in the province.
Lucman signed the document on behalf of ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman, who had left for Malaysia as an observer of the 43rd exploratory talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The ARMM’s agriculture and fisheries department helps oversee local and foreign agricultural projects in remote areas in the autonomous region, which covers Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur in mainland Mindanao, and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
"Assistance, in form of development packages and interventions coming from foreign benefactors can be interpreted as a 'vote of confidence' for the Hataman administration, a reform-oriented, peace-loving administration," Mending said.
Levermore told ARMM officials that they are focused on helping improve the quality of life of the marginalized farmers in the province in support of efforts aimed at promoting peace and sustainable development in the area.