COTABATO CITY, Feb. 13 (PNA) — The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) government will be providing P500,000 monthly financial aid this year to each of the 12 municipalities that do not have internal revenue allotment (IRA) in the region.
The 12 include the towns of Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Datu Hoffer, Datu Salibo, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Mangudadatu, Pandag, and Northern Kabuntalan in the province of Maguindanao; and the towns of Akbar, Al-Barka, Hadji Muhtamad, and Hadji Mohammad Ajul in the province of Basilan.
Lawyer Laisa Alamia, ARMM executive secretary, said the financial grant intends to help the local government units (LGUs) improve their performance and fast track government programs and projects in the region.
“The LGUs should be working. They need to have projects and we will monitor them,” Alamia said.
A total of P72 million has been included by the present ARMM administration in its budget for this year to support the towns.
All 12 towns have been established by virtue of regional legislations, but failed to meet the criteria set for municipalities under Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991.
The discrepancy has disqualified the regionally-created towns from receiving IRA.
ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman earlier led the distribution of P500, 000 checks to the mayor of each town. (PNA)