Background

Part of President Benigno S. Aquino III's social contract with the people is a call for broad-based growth and
broadly-supported peace that will redress decades of neglect of the people in ARMM. In this connection, the ARMM
Roadmap for Reform was crafted with the following key action and reform points:
Improvement of basic service delivery;
Creating an enabling environment for public-private partnership towards equitable growth;
Stepping up peace and order initiatives for sustained growth and development
Performing and strengthening bureaucratic reforms
Cleaning up of the electoral process and ensuring peace in the region;
Ensuring good governance benchmarks in ARMM;
Fully engaging CSOs and POs in governance; and
Maximizing the potential of ARMM
Essentially, the Roadmap recognizes the following: that reform can never happen overnight; that they have to be
carried out by the National Government, in synergy with the Regional Government and the Community of Interest;
and that good governance has to take a stronghold in the Regional Government and its local governments for reforms
to succeed. The Roadmap is supported by various government programs, among them the peace process, PAMANA,
construction of the Department of Education's school buildings, agrarian reform programs and electoral reforms.
A major component of this roadmap is the Transition Investment Support Plan (TISP). In 2011, with the
postponement of the elections in ARMM, the National Government saw this interim period of 21 months as a
window of opportunity to fast-track key development initiatives and governance reforms in the Region. Thus, the
TISP was crafted.
Objectives
The Transition Investment Support Plan aims to:
Increase the reach, access and quality of essential public services;
Create the enabling mechanisms to promote and sustain public-private partnerships in economic
development and good governance; and
Institutionalize vital governance reforms in the ARMM Regional and Local Government Bureaucracies.
Components of the Plan
The TISP is comprised of various programs and projects of eleven (11) implementing agencies amounting to
P8.59B. It forms part of the 2011 Disbursement Acceleration Program approved by the President in October 2011,
which is sourced from 2010-2011 savings. This budget is over and above the Region's regular budget. Profile of
apportionment is as follows:
AGENCY ALLOCATION
DA 1,060,000,000
DENR 49,586,000
DILG 1,275,790,202
DOE-NEA 200,000,000
DOH 956,000,000
DOST 24,650,000
DOTC 80,000,000
DPWH 2,851,155,000
DSWD 1,971,145,000
DTI 60,000,000
TESDA 61,638,000
Unallocated 2,035,798
TOTAL 8,592,000,000

Modality of Implementation
Each agency has determined the most efficient way by which it could implement its programs and projects. In
general, there are four (4) modes of implementation. These are through the:
National Government Agency (NGA) - Programs and projects are directly implemented by the NGA, either
through the central office or the regional office (Region XII for Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur and Region
IX for Basilan, Sulu, TawiTawi) ;
Regional Government (RG) - The NGA enters into an agreement with the Regional Government (through the
Regional Governor);
Regional Agency - the NGA enters into a bi-lateral agreement with its regional counterpart (funds are
downloaded directly to the Regional Agency, without passing through the RG);
Local Government Unit (LGU) - The NGA enters into an agreement with the concerned LGU (either
provincial, municipal or city level); or
Others - The NGA enters into an agreement with another entity, e.g. local electric cooperative or Philippine
Fisheries Development Authority
Programs and Projects
Department of Agriculture
Farm-to-Market Roads
Municipal Fishing Port
Halal Production Project
Cassava Grater
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
National Greening Program
Department of Social Welfare and Development
Core Shelters Assistance Program for Internally Displaced Families
Supplemental Feeding Program
Day Care Center
Emergency Shelter Assistance
Cash for Work
Livelihood Assistance
Department of Energy
Rural Electrification Program for Sitios
Technical and Skills Development Authority
Training for Work Scholarship Program
Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA)
Skills Job Program for Youth and Ulamas
Department of Trade and Industry
Business Permits and Licensing System Streamlining Program
Halal Food Industry Advocacy and Promotions
Operationalization of Halal Laboratory
Regular OTOP
Computerization of Business Name Registration System
OTOP Flagship- Industry Clusters Development
Strengthening the development of SMEs
Department of Science and Technology
Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program
Department of Transportation and Communication
Rehabilitation of Jolo Seaport
Rehabilitation of Sanga-Sanga Airport
Department of Public Works and Highways
Preventive maintenance of national arterial or secondary roads
Rehabilitation/ reconstruction of Damaged Paved National Roads
Upgrading of National Arterial or Secondary Roads
Replacement of National Bridges
Department of Health
Health Infrastructures Projects
Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) Equipment
Provision of medical equipment
Provision of land ambulance
Provision of sea ambulance
Department of the Interior and Local Government
Potable Water Supply Project
Construction of municipal hall, public markets, slaughterhouses and Yakan training center
Rehabilitation of Jails
Establishment of Police Stations
Provision of Police Vehicles
Construction of Fire Stations
Provision of Fire Trucks
Governance Reforms
o Seal of Good Housekeeping in the ARMM
o Integrity Development Initiative
o Strengthening and Reforming Governance Capacities
o Voters' Education

Investments in ARMM up 157% to P1.4 B BOI
Posted on January 14, 2014 by AFRIM NEWS
Investments in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) climbed by 157 percent to P1.4 billion in
2013 compared to P569 million a year earlier.
In an e-mailed statement Tuesday, ARMMs Regional Board of Investments (RBOI-ARMM) said this was the
second time the region hit the P1-billion mark after P1.6 billion in 2011.
We attribute this significant increase in investments to the signing of the Framework Agreement on the
Bangsamoro (FAB) between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), chairman
Ishak Mastura said, noting the promise of peace and stability boosted investor confidence.
The RBOI-ARMM registered four new businesses last year, with investments including mineral and real estate
developments, expansion of a banana plantation and the establishment of an oil depot.
Data showed Al-Tawitawi Nickel Corp. invested over P700 million for a mineral development project in Tawi-Tawi,
while Bumbaran Development Corp. earmarked P365 million for a real estate development.
Mastura said the strong support of the local government units, reinforced by the ARMM regional government
ensured investors that doing business in ARMM is easy, safe, and profitable.
Its worth noting that the more than P1 billion worth of investments recorded last year generated 1,743 jobs for the
people of ARMM, he added.
Fiscal and non-fiscal incentives offered to new investments helped the region attract more business ventures,
Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chairperson Luwalhati Antonino said.
Governance reforms in ARMM has not only contributed to the overall peace and security situation in the region,
but has also increased investor confidence as shown by this positive development, he said.
Antonino said the region will continue to post growth in investments once the remaining infrastructure projects in
the region are in place.
Earlier, ARMM received P8.59 billion under the Transition Investment Support Plan (TISP) of the national
government, of which P2.8 billion was allocated for DPWHs infrastructure projects.
Mindanao Development Corridors, a spatial development framework carried out by MinDA, is also aimed at further
boosting investments and economic growth in the island-region through inter-modal transport systems.
A well-placed connectivity infrastructure will allow ARMMs top exports sourced mainly from rural areas to
expediently reach urban centers for processing and marketing, and arrive at our export gateways faster and in better
shape, Antonino said.
The Mindanao Development Corridors will focus on the Mariculture and Trade strengths of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-
Tawi.


TISP accelerates reform in ARMM
BY: RENE V. CARBAYAS
Thursday 11th of July 2013
21 0 0 0 0
ISABELA CITY, Basilan, July 11 (PIA) Government savings from postponement
of 2011 elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and the
establishment of the transition regional government had paved the way for the creation
a reform package dubbed Transition Investment Support Plan (TISP).

The P8.5-billion TISP is a national government intervention intended to complement
the efforts and budgets of the local government units (LGUs) and its programs and
projects shall be implemented by 11 government agencies adopting various schemes.
Funds were sourced from the 2010-2011 savings of the national government.

The funds came from the following line agencies: Department of Agriculture (DA),
P1.060 billion; Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), P49.586
million; Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), P1.2 billion;
Department of Energy-National Electrification Administration (DOE-NEA), P200
million; Department of Health (DOH), P956 million; Department of Science and
Technology (DOST), P24.6 million; Department of Transportation and
Communication (DOTC), P80-million; Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH), P2.8 billion; Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), P1.9
billion; Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) P60 million; and the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) P61.6 million.

These agencies will fund social development programs, such as potable water supply,
rural electrification, health infrastructure and equipment, core shelter, feeding
program, livelihood assistance, day care center, emergency shelter assistance, cash for
work, and private education student financial assistance.

For its economic package, TISP will fund the following: farm-to-market roads,
municipal fishing port, Halal production and advocacy, rubber nursery, small
enterprise technology upgrading, transportation infrastructure, road infrastructure,
BPLS Streamlining, OTOP, computerization of business name registration,
strengthening development of SMEs, training for work scholarship, and skills job
program for youth and Ulama.

The fund also supported the National Greening Program (NGP) through the DENR.

Some notable developments on the TISP implementation were documented in Basilan.
Projects for implementation under the DSWD stimulus fund program include 101
units modified shelter assistance (MSA), construction of 98 day care centers,
supplementary feeding, sustainable livelihood through the Self-Employment
Assistance Program para sa Kaunlaran (SEA-K) and cash-for-work for Basilan
amounting to P134,188,000 for 2012.

Basilan provincial social welfare officer Lilia Bucoy said Habitat for Humanity Phils.
Foundation shall undertake the implementation of the modified shelter assistance at
the cost of P100,000 per unit while the Armys 55th Engineering Brigade under
Col. Arnold Rafael Depakakibo has started in 2012 the construction of the day care
centers at the cost of P620,000.00 per unit.

Bucoy said on September 16, 2012 Governor Hataman and Regional Vice Governor
and then DSWD-ARMM secretary Bainon Karon awarded to the local government
some 38 units completed day care centers with 60 others are still under construction.

TISP projects under the DILG had also started in 2012 the implementation of
infrastructure projects in the different towns in Basilan such as construction of public
market and two-storey municipal hall in Al-barka; public market and water supply for
Sumisip, Tuburan, Ungkaya Pukan, Tipo-Tipo, and Lantawan; public market for
Tabuan-Lasa, Mohammad Ajul, and Maluso; and slaughter house and cultural
weaving center in Lamitan City.

DTI-Basilan also reported that in 2012 most of its activities related to stimulus fund
were centered on holding meetings with various stakeholders and potential
beneficiaries of projects promoting one-town-one product (OTOP), namely: Abaca-
Fiber Processing Project, Coco-Coir Processing Project, Dried-Fish Processing
Project, Mud-Crab Production and Fattening Project, and Yakan Weaving and
Handicraft Production Center. DTI had assisted in the preparation and enhancing the
proposals of these proponents. Consultation meetings were also conducted to assist the
rubber industry in Basilan.

For TISP projects implemented under the Department of Science and Technology
(DOST), former S & T Provincial Director Myra Alih reported that in 2012 the total
proposed project had reached P 9,343,163.44 under the Small Enterprise Technology
Upgrade (SET-UP), a soft loan that is payable in three years. Alih said that it is a soft
loan because proponents would only have to return the capital/amount loaned without
interest.

Alih, who is recently appointed as secretary for DOST-ARMM, said that some P24.6
million is allotted by the department for TISP projects in the region and 24 projects
were approved amounting to P13.2 Million. And DOST-ARMMs role is to assist
in the preparation and packaging of project proposals and do monitoring.

The SET-UP project proposals included the establishment of a village-type rubber
processing plant, coconut vinegar processing, Yakan handloom weaving production,
establishment of a 500-kg capacity bioreactor facility in the province, and upgrading
of bakery equipment and facilities of Isabela Seaport and General Merchant.

Alih added that as of July this year, a total of P12,108,038.68 has already been
released for various SET-UP projects in ARMM areas.

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF-ARMM) said that under the
Basilan Accelerated Peace and Development Strategy (BAPADS), the department has
intensified its program with the provision of certified rice, corn, rubber, and vegetable
seedlings to selected farmers.

The TISP initiative had also opened opportunities for Public-Private Partnerships
(PPP). Civil society groups (CSOs) in Basilan were also involved in either
implementing and/or monitoring the projects. Given this opportunity, the sector was
also challenged to help the implementing agencies in drumming up public awareness
on the TISP undertaking.

CSOs also play a crucial role in the TISP implementation to ensure that the
implementing government agencies really execute the projects and programs.

More recently, the citizens-media engagement with the LGUs was also established and
now being strengthened through the help of the Center for Community Journalism and
Development (CCJD) and the Asia Foundation. The LGU, media, and CSO sat
together on an interface session to determine whether each member is doing his part
toward a common goal: a genuine reform in the ARMM. (FPG/RVC/PIA9-ZBST)
- See more at: http://r09.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=1421373855491#sthash.kVMIfaln.dpuf