ARMM exec calls for unity after polls, vows support for Duterte's economic agenda

ARMM exec calls for unity after polls, vows support for Duterte's economic agenda

By Edwin O. Fernandez

COTABATO CITY, June 11 (PNA) -- "Its now time to heal, its time to mend fences of political divide in the region and in the country."

This was the gist of re-elected Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) who was interviewed by ARMM weekend radio program, entitled "Aksyon ARMM" Saturday.

Hataman admitted the recent polls have divided the region and its people who are all Bangsamoro.

He said the May 9 national and local elections had been past divisive politics of mudslinging.

"The election is over, its time to move on and forget the sad issues that emerged during the election," he said.

The regional governor said majority of ARMM inhabitants wanted genuine delivery of government basic services which had been denied to them in the past.

He said the reforms he introduced to the regional bureaucracy since assuming office in 2013 was not enough. "Much has to be done," he said.

"This is now the time to move forward for sustainable reforms, and we need to deliver the government services to every ARMM constituent, Hataman said.

Hataman vowed to push with his incoming President Duterte's economic agenda.

These include Tax and Revenue Reforms; Accelerated spending on infrastructure program taking into consideration certain priorities; Enhanced investment and economic competitiveness of doing business in the country; Support services to small farmers for increased productivity and improved market access;

Strengthened irrigation and better support services to farmers; Promotion of ecotourism in the rural areas; Address bottlenecks in land administration and management system; Strengthened basic education system, and provide scholarships for tertiary education, which are relevant to private employers' needs; Improved tax system by indexing tax collection to inflation rate, "to enable those who earn a little to have more in their pockets"; and Expand and improve implementation of the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program.

Hataman, a Liberal Party stalwart, has vowed to support President elect Duterte especially on his programs for the Bangsamoro people. (PNA)