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Senate Sub-Committee Approves MinDA’s 2025 Budget, Endorses Unfunded Programs
The Senate sub-committee on finance approved the Mindanao Development Authority’s (MinDA) proposed budget for fiscal year 2025, moving it closer to final deliberation by the Senate. This action signifies a key moment for Mindanao’s ongoing development as the sub-committee pledged additional support for MinDA’s unfunded programs, which are crucial to the region’s growth and stability.…
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Mahardika Party Gears Up for 2025 Elections with Diverse Slate of Candidates, Pledges to Advance Bangsamoro Progress
September 26, 2024 – Cotabato City, Philippines The Mahardika Party, a prominent political group in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), has convened to select a diverse slate of candidates for the upcoming 2025 elections. With a focus on addressing the pressing needs of the Bangsamoro people, the party seeks to promote unity,…
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Senator Dela Rosa Warns OPAPRU Against Opportunistic Groups Falsely Claiming MNLF Membership
September 26, 2024 – Manila, Philippines Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has raised concerns over opportunistic groups in Mindanao falsely claiming to be members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in an attempt to exploit the government’s socio-economic programs for former rebels. The warning came during a Finance Subcommittee C briefing on Wednesday, September…
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CHR Lauds Basilan Province for Landmark Human Rights Defenders’ Protection Ordinance
September 26, 2024 — Basilan, Philippines The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has expressed its full support for the Basilan provincial government’s recent passage of its first-ever ordinance aimed at safeguarding human rights defenders. The “Basilan Province Human Rights Defenders’ Protection Ordinance,” enacted on August 8, 2024, represents a pioneering move by the local government…
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Senator Zubiri: Sulu Can Rejoin BARMM Through Legislative Act
Manila, September 25, 2024 — Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri stated on Wednesday that the province of Sulu could potentially rejoin the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) through a legislative amendment by Congress. “If Sulu desires to be included in the BARMM again, they can approach the Senate and ask for an amendment…
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Sulu Leaders Meet with House of Representatives to Address Implications of Sulu’s Exclusion from BARMM
In a significant move to address the consequences of Sulu’s exclusion from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Governor Abdusakur M. Tan, alongside 19 Local Chief Executives (LCEs), Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) members, and the Congressmen from Sulu’s 1st and 2nd Districts, met with House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez at the House…
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Man Arrested for Illegal Possession of Firearm and Ammunition in Cotabato City Checkpoint
A 19-year-old man was arrested after being found in possession of an undocumented firearm and ammunition during an intensified checkpoint operation conducted by Cotabato City Police Station 3 in Barangay Tamontaka on September 25, 2024. The suspect, identified by the alias “Baby Lags,” is a resident of Sausa Street, Barangay RH13, Cotabato City. Police Captain…
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WFP and USAID Spotlight Local Innovations to Combat Food Insecurity in Disaster-Prone Areas in the Philippines
QUEZON CITY – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are hosting the Preparedness and Response Excellence in the Philippines (PREP) Forum on September 25-26, 2024. This event highlights local solutions to tackle food insecurity in disaster-prone areas, supported by USAID and the Australian Government’s Department…
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Zubiri Insists BARMM Parliamentary Elections Must Proceed in 2025, Despite Calls for Postponement
Manila, Philippines – September 26, 2024 Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri reaffirmed on Wednesday that the parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) must push through in May 2025, as mandated by law. He emphasized that any further extension of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), which currently acts as the region’s parliament,…
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DBM Urges BARMM and Sulu to Maintain “Status Quo” Following Supreme Court Decision
Manila, Philippines – September 26, 2024 The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has called on the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the province of Sulu to maintain “status quo” following the recent Supreme Court (SC) decision excluding Sulu from the BARMM. In a statement released Thursday, DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman affirmed…