AECID-MILAB Project supports WBA functional office

In Photo: from Left to Right: Ms. Yolanda O’Brien, Ms. Malena Vaca Sotomayor from the AECID; Atty. Benedicto Bacani the Executive Director of IAG; Almani Adam, Amineth Calaton AMO staff; Hanie Bud, Maluso Mayor, Mr. Juan Pita Rodrigaňez the General Coordinator from the Spanish Embassy; Ms. Jacqueline Fernandez- The Deputy Director of IAG; Mr. Vandrazel Birowa ZABIDA Project Staff; Mr. Noor Saada- MILAB Project Manager; Ms. Liezel K. Rabor- Fianance Officer ZABIDA.

Zamboanga City – The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID)-funded Modelling Inter-LGU Alliance in Basilan (MILAB) Project turn-over today a set of of office equipment to the Western Basilan Alliance (WBA) represented by Mayor Hans Bud of Maluso and Alliance Management Office (AMO) staff Amineth Calaton and Almani Adam. The turn-over ceremony coincides with the 2nd Project Steering Committee (PSC) held in the city.

The project donation consists of two units laptop, one set printer, an LCD projector with screen, steeling filing cabinet, office tables and chairs, one unit air conditioner and office supplies; and are intended to support a functional alliance management office. The office is currently hosted by and in the Maluso Municipal Hall.

The AECID-funded MILAB Project is being implemented by the Institute of Autonomy and Governance (IAG) with the Zamboanga-Basilan Integrated Development Alliance (ZABIDA) as the local NGO partner.

Local legislative officials assemble for Western Basilan Alliance

The five municipal groups discuss and suggest ways to institutionalize the Western Basilan Alliance.
In photo, Councilor Al Yasin of Maluso presented his group output. 

February 15, 2018, Sumisip, Basilan – Municipal legislative officials from Hadji Muhtamad, Lantawan, Maluso, Sumisip and Tabuan Lasa municipalities assemble today for an orientation and consultation about the Western Basilan Alliance (WBA), at the Municipal Conference Hall, in this flourishing town center of Sumisip, Basilan.

In his opening statement, Mayor Gulam “Boy” Hataman of Sumisip happily welcome the participants to his town and wish the best for the local legislators present.

Mayor Hanie Bud of the Municipality of Maluso was tasked by his fellow mayors to present to the vice mayors and local legislators present the concept and strategic plan of the Western Basilan Alliance (WBA). He explains why this interlocal cooperation is being pursued and how they can play positive and complementary roles to institutionalize the alliance. He emphasizes the shared values needed to jumpstart and sustain the alliance – to encourage broader participation ownership; promotes leadership that serves and delivers; includes peoples and embrace diversity; united by love of God and neighbor, being fair and equitable.

Among the participants is 3-term woman-councilor Shehama Manuel of Lantawan who echoes the call for unity among local legislators. Councilor Ashier Abdulla of Tabuan Lasa admires the idea of alliance building and thinks the time has come to behave as a bigger group. Councilor Zia Ul Haq Basa of Maluso believes the local legislators should rally around this idea and expresses support for the needed resolutions. Councilor Mahdawi Ibrahim of Sumisip is happy for their experience in hosting inter-municipality event like this consultation; while councilor Zaldy Ahmad reckons that aside from the support from local legislators, he urges his colleagues to pray for its success.

This event is the 3rd and final in the consultation series is supported by AECID and implemented by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) through the 18-month “Modeling Inter-LGU Alliance for Basilan” (MILAB) Project. (MILAB/Ramil Tarami)

 

Western Basilan forms alliance to spur development

By Rene V. Carbayas, PIA

LAMITAN CITY, Basilan, Feb 5 (PIA) -- Local chief executives from the five municipalities of the western part of Basilan Island forged an alliance to spur peace and development in the area.

At the recent consultation meeting with municipal executive officials and partners in Lantawan, the concept of Western Basilan Alliance (WBA) as a development platform was presented.

Noor M. Saada, Project Manager of the Modeling Inter-LGU Alliance in Basilan (MILAB) project said that the consultation is second in a series to inform and mobilize support for the WBA. The Agencia Espanola de Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarrollo (Spanish Agency for International Development) AECID-funded MILAB Project and how this will support the WBA as a development platform was also introduced.

More importantly, the consultation aimed at familiarizing participants with the WBA priorities on fisheries, agriculture, environment, peace and order, governance, education, health and eco-tourism.

“The idea of WBA came from the mayors. They have this realization that there is a misconception that Basilan is always in conflict. They would like to demontrate and correct the misconception that not all the areas in Basilan are in conflict, and that a portion of Basilan is ready to jumpstart development because it is relatively peaceful,” Saada said.

He explained that forging an alliance is significant in order to project a bigger impacting project that would entice donor agencies. He added that rather than plan for development in just one town, many donors would be encouraged to support if more areas are covered by their projects.

The Institute of Autonomy and Governance (IAG) leads in the implementation of the MILAB project that intends to support the institutionalization of WBA as an inter-LGU model in the pursuit of common local development agenda.

The 18-month MILAB project intends to capacitate the five towns belonging to the western part of Basilan, namely: Lantawan, Maluso, Hadji Muhtamad, Sumisip, and Tabuan Lasa to undertake and move forward the WBA.

During the meeting the participants were grouped into the six components: fisheries, agriculture, peace and security, good governance, critical social services, and eco-tourism. Various programs and projects were identified that each town may compliment and for possible cooperation and funding.

Meanwhile, Maluso Mayor Hanie A. Bud said that the WBA is a product of brainstorming among local chief executives of the five towns and other support group, who after being enlightened by similar models of cooperation and alliance, decided to form the WBA.

“One unique in western Basilan, aside from the fact that we are relatively peaceful, is the feature of multi-cultural community in the different towns, which we find common and unique to us, and which for us is advantageous,” Mayor Bud explained when asked why the idea of a WBA.

The IAG revealed that Governor Hadjiman “Jim” Hataman-Salliman is really pushing the LGUs and stakeholders on the need to be actively engaged, emphasizing WBA is not a project from the outside, but a culmination of conversations with partners on how to maximize the relative peace and order now at hand in the Western seaboard communities of the province. (ALT/RVC/PIA9-Basilan)

Reference: http://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1004726

This article was also published in Mindanao Daily, February 6, 2018, in Cagayan de Oro City, page 2.