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Four more towns up for Maguindanao


KORONADAL CITY — Four more towns might be added to the impoverished province of Maguindanao in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Maguindanao, a bailiwick of the influential Ampatuan family, presently has 22 municipalities. A statement from the autonomous Muslim region’s Bureau of Public Information announced that the creation of four new towns is pending with the Regional Legislative Assembly. The measure was authored by regional assemblymen Datu Umbrah Datumanong, Datu Pike Mentang and Datu Khadafeh Mangudadatu. Selected villages from the municipalities of Datu Abdullah Sangki, Ampatuan, Datu Saudi, Datu Piang, Paglat, Pandag and General S.K. Pendatun will compose the proposed new towns of Datu Hofer, Shariff Tibungog, Datu Salibo and Adam. In a public hearing on March 13 in Shariff Aguak, mayors, barangay captains and other leaders of the areas that will be affected in the planned creation of municipalities reportedly supported the proposal. Dick Mali, secretary of the Regional Legislative Assembly, said the creation of municipalities is within the ambit of Republic Act 9054, or the Organic Act for the ARMM. "The foremost reason for the creation of new towns is to decentralize functions and resources," Mr. Mali said. ARMM Governor Datu Zaldy U. Ampatuan said, "With the creation of four more towns in Maguindanao, the regional government could now easily and immediately address the people’s needs and aspirations through the [new] municipal governments." The governor’s father, Datu Andal S. Ampatuan Sr., is currently on his third term as governor of Maguindanao. — R. S. Sarmiento, BusinessWorld
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