2-Day BTF-ELAC Program Workshop

 

Opening Program of the 2-Day BTF-ELAC Workshop, Golden Lace Resto

The 2-Day Bangsamoro Task Force Ending Local Armed Conflict (BTF-ELAC) Clusters Framework/Implan formulation Workshop was called for Asec's presence by sending of program matrix via Facebook Messenger. Asec forwarded the matrix to Supersam for representation in a sense he was in Sulu with PMO engineers for Turn-over and Ground Breaking Ceremony for School Building Constructions. Ms. Alanisa M. Bantuas would actually be the Alternate of Asec in BTF-ELAC. She would not be also available for the workshop due to her meeting in FYD. Thus, Supersam was the only choice. BTF-ELAC has been formed pursuant to the Presidential Executive Order No. 70, DepED OUA Memo No. 00-0520-0052 dated 18 May 2020, re: “Representatives to the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC)” as further reiterated by OUA Memo No. 00-0221-0015 dated 02 February 2021, re: “Submission of NTF-ELCAC Representatives’ Details and Participation in the JRTF Levelling and Consultation Meeting”. However, Pursuant to Executive Order No. 0010, Office of the Minister entitled “Amending Executive Order No. 018 s. 2019 entitled “Creating Technical Working Group and Secretariat of the Regional Task Force-Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict and Designating Focal Persons for Clusters/Line Efforts Thereof”, localization of ELCAC into ELAC (Ending Local Armed Conflict has been approved by the Office of the President. As he arrived at the workshop early in the morning of March 24, 2021, Supersam tried to ask the Registration Personnel on what Cluster he should sit with because every table was having a cluster name. It was the EMCEE who noticed him and responded that it would be Basic Services Cluster. Sir Moore answered in affirmative when he was asked by EMCEE his representation, Asec Alfhadar J. Pajiji - MBHTE BTF-ELAC Focal Person by virtue of the Regional Memorandum Order No. 236 s. 2021. Later, EMCEE moved Supersam to Livelihood and Poverty Alleviation Cluster on the basis that MBHTE is the Lead for the said cluster. Participating ministries for Livelihood and Poverty Alleviation Cluster were Ministry of Social Services and Development, Ministry of Interior and Local Government, Ministry of Trade, Investment, and Tourism, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Basic Higher and Technical Education, the Lead Ministry.

Supersam had gone beyond two streets before he found Golden Lace Resto, the official venue of the workshop. In the morning session, the program was purely opening and presentation of the different personalities especially those coming from the National Task Force-End Local Communist Armed Conflict spearheaded by retired Lt. Col. Mario Jose chico. Briefing and orientation for the workshop started almost lunchtime. Every cluster was given a copy of Worksheet 1 that can be gleaned from the photo below. It was about prioritization of barangay having armed conflict until the cluster members would plan some appropriate programs and projects that would surely end the local armed conflict after the targeted time. The NTF-ELCAC and BTF-ELAC Secretariats has already some copies of listed barangays, municipality, and provinces of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao where local armed conflict would need to be addressed by not just one agency or sector rather in a convergent manner. So, every participating cluster would no longer be bothered by thinking for a priority barangay. In case of Livelihood and Poverty Alleviation Cluster chose Barangay Madiya, Datu Saudi Municipality as their priority target for ELAC Implementation and Plan. BTF-ELAC has adopted Cluster Approach so that initiation and implementation of suitable programs and projects for the targeted barangay would be realistic because every ministry has its own government programs and projects intended for the upliftment of the residents. On the second day of the workshop, BTF-ELAC, and NTF-ELCAC Secretariats added Worksheets 2 and Worksheets 3 to every cluster for the finalization of the BTF-ELAC Plan. Presentation of the outputs from different clusters started before lunch. In the case of Livelihood and Poverty Alleviation Cluster, an MSSD participant was recognized as the second presenter in the afternoon. The distribution of certificates was only for those coming from the national level. Accordingly, the certificates of those local participants would depend on the available time of the signatories. Photo ops came as the final closing activity of the workshop.

           

Caravan for BARMM BTA Extension

March 18, 2021: Bangsamoro Freedom Day

The Technical Staff together with the Boss of the Office of the Special Programs and Projects got off down the stairs at about 5:00 am and directly proceeded to the assembly area for the BARMM caravan synchronized with the commemoration of Bangsamoro Freedom Day, March 18, 2021. Snacks, foods, face shields, and mineral water were enough loaded into Strada. Demax where DG (Director General) Marjuni Maddi of the Higher Education seated and Asec's Strada were together proceeding to the area where all expected participants of caravan assembled. While waiting, Dr. Alma M. Abdula-Nor, Schools Division Superintendent of the Maguindanao II Division invited us to take breakfast in her Division Office at Awang. She also prepared some foods and drinks for lunch for those Very Important Persons joining the caravan.

At first, our vehicles with Ma'am Abdula-Nor were in convoy, but it was disconnected on the way due to many cars overtaking. Accordingly, there were three thousand vehicles excluding motorcycles participated in the caravan. The caravan started with Cotabato  City passing by Awang towards Isulan then from the province of Sultan Kudarat to Matalam and followed again the national highway leading to Cotabato City. It was almost late in the evening when Strada and Demax arrived at OCM Compound. Along the highway from beginning to end, there were many crowds of BARMM BTA-Extension supporters shouting 'Takbir' and raising ice water and pastil to those vehicles and motorcycles of people joining the caravan. Click this link to view the caravan video.

        

Meeting With EAI

 

Another NGO coming into the conference hall for a meeting was Sir Joel Dizon from Equal Access International last March 17, 2021. EAI Country Director also joined our meeting online while he was in General Santos City. I heard Asec Fhadz calling him Tam. Sir Joel was just alone from EAI while we were four: 1. Asec Alfhadar P. Pajiji; 2. Alanisa M. Bantuas; 3. John Eric A. Berdijo and 4. Supersam. Sir Tata played the role of IT-man setting the projector for Sir Joel to connect his laptop to the screen for presentation. We were busy taking notes with Ma'am Nis over the conversation made between Sir Fhadz and Sir Joel. EAI is another intervention to MBHTE that focuses on youth formation and development based on the PowerPoint presentation of Sir Joel.

There are six (6) slots allotted for Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Three slots are for senior high school and also three for Alternative Learning System (ALS). Sir Joel stressed that the selection or identification of targeted schools would be in the hands of EAI. The role of the MBHTE might just be a co-team in program review. EAI would be open to any recommendations and suggestions coming from MBHTE relative to the program. Memorandum of Understanding would be executed later between EAI and the Education Ministry. Sir Joel asked my email add for him to send the copies of the MOU.

         

Neophyte in Zoom Meeting With PBEd

With Asec Alfhadar "Fhadz" J. Pajiji and Ms. Alanisa M. Bantuas of the Special Programs and Projects, Supersam firstly appeared before Zoom Meeting with PBEd personnel last March 12, 2021. Since this was an online meeting, we from SPP Office were seated in different places. Asec Fhadz was in Davao City. Ms. Bantuas and I were in the office but not in the same room.

The meeting was set through Invitation Letter from PBEd sent to Asec Fhadz's FB Messenger. The meeting had been rescheduled before, that's why some photos below were in different outfits that were supposed to be worn in the activity.  For the details of the Zoom Meeting, please play the video below.

 

 

    

Lost Venue of BTF-ELAC Meeting

Sir Oms, Sir Sajid and I were about to leave for Davao City in the afternoon of March 5, 2021. Suddenly, Asec contacted Sir Sajid for my stay in the office in order to represent him in the BTF-ELAC Meeting held at MSSD (Ministry of Social Services and Development) Office at 1:P30 in the afternoon. Accordingly, an Invitation Letter from MSSD  was sent to him for said meeting. He just informed Sir Das through Facebook chat. He forgot to forward the Invitation Letter.  I was a back ride of Sir Das to the MSSD Office before 1:30. The door was labeled with COMELEC and 4Ps. We looked for another conference room, but there was none. We returned and opened the door. The meeting already started. The Presiding Officer asked every participant to introduce himself.

I was the last one to present myself saying my full name and the person whom I represented. As if, everyone wondered as they heard my introduction. The Presiding Officer questioned to what office did I belong. MBHTE-Asec for Special Programs and Projects Office was my reply. It was there where I knew the meeting was not my representation. I made an excuse and sorry for the wrong venue. When Sir Das and I were in the other room, one MSSD personnel asked our concern. We asked him where the venue of the BTF-ELAC Meeting. He did not know. We rode to another little MSSD Office near MINRE. We found not any place for the said MTF-ELAC.