ARMM helps

Last week the ARMM officials led by Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman went through scenario building exercises to chart the "deliverables" in the package of reforms in the next seven months (yearend report) and in the next 12 months (June 30, 2013) as the OIC officials bow out. The governor came out with the acronym HELPS and the ARMM as the pilot in shaping the contribution of the reforms to the Bangsamoro constituency, in particular, and to the nation in general. H stands for health. E stands for education, mainly basic education. L, on the other hand, stands for livelihood, P stands for political and governance reforms, and S stands for the synergy within and without the ARMM bureaucracy. The first cabinet cluster composed of DepEd, DOH, DSWD, Office of the IP concerns and RPDO, and CSO representatives work on Health and Education as the main "drivers" of reforms in the ARMM and their contribution to the attainment of the national commitment to MDGs.   Four scenarios are possible for the ARMM. The first is the confluence of existing bad education and bad health delivery system. This, no doubt, would contribute to conditions where the children will find themselves "sakitin na, mangmang pa."   The second scenario would be the convergence of good education and bad health system delivery that would result in conditions that give you "matalino nga, lampa naman." The third scenario is the intersect of very good educational system and a very good health delivery system. This would constitute the best scenario for the ARMM in terms of delivery of basic services to the ARMM constituency. The said scenario, no doubt, would produce kids that are "bright na, healthy pa."   And the fourth scenario is a combination of good health delivery and bad educational system. This condition would produce "batang malulusog pero bobo naman." The second cabinet cluster works on Livelihood with two important drivers: food and jobs. The worst scenario produces citizens that are "gutom na, wala pang kabuhayan." The second scenario is the condition where the constituents are "busog ngunit walang trabaho." The third is the best scenario that ensures plenty of food at the table and a good and steady job. And the fourth scenario spells "meron trabaho nga ngunit kapos pa rin." The third cabinet cluster works on the continuing house cleaning in the ARMM governance that includes peace and security and electoral reforms. They work on the worst possible scenario that is marked by anarchy, graft and corruption, impunity, private armies, renewal of arm confrontation and rido. Add to this pervasive cheatings during elections.   On the other hand, the best scenario for ARMM in Governance and Political Reforms spells the following:

• Better governance and good peace and security conditions that ensure delivery of basic services to the ARMM constituency;
• All LGUs in the ARMM adopt full disclosure policy;
• ARMM receives rightful share in revenue and equitable budget allocation;
• ARMM has adequate representation in national government;
• Completion of devolution process to give meaning to autonomy;
• New General Registration in the entire ARMM and employ election system that fully integrates biometrics;
• Election of enlightened leaders;
• The ARMM Reforms and the peace process succeed;
• Full observance of procurement law;
• Institutionalized traditional/alternative dispute resolution mechanism; and
• Adherence to seal of good housekeeping.

The last letter S stands for Synergy that would put an end to the usual fragmented approaches to the reforms that are taking place. Synergy introduces a new culture in the workplace and the bureaucracy. It also provides a holistic perspective in the reforms that the new leadership would like to infuse between and among the line agencies and bureaus in the ARMM. The best and the worst scenarios in the three clusters form the platforms for strategic actions that hopefully would begin to bear fruit by the end of the mandate of the reform leadership in the ARMM. At times, the reforms in the ARMM appear to be quixotic and daunting, but the reform leadership has no choice but to simply bite the bullet and forge ahead. In the end what matters most is the fact that they have tried and they have given their utmost. Reformers must be BELIEVERS!