ANGARA REITERATES CALL FOR ARMM DEVELOPMENT

In celebration of THE END OF Ramadan, Senator Edgardo J. Angara renewed his call for more reforms aimed towards the development of Muslim Mindanao.

"Mindanao has unique and specific challenges especially in education and in the general delivery of basic social services. The government should carry out programs specifically geared to maximize this region's potential to be globally competitive," said Angara.

Angara, who co-authored the law declaring the Eid'l Fitr or the end of the Ramadan as a national holiday, was also responsible for the creation and steering of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) as the planning agency for Mindanao-specific interregional and Mindanao-wide programs and projects.

"This project aims to integrate and coordinate the development strategies of the region towards an efficient island economy. Our goal here is to move past the fragmented, piecemeal approach to Mindanao development," explains Angara, who is a known advocate for Muslims' rights and culture.

Angara, head of the Senate Committee on Education, Culture and Arts, was also hailed by Muslim groups for the National Cultural Heritage act, which seeks to preserve our country's cultural and historical treasures. This act resulted in the declaration of Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque, the oldest in the country, as a national shrine.