COTABATO CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DPWH-ARMM) launched the Expanded ARMM Roads Mapping and Management (E-ARMM) system, described as the country’s first.
ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman and DPWH-ARMM Secretary Don Mustapha Loong led the launching of the P2.5-million E-ARMM project on July 20. The system is aimed at establishing a database containing information on road projects including the connectivity conditions and other public infrastructure projects within the region,. This also creates a network system involving the regional office and eight district engineering offices that will serve as data repository.
“With the E-ARMM system, identification of right projects will be made easy that will lead towards accelerating the socio-economic condition of the ARMM,” said Sec. Loong. He reiterated that for the “first time in 23 years, the department will have an inventory of all national, provincial and municipal roads.”
Through the E-ARMM system the public can easily check paved and unpaved roads in the region. DPWH-ARMM now boasts of having evolved from an agency identified with corruption to being the model for transparency and top performance in the region.
DPWH-ARMM also inaugurated a P3.2-million annex building that houses the Commission on Audit office, staff house, and canteen inside the regional office in Cotabato City. Funds for the construction of the new building were taken from the department’s savings and was pursued as part of its continuing reform and providing a quality work place.
“Our department exercises prudent fiscal management, which resulted in the generation of huge savings that were usefully utilized,” Sec. Loong said. (Bureau of Public Information)
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