OMA office opens in Iligan

By: Armand Apolinario, Mangagawang Media Ng Mindanaw

Iligan City –OMA-12, Regional Director Mohammad Nasser “Moh” C. Abbas and the Iligan city government had formally opened the Office on Muslims Affair (OMA) office here in Adiong building at Camague Hi-way, this city last July 15, 2009.

Other presents on this occasion were OMA-12 Assistant Director S. Moner; OMA Iligan City Director Monaem Guro; DepEd Central office, Director Niza C. Abbas; Mr. Marlito Rodriguez of CMO that represents Mayor Lawrence Lluch Cruz; CMO Consultants Sultan Camama & Ali Batara; Dr. Ben Kadil of MSU; Salaam Police Marlon Boungan; other guests; visitors and the media.

The program proper was started @ 2:20p.m., July 15, 2009, with a Muslim prayer/ Qur’an reading. Welcome address done by Mr Rodriguez representing the city government as he officially announced that the Iligan city government thru our City Mayor Cruz have approved and officially opened this OMA office here today despite that there is somebody-politician who questioned the opening of OMA office here but the city government did not mind it. The OMA office here is a catalyst for Peace with the Muslims & Christians are good people and our city mayor is curious enough that we will unite, the Muslims & Christians here.

Assistant Regional Director Moner had introduced his Boss, OMA-12 Lanao area Regional Director Moh Abbas prior that he give his message to the audience. RD Abbas said in his speech that the OMA will intervene with the coming peace talks between the Government Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). He has the 5-agenda such as the Infrastructure project to erect OMA office buildings in Marawi city & Iligan city; despite he has only P88,000.00 MOEE but Executive Secretary Ermita will help in this Infra project and he could seek support from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

RD Abbas added that he has also offices like the Cultural Division; Socio-Economic Division; Settlement Division and Legal Division that will cater problems of the Muslims and Christians in his Area of Responsibility (AOR). Being we are on democracy, he moves on his way to settle the problems at hand. RD
Abbas also give priority to help the OMA Hadj those Muslim people who will go Hadj to Mecca this year, and this coming August 17, 2009, it is the start of the processing on their Passports in Marawi city and its for free. Luggage Fee will have to undergo in a bidding in Manila office so the Muslim people that go to Hadj can get @ lower cost of their Luggage. The OMA will also get a radio program and to educate Muslim people especially the leaders.

RD Abbas is very much thankful to city Mayor Cruz for the full support he extended to the re-opening of OMA office here in Iligan as for many years that the said OMA office had stopped operating.

DepEd Director Niza C Abbas said that OMA-12 RD Moh Abbas was appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as OMA-12 Regional Director post is based on his qualifications. The DepEd and OMA will be signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) as partners for giving Education to the Bangsamoro people in order to help solve the poverty problem and also they can get equal same opportunities with other Filipino people. Promote the Bangsamoro culture and arts and put it in the nationwide curriculum of DepEd. They include the LGU in the partnership of DepEd and OMa. They will help teachers on their housing program with the Pag-ibig, Inc. as per report it is about 37% teachers are homeless they are renting, and also the DepEd pushing in the Senate for P5,000.00 salary increase as the teachers have low take home pay, DepEd Director Abbas added.

OMA City Director Monaem Guro also said that the programs & services of OMA here had already talked with City Mayor Cruz and Congressman Varf Belmonte, Jr as the OMA office is restored. CD Guro assured Iligan Muslim & Christian people that OMA will bring hope for Iligan lasting Peace!

CMO Consultant Batara said that the restoration of OMA office here and it can unite the Muslims & Christians people and we all have to support.

Dr Kadil of MSU was thankful that he was given the opportunity to talk as we, Muslims have the OMA sub-office here in Iligan. He hopes that it’s the catalyst to unite the Muslims & Christians, solve the social-economic well being of Iligan, especially economic aspects-center. To implement 5-year development program and thru OMA is the success of Malacañang and the Muslims & Christians people.

Salaam Police Chairman, Marlon Boungan said that the Salaam Police (53 Volunteer under the PRC) and it was organized this by the ICPO & PNP representative from Camp Crame in order to help solve different crime problems in Iligan city. They will be given budget for their Salaam office, a Mosque bldg and 2 Salaam Police will go Hadj to Mecca this year.

Other CMO Consultant, Sultan Camama prior to his closing remarks, he gave emphasis that OMA office is like a mirror that through this office the Muslims & Christians will unite. We thank to Allah, City Mayor Lawrence Cruz, Cong. Varf Belmonte, Jr., and Cong. Bobby Dimaporo in restoring the OMA office here. It is also needed by the Muslims here that we will have a representative to the Iligan city council as City Mayor Cruz has the privilege-authority to appoint sectoral member in the SP and also in the creation of a Muslim cemetery here in Iligan. Finally he said that we will support OMA Regional Director Moh Abbas and City Director Guro.

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